Chapter 1: The Little Girl in the Dressing Room
Evelyn dropped to her knees and pulled Kayla into her arms.
“Oh, sweetheart. What happened to your beautiful hair?””
Kayla buried her face against Evelyn's uniform, sobbing so hard that her little body shook.
“She cut it, Miss Evelyn. I told her to stop. I told her Daddy wouldn't let her, but she wouldn't listen.””
Evelyn looked at the floor.
There were curls everywhere.
Beautiful brown curls, some still attached to tiny pieces of Kayla's lavender dress, lay scattered across the white marble.
For seven years, Evelyn had worked in the Mitchell household. She had watched Kayla grow from a newborn into a cheerful little girl who loved dancing barefoot in the kitchen.
She had also been there when Renee died.
She remembered Darius sitting on the nursery floor at three in the morning, holding his daughter and crying because he didn't know how to be both a mother and a father.
And she remembered Renee's favorite thing about Kayla.
Those curls.
Now they were gone.
Evelyn gently touched the uneven hair remaining on the child's head.
“Did she hurt you anywhere else, baby?””
Kayla nodded.
“She pulled my hair. And she held my face so I couldn't move.””
Evelyn's eyes moved toward Brittany.
The younger woman was calmly placing the electric clippers back on the marble counter.
“Don't make this into something it isn't,” Brittany said.
Evelyn slowly stood.
“What do you mean?””
“I gave the child a haircut. That's all.””
“A haircut?”” Evelyn repeated, staring at the trembling little girl.
“You shaved half her head!””
Brittany rolled her eyes.
“Her hair was becoming impossible to manage. Someone had to do something.””
“Did Kayla ask you to cut it?””
Brittany folded her arms.
“She is six years old. She doesn't get to dictate everything in this house.””
Evelyn stepped between Brittany and Kayla.
“She told you no.””
“And I'm telling you this is none of your business.””
“It became my business when I heard a little girl screaming for help.””
Brittany's face turned red.
“Watch your tone, Evelyn. You're an employee here.””
Evelyn looked at her for a long moment.
Then she reached for Kayla's lavender cardigan and gently wrapped it around the child's shoulders.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you away from here.””
Brittany moved toward the doorway.
“She's not going anywhere.””
Evelyn stopped.
“Excuse me?””
“I said she's staying here. Her father will be furious if you take her downstairs looking like that.””
Kayla clutched Evelyn's hand.
“I want Daddy.””
Brittany let out an irritated breath.
“Of course you do. You always want Daddy.””
Evelyn's expression hardened.
“She is six years old. She's frightened. And you're supposed to be the woman marrying her father.””
Brittany stepped closer.
“And I will be. In six weeks. Which means I suggest you start remembering who will be running this household.””
Evelyn didn't answer.
Instead, she took Kayla's hand and walked toward the door.
Brittany grabbed her arm.
“Where do you think you're going?””
Evelyn pulled free.
“To find her father.””
For the first time, Brittany looked uncertain.
“Darius is busy.””
“Then he can stop being busy.””
Evelyn led Kayla downstairs.
The little girl kept one hand over her head, as if she could somehow protect what remained of her hair.
When they reached the bottom of the staircase, the sound of laughter drifted in from the backyard.
Guests were arriving.
A catering assistant carried trays through the glass doors. Two flower arrangements stood beside the entrance.
Everything looked perfect.
Everything except the little girl standing in the middle of the hallway.
Darius was near the kitchen, speaking with his brother Marcus about the upcoming wedding.
He turned when he heard Evelyn.
“Evelyn? What's wrong?””
Then he saw Kayla.
His smile disappeared.
“Baby?””
Kayla ran toward him.
“Daddy!””
Darius dropped the glass in his hand.
It shattered against the floor.
He caught his daughter and immediately noticed the uneven patches of hair covering her head.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
He gently turned her face toward him.
“Kayla? What happened to your hair?””
She began crying again.
“Brittany did it.””
Darius looked at Evelyn.
“What?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“I found them upstairs in the dressing room. Brittany was using electric clippers. Your daughter was crying and begging her to stop.””
Darius stared at his daughter.
“Is that true, sweetheart?””
Kayla nodded.
“I told her no, Daddy. I said you wouldn't let her.””
Darius closed his eyes briefly.
Then he kissed Kayla's forehead.
“I'm here, baby. You're safe.””
He looked at Evelyn.
“Take her to the guest room. Please stay with her.””
Evelyn nodded and guided Kayla away.
Marcus approached his brother.
“Darius, what happened?””
Darius didn't answer.
He was staring at the staircase.
Brittany appeared at the top a moment later.
She descended slowly, adjusting the bracelet on her wrist.
“Darling,” she said, forcing a smile.
“There you are. I was just coming to explain.””
Darius didn't move.
“Explain what?””
Brittany glanced toward the guest room.
“Kayla's hair was terribly tangled. I thought a shorter style would be easier for everyone.””
“You shaved my daughter's head.””
“Don't exaggerate.””
“Did she ask you to cut it?””
Brittany sighed.
“Darius, she's six. She doesn't understand what looks good on her.””
His voice dropped.
“Did she ask you to cut it?””
Brittany hesitated.
Then she shrugged.
“She was being difficult. I had to hold her still.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You held her down?””
Brittany shot him an angry look.
“Stay out of this.””
Darius stared at her.
“You heard her crying?””
“Oh, for heaven's sake. Children cry over everything.””
Something changed in Darius's expression.
The woman he had planned to marry was standing in front of him, dismissing his daughter's terror as an inconvenience.
He looked at the clippers Brittany was still holding.
“Put those down.””
She placed them on the nearby console.
“Darius, you're making a scene. We have guests arriving.””
He glanced toward the backyard.
“Then we'll give them something to remember.””
Brittany's smile disappeared.
“What does that mean?””
Darius took out his phone.
“I'm calling the police.””
Her face went pale.
“You cannot be serious.””
“Try me.””
She stepped closer, lowering her voice.
“Think about what you're doing. We're getting married in six weeks.””
Darius looked directly into her eyes.
“Not anymore.””
Brittany stared at him.
And then, from somewhere behind her, a small voice spoke.
“Daddy?””
Kayla stood at the guest-room doorway, holding the lavender dress she had been so excited to wear.
Her eyes were fixed on the woman who had cut her hair.
“Am I ugly now?””
Darius felt something inside his chest break.
He dropped to his knees.
“No, sweetheart. Never. You're beautiful. You hear me?””
Kayla touched the short hair near her ear.
“But Mommy liked my curls.””
Darius pulled her into his arms.
For the first time that afternoon, Brittany had nothing to say.
But the worst part of the day hadn't even begun.
Because when Marcus picked up the electric clippers to move them away, he noticed something beneath the counter.
A small plastic bag.
Inside it were several of Kayla's longest curls.
And attached to the bag was a handwritten note.
Marcus picked it up.
His expression changed.
May you like
“Darius,” he whispered.
“You need to see this.””
