Chapter 8: The Secret Emma Left Behind
Marcus stood beside Lily's bed, unable to move.
“Sell our house?””
Lily nodded.
“That's what Derek said.””
“What else did he say, sweetheart?””
“He said the big house would belong to him one day.””
Marcus sat beside her again.
“Did Vanessa hear him say that?””
“I think so.””
“Did she say anything?””
Lily played with the rabbit's ear.
“She said he shouldn't talk about it when I was listening.””
Marcus exchanged a look with Ethan, who had followed him upstairs.
The attorney stepped closer.
“Lily, can you remember where Derek was when he said that?””
“In the kitchen.””
“Was he talking to someone?””
She nodded.
“Vanessa.””
Ethan smiled gently.
“Thank you. You've helped us a lot.””
Lily looked at her father.
“Am I going to have to live with Derek?””
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“No.””
“Promise?””
“Promise.””
She relaxed slightly.
Then she pointed toward the dresser.
“Can you get my little blue box?””
Marcus walked over and opened the drawer.
Inside was a small wooden jewelry box painted with flowers.
Lily reached out.
“That's where Daddy put Mommy's things.””
Marcus remembered it.
He had bought it for Emma years ago.
He placed it on the bed.
Lily opened the lid.
There were a few photographs, a tiny silver hair clip, and a handwritten birthday card.
She lifted the card.
“Mommy wrote something inside.””
Marcus looked at the familiar handwriting.
It was a message Emma had written when Lily turned three.
To my little sunshine. Never let anyone tell you that you are too much. You are exactly enough.
Marcus swallowed.
He had forgotten the card was there.
Lily carefully folded it.
Then she reached underneath the velvet lining.
A small piece of white paper was tucked into the bottom.
“What's that?”” Marcus asked.
“I found it before. I didn't know what it said.””
Marcus unfolded the paper.
It was a note in Emma's handwriting.
Marcus, if anything ever happens to me, please make sure Lily has the little silver key. It's more important than the necklace. Keep it where no one can take it.
Beneath the message was a small drawing.
A silver key.
Marcus stared at it.
“Did you ever see this key?””
Lily shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus carefully folded the note.
“It's okay.””
He looked toward Ethan.
The attorney had gone unusually still.
“Ethan?””
The older man approached.
“Can I see that?””
Marcus handed him the paper.
Ethan read it twice.
“Marcus, do you remember Emma's private safe?””
“The one at her old apartment?””
“No. The safe in the family office.””
Marcus frowned.
“Emma never used that.””
“She did,” Ethan said.
“I remember handling some of her estate documents. She asked me to prepare a separate inventory shortly before she died.””
Marcus looked confused.
“What inventory?””
Ethan paused.
“An inventory of assets that were not included in the ordinary household records.””
“What kind of assets?””
“Shares, personal investments, and some documents connected to your father's estate.””
Marcus stared at him.
“My father's estate was settled years ago.””
“Most of it was. Emma believed there was still something missing from the original records.””
Marcus looked down at the note.
“Why didn't she tell me?””
Ethan sighed.
“She did tell you something, Marcus. You probably didn't realize how important it was.””
Marcus remembered.
A month before Emma died, she had asked him to meet her at the family office.
She had seemed worried.
But he had been preparing for an overseas acquisition and promised to talk with her later.
Later never came.
He looked toward the window.
“I should have listened.””
Ethan placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You couldn't have known.””
Marcus said nothing.
Then Lily touched his arm.
“Daddy, can we find the key?””
Marcus looked down.
“Yes, princess. We're going to find it.””
Downstairs, Vanessa was still in the living room.
She had changed into a dark sweater and was pacing beside the fireplace.
When Marcus entered with Ethan, she immediately approached him.
“Where is Lily?””
“Upstairs.””
“I want to see her.””
“She needs rest.””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
“You're keeping her away from me.””
“She's staying with me tonight.””
“You can't make that decision.””
Marcus handed Ethan the note from Emma.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“Where is the silver key?””
Her expression changed.
“What key?””
“The one Emma left for Lily.””
Vanessa's lips parted slightly.
Then she laughed.
“Marcus, what nonsense is this?””
“I'm asking a simple question.””
“I don't know anything about a key.””
Ethan stepped forward.
“Mrs. Bennett, do you have access to Emma's old jewelry inventory?””
“No.””
“Have you ever been inside the family office?””
Vanessa glared at him.
“I'm not answering your questions.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Then answer this one. Did you know Derek had taken Emma's silver necklace?””
Vanessa went pale.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
“Lily saw him.””
“She is confused.””
“Stop calling my daughter confused.””
Vanessa's voice rose.
“She's a child who wants her father to believe her! She'll say anything to make herself look innocent.””
Marcus stood completely still.
Then he said, “You know what I remember about Emma?””
Vanessa said nothing.
“She trusted people. Even when they gave her reasons not to.””
He looked at the framed photograph beside the fireplace.
“And when she died, she left me one responsibility. Protect Lily.””
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Oh, here we go again. Emma was practically a saint, wasn't she?””
Marcus turned.
“No. She was a woman who loved her daughter.””
“And I didn't?””
Marcus looked at her.
“You treated her like a problem to be managed.””
Vanessa's face hardened.
“Because she was always in the way!””
The words hung in the room.
Ethan stopped writing.
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa realized what she had admitted.
She quickly tried to recover.
“I didn't mean—”
“You said she was in the way.””
“She was always asking questions. Always wanting your attention. Always bringing up her mother.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“She was eight years old.””
“And I was supposed to spend the rest of my life competing with a dead woman?””
Marcus shook his head.
“You weren't competing with Emma. You were competing with the kindness you refused to give Lily.””
Vanessa looked away.
Then Ethan's phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?””
He listened.
His expression changed.
“Are you certain?””
Another pause.
“All right. Send the records to me.””
He ended the call.
Marcus looked at him.
“What happened?””
“The bank's preliminary review shows that the transfers from Lily's trust were routed through two companies.””
“Derek's?””
“One was his. The other is registered to a woman named Claire Donovan.””
Marcus frowned.
“Who is she?””
Ethan checked his notes.
“Former financial assistant to your family office. She left eighteen months ago.””
Marcus remembered the name.
Claire had worked for his father before he retired.
“What does she have to do with this?””
Ethan looked up.
“According to the records, she accessed the old estate inventory shortly after Emma's death.””
Marcus felt the pieces shifting.
“Did she work with Vanessa?””
“Possibly. I don't know yet.””
Vanessa suddenly looked toward the hallway.
Her phone was vibrating again.
Marcus noticed.
“Who is it?””
She didn't answer.
Ethan held out his hand.
“Mrs. Bennett, please don't delete any messages or files related to the matter.””
Vanessa clutched the phone.
“You cannot take my phone.””
“We're not asking to take it. We're asking you to preserve potential evidence.””
Vanessa turned away.
Marcus looked toward the stairs.
Something wasn't adding up.
Derek had been trying to transfer trust money.
Vanessa had helped him.
Emma's jewelry had disappeared.
And now a former family assistant had appeared in the financial records.
He turned toward Ethan.
“Find Claire Donovan.””
An hour later, the penthouse was quieter.
Lily was asleep upstairs.
Marcus had changed out of his Santa clothes and was sitting at the dining table with Ethan.
In front of them lay a collection of documents, bank statements, and Emma's handwritten note.
Marcus was looking through an old photograph from their wedding.
Emma was standing beside him, smiling.
Around her neck was the silver pendant.
He touched the photograph.
“I gave her that necklace.””
Ethan nodded.
“I remember.””
“She never took it off.””
“Not that I recall.””
Marcus looked at the necklace in the picture.
A tiny silver key hung from the chain.
He leaned closer.
“Ethan.””
The attorney looked down.
“What?””
“Look at the pendant.””
Ethan examined it.
“That doesn't look like an ordinary pendant.””
Marcus turned the photograph around.
On the back, Emma had written:
Some things are meant to stay locked until the right person returns.
Marcus stared at the words.
Suddenly, he understood why Emma had mentioned the key.
The silver key wasn't a separate piece of jewelry.
It was part of the pendant.
And someone had taken the necklace.
At 11:42 p.m., Marcus received a message from the security manager.
*Mr. Bennett, the elevator records show Derek returned to the building twice tonight before security stopped him. He attempted to access the service floor using an old staff credential.*
Marcus showed Ethan.
The attorney frowned.
“Why would he return if he already knew we'd found the office?””
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
“Because he wants something.””
A second message arrived.
*We also found an envelope hidden inside the service elevator maintenance panel. It contains a photograph of Lily and a handwritten instruction.*
Marcus opened the photograph.
It showed Lily standing beside the Christmas tree.
The image had been taken through the living room camera.
On the back was a message:
The girl has the key. Find it before morning.
Marcus's blood ran cold.
“Ethan.””
The attorney looked up.
Marcus handed him the photograph.
Ethan read the message.
Then he looked toward the stairs.
“Marcus, we need to move Lily somewhere secure.””
Marcus was already standing.
He hurried upstairs.
He found Lily asleep with her rabbit tucked beneath her arm.
He gently woke her.
“Princess?””
She rubbed her eyes.
“What is it?””
“We're going somewhere special tonight.””
“Where?””
“Somewhere safe.””
She sat up.
Then she looked toward the bedroom door.
“Daddy?””
“Yes?””
“Are they coming to take me?””
Marcus gathered her into his arms.
“No one is taking you.””
Lily buried her face against his shoulder.
Then she whispered something that made him stop breathing.
“Daddy, I think I know where Mommy's silver necklace is.””
Marcus held her tighter.
“Where, sweetheart?””
May you like
Lily looked toward the little wooden jewelry box.
“Mrs. Bennett put it inside the big Christmas star.””
