Chapter 3: The Secret Behind The Locked Door
Richard didn’t remember running down the stairs.
One second, he was standing in the hallway with a phone still pressed against his ear.
The next, he was flying through the mansion, his shoes pounding against the marble floor, every instinct screaming the same thing.
Sophie.
His daughter.
Nothing else mattered.
“Sophie!””
His voice echoed through the house.
No answer.
The library door was closed.
Locked.
Richard’s heart stopped.
“Sophie!””
He grabbed the handle and twisted.
Nothing.
“Sophie, open the door!””
A small sound came from inside.
A sob.
Then another.
Richard stepped back.
“Get away from the door, sweetheart.””
Silence.
“Sophie, it’s Daddy.””
A few seconds passed.
Then her tiny voice came through.
“Daddy?””
“Yes.””
“Is she gone?””
Richard froze.
He looked up.
At the top of the staircase, Emily stood motionless.
Her face was filled with pain.
Mrs. Parker stood beside her, avoiding his eyes.
Richard lowered his voice.
“Who are you talking about?””
Sophie didn’t answer.
“Sweetheart, open the door.””
A lock clicked.
The door opened slowly.
Sophie stood there clutching something against her chest.
A small stuffed rabbit.
The same stuffed rabbit Emily had bought her before she died.
Richard immediately dropped to his knees.
“Sophie.””
She ran into him.
He caught her and held her tightly.
“You scared me.””
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
He pulled back.
“Never apologize for being scared.””
She looked over his shoulder.
At Emily.
Her little face changed.
Not fear.
Confusion.
“Is she really Mommy?””
Richard didn’t know how to answer.
Because for the first time in his life, he had no answer.
Emily slowly walked down the stairs.
“Sophie…”
The little girl pressed closer to Richard.
Emily stopped.
She didn’t try to touch her.
She didn’t force anything.
She just looked at her daughter.
A mother looking at a child she had lost.
“I remember that rabbit,” Emily whispered.
Sophie looked down at the stuffed animal.
“You gave it to me.””
Emily smiled sadly.
“You were two years old.””
Richard watched carefully.
“Anyone could know that.””
Emily nodded.
“You’re right.””
She reached into her purse.
Then stopped.
“I brought something.””
Richard immediately stepped between them.
“What?””
Emily slowly pulled out a small silver bracelet.
Richard recognized it instantly.
His entire body went still.
It was impossible.
The bracelet had belonged to Emily.
He had given it to her on their first anniversary.
A tiny engraving inside read:
*Forever begins with us.*
Richard had buried it with her.
Or thought he had.
“How did you get that?””
Emily looked at him.
“Because you never put it in the coffin.””
Richard’s expression changed.
“What?””
“You kept it.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
Her voice softened.
“You put it in the drawer beside your bed because you couldn’t let go.””
Richard stopped breathing.
Nobody knew that.
Nobody.
Not his employees.
Not his family.
Not even Mrs. Parker.
Only Emily.
The woman standing in front of him.
But doubt still remained.
Because grief could make people believe impossible things.
“You could have found that information.””
Emily nodded.
“I could have.””
She looked at Sophie.
“But I know something nobody else does.””
Richard said nothing.
Emily walked toward the piano in the corner of the library.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like she was afraid every movement might scare them away.
She touched the wooden surface.
“When Sophie was born, you were terrified.””
Richard’s eyes narrowed.
“What?””
“You told everyone you weren’t scared of anything.””
Emily smiled faintly.
“But that night, when the nurse handed you Sophie, your hands were shaking.””
Richard stared at her.
His memories came rushing back.
The hospital room.
The tiny baby wrapped in a white blanket.
Emily laughing because he looked more frightened than the newborn.
Emily continued.
“You whispered something to her.””
Richard’s throat tightened.
“What did I say?””
Emily looked at Sophie.
“You said, ‘I don’t know how to be perfect, but I promise I’ll spend my whole life trying.’”
Sophie looked at her father.
Richard felt the world become strangely quiet.
Because that was true.
Nobody knew.
Nobody except Emily.
His eyes moved back to her.
“Where have you been?””
Emily looked away.
And for the first time, she looked afraid.
“Richard…”
“Where?””
Mrs. Parker stepped forward.
“She needs time.””
Richard turned sharply.
“No.””
His voice was cold.
“My daughter was hungry.””
The nanny flinched.
“My daughter was afraid.””
His eyes moved between them.
“And now I find out my dead wife has been secretly living in my house?””
Emily lowered her head.
“I wasn’t living here.””
“Then where?””
No answer.
Richard stepped closer.
“Where have you been for three years?””
Emily swallowed.
“Trying to survive.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“It’s the truth.””
“Who stopped you from coming home?””
Emily looked toward Mrs. Parker.
The movement was small.
But Richard noticed.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Mrs. Parker’s face changed.
“Richard, there are things you don’t understand.””
“Then explain them.””
She hesitated.
“I can’t.””
Richard laughed quietly.
“You can’t?””
His anger rose.
“My daughter ate dog food in my house because you couldn’t?””
Mrs. Parker looked down.
Emily’s expression hardened.
“Richard, she didn’t do that alone.””
He turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
Emily took a deep breath.
“Someone wanted you to believe Sophie was fine.””
A cold silence filled the room.
“Someone?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Emily looked at him.
“Someone close to you.””
Richard stared.
“My employees?””
“No.””
“My family?””
Emily didn’t answer.
That was an answer.
Richard’s face changed.
“You’re saying someone in my family did this?””
“I’m saying you need to be careful.””
He looked at Sophie.
Then back at Emily.
“Why?””
Emily’s voice dropped.
“Because whoever did this knew exactly how to hurt you.””
A sudden noise interrupted them.
A crash.
From the kitchen.
Everyone froze.
Richard turned toward the sound.
“Stay here.””
He moved quickly.
But before he reached the doorway, Sophie grabbed his hand.
“Daddy.””
He looked down.
“What?””
She whispered:
“The person who came last night…”
Richard stopped.
“Who?””
Sophie’s eyes filled with fear.
“The person who told Mrs. Parker what to do.””
The room went silent.
Richard crouched down.
“Sophie, who was it?””
The little girl looked at Emily.
Then at him.
“He looked like you.””
Richard felt his stomach drop.
“What?””
Sophie’s voice trembled.
“He said nobody would believe a little girl over him.””
Richard slowly stood.
The pieces weren’t fitting.
But they were starting to form a terrifying picture.
Someone who looked like him.
Someone with access to the house.
Someone powerful enough to control the staff.
Someone who knew how to manipulate everyone around him.
Then his phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
Richard opened it.
His blood turned cold.
It was a photograph.
Taken moments ago.
A picture of him standing in the library with Sophie, Emily, and Mrs. Parker.
Someone had been watching them.
The message underneath contained only one sentence:
*“You finally came home, Richard. Now you’ll learn what happened while you were gone.””*
Richard stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
May you like
This time, only four words.
*“Ask your brother first.””*
