Chapter 7 - The White Rose at the Funeral
The photograph changed everything.
For four years, Ethan had believed his father's death was connected to a robbery gone wrong. The police had found no conclusive evidence tying Victoria to the crime, and her family had helped finance the investigation.
Now we had a photograph showing her wearing the exact symbol Thomas had described.
Ethan didn't rush out to hunt her down.
Instead, he called his attorney and contacted the detectives who had handled the original case.
That decision surprised me.
“You're letting the police investigate?” I asked.
He glanced at me.
“I'm trying to become the man you should have been able to trust.”
I didn't know what to say.
We drove to the estate, where Lily was waiting with Harper, my closest friend from Columbia. Harper had arrived after Ethan called to explain the situation.
She hugged me tightly.
“I can't believe you were living here all this time.”
“I needed the job.”
“You could have called me.”
“I know.”
She looked at Lily, who was drawing a picture of a purple cat.
“Is Ethan really her father?”
“Yes.”
Harper exhaled.
“Then I guess the universe has a terrible sense of timing.”
For the first time in days, I laughed.
But the moment didn't last.
Malik entered with news from the detectives.
The white rose had been part of a funeral arrangement purchased by Victoria's family. Several witnesses remembered seeing her at the Caldwell estate the night Thomas died, despite her claim that she was in Boston.
However, the original security footage had disappeared.
“Can we recover it?” Ethan asked.
“Possibly,” Malik replied. “The system's backup server was moved to a private storage facility after the funeral.”
“Who ordered the move?”
Malik looked down at his notes.
“Your father's attorney, Daniel Mercer.”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“Then we're going to Albany.”
I wanted to accompany him, but Lily had started rubbing her eyes and asking for her bedtime story.
I chose to stay.
For once, Ethan didn't argue.
He kissed Lily's forehead and promised to return before breakfast.
Then he turned to me.
“Rosa, if anything changes, I'll tell you. No secrets.”
I nodded.
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
He left with Malik.
That night, I sat beside Lily's bed, reading her favorite story about a rabbit who wanted to become a musician.
Halfway through, she interrupted me.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Is the man downstairs my daddy?”
My throat tightened.
“Yes.”
She considered that.
“Why wasn't he here before?”
I swallowed.
“Because grown-ups sometimes make mistakes.”
“Did he make a bad mistake?”
“Yes.”
She hugged her rabbit.
“Will he make it again?”
I looked at her little face.
“I hope not.”
After she fell asleep, I went downstairs to retrieve the silver key's protective envelope.
Something felt wrong.
The front door was locked, but the alarm panel showed a brief access event from the east wing.
Someone had entered the house while Ethan was away.
I called Malik.
No answer.
Then I heard a soft click from the hallway.
I turned.
A woman stood at the foot of the stairs.
Victoria.
Her hair was damp, her coat torn at the sleeve, and her eyes were fixed on me.
“Where is the key, Rosa?”
I stepped in front of the stairs.
“Get out.”
Victoria smiled faintly.
“You still don't understand. That key doesn't just expose my family.”
May you like
She looked toward Lily's bedroom.
“It exposes yours, too.”
