Chapter 1 - THE GIRL BEHIND THE STEEL DOOR
“Sir, your daughter is trapped in there!”
Nora Hale’s desperate cry tore through the kitchen.
Adrian Vale stopped so suddenly that the two security men behind him nearly collided with his back.
His eyes moved from the wounded maid to the concealed steel door built into the stone wall.
Blood darkened the corner of Nora’s white apron.
A purple bruise was already forming across her cheek.
Beside her feet, a shattered wineglass glittered in a pool of crimson wine.
Adrian’s face went pale.
“Where is Lily?”
Nora gripped the steel handle with both hands.
“She is behind this door.”
Across the kitchen, Celeste Arden stood beside the marble island.
The beautiful blonde woman who was supposed to become Adrian’s wife did not move.
She did not ask what had happened.
She did not rush toward the door.
She only stared at Nora with naked terror.
Adrian noticed.
“Open it.”
The estate manager, Marcus Reed, stood near the back entrance.
His hand slowly moved toward the inside pocket of his jacket.
Adrian turned on him.
“You have the key.”
Marcus swallowed.
“Mr. Vale, I can explain.”
Adrian seized him by the collar.
“Open the door.”
Marcus removed a long iron key with trembling fingers.
The moment it entered the hidden lock, Celeste took one step backward.
The mechanism groaned.
The steel door swung inward.
A cold, windowless stone chamber appeared behind it.
Lily Vale sat curled against the far wall.
The seven-year-old girl clutched a cream-colored rabbit against her chest.
Her lips were blue.
Her small body shook as she struggled to breathe.
“Daddy.”
The word barely escaped her throat.
Adrian rushed forward.
Nora moved faster.
She pulled a turquoise inhaler from her apron pocket, dropped to her knees, and placed it between Lily’s lips.
“Slow breath, sweetheart.”
Lily tried.
The first breath caught painfully.
The second was deeper.
The third finally brought color back into her face.
Adrian gathered his daughter into his arms.
“How long was she in here?”
Nora looked toward Celeste.
“Almost forty minutes.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Who locked her inside?”
Lily raised one shaking hand.
She pointed across the kitchen.
Not at Marcus.
At Celeste.
“She did.”
Celeste’s face drained of color.
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Then Lily tightened her grip on the rabbit.
“She wanted me to tell her where Mommy hid the recording.”
