Chapter 3 - The Shadow in the Garden
The transition to the east wing guest suite was dizzying for Lily.
The rooms were massive, filled with soft carpets, a canopy bed that felt like a cloud, and windows that looked out over the sprawling, manicured gardens of the Long Island estate.
For three days, Lily felt like she was in a fairy tale. A private doctor arrived every morning to check her breathing, leaving behind boxes of brand-new, top-tier inhalers and medications that didn't make her heart race like the cheap ones did.
But Sarah did not relax. She kept the doors locked from the inside, her eyes constantly darting to the security cameras mounted in the corners of the high ceilings.
On the fourth afternoon, while Sarah was downstairs fetching lunch from the kitchen, Lily slipped out of the French doors of their suite and into the garden. She wanted to find some wild clover for Barnaby.
The afternoon sun was warm, but as she wandered deeper into the high boxwood maze, the air grew cool. She stopped near a stone fountain shaped like a weeping woman.
“You shouldn't be out here, little girl.”
Lily jumped, turning around to find Victor standing behind her.
He wasn't wearing his suit jacket today. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing thick, dark tattoos of old-world crests on his forearms. He was holding a pair of heavy brass gardening shears, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at her.
“I was just looking for clover,” Lily said, taking a step back.
“This garden is private,” Victor said, his voice dropping into a low, harsh whisper. He walked closer, the shears clicking in his hand. “Just like the second floor. You think you’re special because you gave Lucas a bit of air? You’re a bug, Lily. And bugs get stepped on when they wander into places they don't belong.”
Lily clutched Barnaby tighter against her chest. “My mama says I’m a hero.”
Victor let out a cold, sharp laugh that didn't reach his eyes. “A hero? Your mama is a stupid girl who doesn't know how close she is to a grave. Do you know what happened to the last little boy who lived in this house, Lily? He was just about your age. He thought he was safe too.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “The boy in the pictures?”
“Daniel,” Victor whispered, leaning down until his face was only inches from hers. The scent of expensive cologne and stale tobacco made her stomach turn. “He died because his father didn't know when to stop looking for things he shouldn't find. If you and your mother want to keep breathing, you’ll tell your mama to pack your bags and run. Because if you stay here… the next medicine you take won't help you breathe at all.”
Before Lily could scream, a deep voice shattered the tension.
“Victor.”
Lucas was standing at the entrance of the maze. He was wearing a dark wool coat, his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed but his eyes incredibly sharp.
Victor instantly straightened, his face shifting into a warm, paternal smile. “Lucas! Just showing the little one around. She seemed a bit lost in the maze.”
“She’s not lost,” Lucas said, walking forward. He didn't look at Victor; he looked at Lily, extending his hand. “Come here, Lily.”
Lily ran to him, grabbing his large hand. It was warm and solid, completely unlike Victor’s cold, dry fingers.
“Go inside, Victor,” Lucas said, his voice flat. “The captains are waiting in the study. We have a shipment from the docks that needs your personal signature.”
Victor’s eyes flicked between Lucas and the girl. “Of course, Lucas. Just making sure the estate remains… secure.”
As Victor walked away, his shears clicking rhythmically against his thigh, Lucas looked down at Lily. He knelt on one knee in the dirt, regardless of his expensive trousers, and looked into her eyes.
“Did he say something to you, Lily?”
Lily hesitated. She wanted to tell him about the threat, about the boy Daniel, but she remembered Victor’s cold eyes and the shears in his hand.
“He said… he said the garden is private,” she whispered.
May you like
Lucas’s eyes darkened, a small muscle twitching in his jaw. He reached out, gently tucking a stray braid behind her ear. “This garden is yours now, Lily. For as long as you want to stay. Don't listen to anyone else in this house. Only me. Do you understand?”
Lily nodded slowly. “Yes, Mr. Lucas.”
