Chapter 9 - WHEN LILY HEARD THE SONG
Anna reached the second floor before Grant.
She followed Lily’s scream.
Rebecca stood in the nursery doorway with both hands gripping the wheelchair.
Lily was crying.
Anna stopped.
For two years, she had imagined this moment without knowing she was imagining it.
Now her daughter was ten feet away.
Smaller than she remembered.
Older than she remembered.
And sitting in a wheelchair.
Anna covered her mouth.
Lily stared at her.
Rebecca stared too.
Grant reached the hallway.
“Step away from Lily.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“Grant, she’s unstable.”
Anna ignored her.
She slowly knelt.
Lily watched with enormous frightened eyes.
Anna did not touch her.
She simply began singing.
“Little moon, don’t hide tonight.”
Lily’s lips trembled.
“Stay above my window bright.”
A sob escaped the child.
“Mommy?”
Anna could no longer breathe.
“Yes.”
Rebecca stepped forward.
“This is insane.”
Lily looked at Anna’s unfamiliar face.
“You don’t look like Mommy.”
Anna cried softly.
“I know.”
Lily touched her own cheek.
“What happened?”
“I got hurt.”
“Why didn’t you come home?”
The question cut deeper than anything.
Anna crawled closer on her knees.
“I forgot.”
Lily frowned.
“You forgot me?”
Anna’s face crumpled.
“No.”
Her voice broke.
“My mind forgot your name.”
“But something inside me kept looking for you.”
Lily began crying harder.
Anna held out a hand.
Lily hesitated.
Rebecca’s voice cut through the moment.
“This woman is manipulating her.”
Grant turned.
“Stop.”
“You can’t possibly believe this.”
Grant looked at Anna.
“I don’t know what I believe.”
Rebecca seized the opening.
“Exactly.”
“She has access to Claire’s history.”
“She controls a foundation that owns Bennett shares.”
“She could have researched everything.”
“She could know the song.”
Anna turned toward her.
“No.”
Rebecca met her eyes.
Anna continued.
“She couldn’t know what you said in the garage.”
Rebecca’s face changed.
Grant saw it.
Anna stood.
“You told me I always won.”
“You hugged me.”
“You gave Lily a red scarf because you said the mountain would be cold.”
“You asked to borrow my garage key three days earlier.”
Rebecca backed away.
“You’re lying.”
Anna moved closer.
“And you were beside my car.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“I wasn’t.”
“Why did you touch my brakes?”
Grant turned sharply.
Rebecca stared at him.
“That’s what this is about?”
“You’re going to let a stranger accuse me of attempted murder?”
Lily screamed.
“She’s not a stranger!”
Everyone froze.
Lily was staring at Anna.
Tears covered her face.
“She’s my mommy.”
Rebecca’s composure finally broke.
“Enough!”
The word echoed through the hallway.
Lily recoiled instantly.
Anna saw the reaction.
So did Grant.
A child did not react like that to someone who made her feel safe.
Anna looked at Rebecca.
Her expression changed.
“What have you done to my daughter?”
Rebecca said nothing.
Lily whispered.
“She makes people disappear.”
May you like
Anna’s face went cold.
“Not anymore.”
