Chapter 1: The Little Girl in the Red Wine
“Scrub it, you filthy little parasite!””
The red wine struck Lily Bennett across the chest before she could move.
Cold liquid soaked through her pale pink Christmas dress, splattering the marble floor and staining the white rubber gloves covering her tiny hands. A few drops landed on the cream-colored rug beneath the enormous Christmas tree.
For one terrible second, the eight-year-old girl simply stared at the spreading stain.
Then she looked up at the woman holding the empty wineglass.
Vanessa Bennett was wearing a champagne-colored silk dress, diamond earrings, and the expression of someone who had just been mildly inconvenienced.
“Did you hear me?”” Vanessa demanded.
“I said scrub it!””
Lily swallowed.
“Yes, Vanessa.””
“Don't call me that. It's Mrs. Bennett.””
“I'm sorry, Mrs. Bennett.””
“Then get on your knees.””
Across the penthouse, Derek Shaw laughed.
He was sitting on the velvet sofa with one ankle resting over his knee, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His expensive watch flashed beneath the chandelier as he glanced at Lily.
“Careful, Vanessa. You're going to run out of wine before she runs out of things to clean.””
Vanessa smiled.
“There's plenty more in the cellar.””
The penthouse was decorated like a Christmas magazine cover. A twelve-foot fir tree stood beside the panoramic windows overlooking Manhattan. Golden ornaments shimmered beneath warm lights. Silver garlands hung from the staircase railing, and a collection of wrapped presents sat beneath the tree.
A soft Christmas song played through hidden speakers.
Everything looked perfect.
Everything except the little girl kneeling on the floor.
Lily reached for a cleaning cloth.
Her fingers were shaking.
She had already polished the kitchen counters, cleaned the guest bathroom, dusted the staircase, and arranged Vanessa's shoes inside the walk-in closet. She had been working since breakfast.
She hadn't eaten lunch.
But she knew better than to ask.
“Faster,” Vanessa snapped.
Lily pressed the cloth against the wine.
“I am, Mrs. Bennett.””
“Look at you. Eight years old and already useless.””
Derek leaned forward, grinning.
“Maybe she inherited that from her father.””
The cloth stopped moving.
Lily lifted her head.
“What?””
Derek chuckled.
“I said maybe your father was useless, too.””
“Don't say that!””
The words escaped before Lily could stop them.
The room went silent.
Vanessa slowly turned toward her.
“What did you just say?””
Lily's throat tightened.
“Please don't talk about my daddy like that.””
Derek laughed again.
“Your dad? Your dad's an idiot. A rich idiot who couldn't even figure out what kind of woman he married.””
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
“He's not an idiot.””
“Oh, really?”” Derek said.
“Then why does he leave you here with us?””
“Because he's working.””
Vanessa stood.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble as she approached.
“Your father is always working,” she said.
“Always making excuses. Do you know what that means, Lily?””
The girl shook her head.
“It means he doesn't have time for you.””
“That's not true.””
“It's exactly true.””
“He loves me.””
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“Don't use that word in my house.””
Lily clutched the cleaning cloth.
“Daddy said he would come home for Christmas.””
Vanessa glanced at Derek.
They exchanged a look.
Then she laughed.
“Oh, sweetheart. Your father won't be coming home tonight.””
“He promised.””
“People promise things all the time. It doesn't mean they intend to keep them.””
Lily stared at the Christmas tree.
One of the ornaments was a small silver star. Her father had hung it there the previous Christmas, lifting her into his arms so she could place it near the top.
She remembered his laugh.
She remembered his warm hands.
She remembered him kissing her forehead and promising that no matter how busy work became, Christmas would always belong to them.
“Daddy wouldn't forget,” she whispered.
Vanessa's face twisted.
“What did you say?””
“Nothing.””
“Say it again.””
“Nothing, Mrs. Bennett.””
Vanessa looked down at the stain on the floor.
“You missed a spot.””
Lily hurried to wipe it.
Vanessa's heel suddenly landed on the cloth.
“Stop.””
Lily froze.
“Look at me.””
The little girl raised her eyes.
“Do you know why your father married me?””
Lily shook her head.
“Because he wanted someone beautiful beside him. Someone who knew how to entertain important people. Someone who could make his home look respectable.””
Vanessa leaned closer.
“And instead, he left me with you.””
Lily's lips trembled.
“I'm sorry.””
“You should be.””
Vanessa lifted her foot from the cloth, then shoved Lily's shoulder.
The child lost her balance and fell sideways.
Her knee struck the marble with a sharp crack.
“Ow!””
Derek didn't get up.
Instead, he lifted his whiskey glass.
“Careful, little princess. That floor costs more than your entire wardrobe.””
Lily pressed one hand against her knee.
Vanessa pointed toward the wine stain.
“Finish cleaning.””
The girl struggled back onto her knees.
A small tear rolled down her cheek and dropped onto the marble.
Then another.
She wiped them away with the back of her glove.
She didn't want Vanessa to see her crying.
Crying always made things worse.
At 7:18 p.m., the doorbell rang.
The sound echoed through the penthouse.
Vanessa glanced at the clock.
“Derek, did you order something?””
“No.””
“Then who is it?””
Derek shrugged.
“Maybe one of your Christmas admirers.””
Vanessa smiled and adjusted the neckline of her dress.
“Probably a delivery.””
She turned toward Lily.
“Get the door.””
Lily looked at her.
“But I'm cleaning.””
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
“Did I ask you to explain your job?””
“No, Mrs. Bennett.””
“Then move.””
Lily pushed herself upright.
Her knee hurt. Her dress was wet with wine, and her rubber gloves were stained pink. She hurried toward the entrance, leaving the cleaning cloth beside the rug.
The doorbell rang again.
“I'm coming,” she whispered.
She reached up, struggled with the heavy handle, and pulled the door open.
A man stood in the hallway.
He wore a traditional red Santa coat trimmed with white fur. A large black belt wrapped around his waist, and a thick white beard covered most of his face. His red hat sat crookedly on his head.
He held a large gift bag in one hand.
For a moment, Lily simply stared.
The man smiled warmly.
“Well, hello there, little one.””
Lily took a small step backward.
“Are you Santa?””
The man chuckled.
“I've been called worse.””
His voice was deep and gentle.
He lowered the gift bag.
“I was looking for a little girl named Lily Bennett. Is she here?””
Lily's expression changed.
“Who wants to know?””
The man studied her more closely.
“Someone who has been waiting a very long time to see her.””
His smile remained for another second.
Then his eyes moved to her dress.
He noticed the red wine soaking the fabric. He noticed the rubber gloves. He noticed the way she stood with one knee slightly bent, as if putting weight on it hurt.
And he noticed the tears she hadn't managed to wipe away.
His smile slowly disappeared.
“Sweetheart,” he said quietly.
“What happened to you?””
“Nothing.””
He crouched so that his eyes were level with hers.
“That's quite a lot of red wine for nothing.””
Lily looked over her shoulder.
The man followed her gaze.
From the living room, Vanessa's voice rang out.
“Lily! Why are you taking so long?””
The child flinched.
The man's jaw tightened.
“Who hurt you?”” he asked.
Lily shook her head quickly.
“Please don't tell her.””
Something shifted behind the man's eyes.
He looked at the girl's stained dress again.
Then he reached up and slowly removed his red hat.
Next came the white beard.
He peeled it away carefully, revealing a familiar face beneath the costume.
A face Lily knew better than anyone.
A face she had cried herself to sleep missing.
For one heartbeat, she couldn't breathe.
Then her little hands flew to her mouth.
“D-Daddy?””
The man's eyes filled with tears.
“Hey, princess.””
Lily stared at him as though she was afraid he might disappear.
“Daddy?””
He opened his arms.
She ran into them.
“DADDY!””
Marcus Bennett caught his daughter against his chest, dropping the gift bag onto the hallway floor. Lily wrapped both arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.
He held her tightly.
“Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered.
“I've got you. Daddy's here.””
Lily sobbed.
“You came!””
“I promised, didn't I?””
“You came back!””
Marcus pressed his cheek against her hair.
“Of course I came back.””
Then he felt her trembling.
And his eyes moved over her shoulder.
The Christmas tree.
The wine on the floor.
The cleaning supplies.
The rubber gloves.
The tiny girl who had opened the door looking like someone had been making her earn the right to exist in her own home.
His arms tightened.
Behind him, a woman's voice suddenly sounded from the living room.
“Who is it, Lily?””
Vanessa appeared in the doorway.
She was holding another glass of red wine.
For half a second, she didn't understand what she was seeing.
Then she recognized the man holding the little girl.
The glass slipped in her fingers.
“Marcus?””
Derek stood up so quickly that his whiskey spilled across the sofa.
Marcus didn't turn immediately.
He kept one hand on Lily's head.
His voice was quiet.
“Hello, Vanessa.””
May you like
Vanessa stumbled backward.
And for the first time that evening, she looked genuinely terrified.
