Chapter 2: The Secret Behind the Locked Door
Theron stayed beside Eirlys until she fell asleep.
Even then, he couldn't bring himself to leave immediately.
He sat in the chair beside her bed, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest. The cool cloth he had used on her cheek lay folded on the nightstand beside a glass of water and a stuffed rabbit named Buttons.
Every few minutes, Eirlys stirred.
Each time, Theron leaned forward, ready to reassure her.
At six fifteen, the housekeeper, Mrs. Bellamy, knocked softly.
"Mr. Viremont?""
Theron stepped into the hallway and pulled the bedroom door nearly closed behind him.
"Is she awake?"" Mrs. Bellamy asked.
"Not anymore.""
The older woman's eyes moved to the door, then back to his face.
"I heard what happened outside.""
Theron's jaw tightened.
"How much?""
"Enough to know Miss Eirlys was crying. I didn't see the beginning.""
He studied her.
"Has anything like this happened before?""
Mrs. Bellamy hesitated.
It was the smallest hesitation, but Theron noticed.
"Mrs. Bellamy.""
She folded her hands in front of her apron.
"I don't want to speak unfairly about your wife.""
"Then don't speak unfairly. Tell me the truth.""
The housekeeper swallowed.
"There have been occasions when Miss Eirlys has been frightened. I've found her hiding in the pantry. Twice, she asked me to stay with her until Mrs. Viremont went downstairs.""
Theron felt the air leave his lungs.
"Why wasn't I told?""
"Mrs. Viremont said the child was having nightmares. She said you were under too much pressure at work to be troubled with every little thing.""
He stared at the carpet.
He had accepted those explanations because they sounded reasonable. Corisande had insisted that Eirlys was becoming clingy, that children sometimes struggled with new family arrangements, that Theron needed to stop rushing home every time his daughter asked for him.
He had listened to his wife.
He had ignored the small warning signs.
"Thank you for telling me," he said.
Mrs. Bellamy touched his arm.
"Sir, there's something else.""
He looked up.
"Last Thursday, I heard Mrs. Viremont shouting at Miss Eirlys in the upstairs hallway. When I went to check, your wife told me to mind my own business.""
"What was she shouting about?""
"I couldn't hear every word. But I heard Miss Eirlys say she was sorry. Over and over.""
Theron felt sick.
"Why didn't you come to me?""
"I should have."" Mrs. Bellamy's eyes filled with regret.
"I was afraid I'd lose my position. I have worked here for twenty-two years, sir. This house is all I know.""
He couldn't blame her for being afraid. He could only blame himself for creating a household in which fear had been easier than honesty.
"From now on, if anything happens to my daughter, you tell me immediately.""
"Yes, sir.""
"And Mrs. Viremont is not to be alone with Eirlys until I say otherwise.""
Mrs. Bellamy nodded.
Theron returned to his daughter's room and sat with his phone in his hand.
He wanted to call Corisande upstairs and demand every answer she had withheld. He wanted to hear her admit what she had done.
Instead, he called his attorney.
"Julian, I need you at the house tomorrow morning.""
His lawyer sounded surprised.
"Is everything all right?""
"No.""
"Business?""
"My family.""
There was a pause.
"Understood. I'll be there at nine.""
Theron ended the call.
A soft sound came from the bed.
"Daddy?""
He crossed the room immediately.
"I'm right here.""
Eirlys rubbed her eyes.
"Can I sleep in your room?""
"Of course.""
He lifted her carefully, wrapped her in a blanket, and carried her down the hallway to his bedroom.
She settled against his pillows with Buttons tucked beneath her chin.
"Will you stay?""
"All night.""
She watched him for several seconds.
"Even if I'm bad?""
Theron sat on the edge of the bed.
"You don't have to be perfect to be loved, sweetheart.""
Eirlys looked down at her hands.
"Mommy says I make everything difficult.""
His chest tightened.
"Your job is to be a little girl. You don't have to make grown-ups happy all the time.""
She considered this with the grave concentration only a child could bring to a new idea.
Then she whispered, "Okay.""
She fell asleep holding his finger.
Theron remained awake until dawn.
At eight thirty the next morning, Corisande entered the breakfast room wearing a cream silk blouse and tailored trousers. Her hair was immaculate, her makeup flawless, and a small bandage covered a scrape on her elbow from the pool.
She poured herself coffee as if nothing had happened.
"Are we going to discuss your behavior yesterday?"" she asked.
Theron sat at the far end of the table, a folder beside his plate.
"My behavior?""
"You kicked me into a swimming pool.""
"You slapped my daughter.""
"She tripped me!""
"And you admitted hitting her.""
Corisande set down the coffee pot with a sharp clatter.
"Because she was being impossible. You have no idea how exhausting it is to spend an entire afternoon with a child who follows you around like a lost puppy.""
"She's three.""
"You keep saying that as though it excuses everything.""
Theron opened the folder.
Inside were printed emails, household schedules, and a preliminary list of questions for his attorney.
Corisande glanced at the papers.
"What is that?""
"Information I should have asked for months ago.""
Her expression shifted.
"You're not seriously planning to divorce me over a slap.""
"I'm planning to find out what has been happening in my house.""
She laughed, but the sound came out brittle.
"You'll destroy your family because your daughter cried?""
"No. I'm trying to understand why my daughter is afraid of her stepmother.""
Corisande's fingers tightened around her cup.
"She isn't afraid of me.""
"She asked me not to let you into her bedroom.""
"Children say ridiculous things.""
"Then you won't mind staying away from her until we understand why.""
For the first time, Corisande looked genuinely alarmed.
"You cannot keep me away from a child who lives in my home.""
"Watch me.""
She pushed back her chair.
"You think you're some perfect father because you write checks and buy her toys? You leave for work before breakfast and come home after she's asleep. I am the one who has to deal with her.""
The words struck a nerve because part of them was true.
Theron had spent too many evenings in conference rooms, too many weekends answering calls from business partners. He had paid for the finest nursery, the safest car seats, and the most expensive vacations.
He had mistaken provision for presence.
Corisande saw the realization on his face and pressed her advantage.
"Your first wife made you feel guilty about everything. Now you're doing the same thing with Eirlys. You don't know how to say no to her.""
Theron's chair scraped against the floor as he stood.
"Do not use my daughter's mother to excuse what you did.""
Corisande flinched.
Then the expression vanished.
"Fine. Investigate me. Ask your staff whatever you like. You'll find nothing except a spoiled child and an ungrateful husband.""
She picked up her handbag.
"Where are you going?"" he asked.
"Out.""
"You'll remain available for my attorney.""
She stopped at the doorway.
"You really believe you can throw me away and keep everything?""
Theron met her eyes.
"If that's what protecting Eirlys requires.""
Corisande left without another word.
At nine, Julian arrived.
Theron explained the slap, the fall into the pool, Mrs. Bellamy's account, and Eirlys's frightened questions. Julian listened without interrupting, then closed his notebook.
"Before you make any permanent decision, we need to establish a clear record," he said.
"Document what happened. Speak with a qualified child therapist. Make sure your daughter is safe. And don't turn this into a contest of who can hurt the other more.""
Theron looked away.
"I know.""
"Do you? Because what you did yesterday could become part of this, too.""
Theron stiffened.
"She hit my child.""
"And you kicked her into a pool. I understand why you were furious. That doesn't make it irrelevant.""
The words stung because Theron knew Julian was right.
He had spent the night condemning Corisande's loss of control while conveniently avoiding his own.
"What should I do now?"" he asked.
"Start with your daughter. And don't assume yesterday was the first time something happened simply because it was the first time you witnessed it.""
After Julian left, Theron arranged an appointment with a child therapist and instructed his staff to preserve any relevant records. He also asked Mrs. Bellamy to bring him anything she believed he should see.
An hour later, she appeared outside his study carrying a small white box.
"I found this in the linen cupboard when I was cleaning the upstairs hallway," she said.
Theron opened the lid.
Inside lay Eirlys's favorite stuffed rabbit, Buttons, with one ear torn and the seam along its stomach ripped open.
He frowned.
"Why would this be in the linen cupboard?""
Mrs. Bellamy looked uncomfortable.
"Mrs. Viremont told me to throw it away last week. She said Miss Eirlys had been naughty and didn't deserve it anymore.""
Theron picked up the rabbit.
A tiny folded piece of paper slipped from the torn seam and landed on his desk.
He unfolded it.
The writing was uneven, made with a child's pencil. Some letters were backward, and several words had been erased.
But he could read the sentence.
Daddy, please come home. Mommy says I have to keep a secret.
Beneath it was a crude drawing of a little girl, a tall man, and a woman with long yellow hair.
The woman had been drawn behind a closed door.
Theron stared at the paper until the words blurred.
Then Mrs. Bellamy whispered something that made his blood run cold.
"Sir, I don't think that note was written yesterday.""
Theron slowly lifted his head.
"When was it written?""
The housekeeper glanced toward the hallway.
"Three weeks ago. I saw Miss Eirlys carrying that rabbit after Mrs. Viremont locked her in the upstairs playroom.""
Theron rose so quickly that his chair toppled backward.
"She locked my daughter in a room?""
Mrs. Bellamy nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.
"She told us not to interfere.""
Theron reached for his phone.
But before he could make a call, the study door opened.
Corisande stood in the doorway, staring at the torn rabbit on his desk.
Her face went completely white.
Then she looked at the note in his hand.
May you like
And she said four words that changed everything.
"Where did you find that?""
