CHAPTER 2 — The Woman Who Had Been Erased
The crystal glass shattered across the marble.
No one bent down to clean it.
For the first time in years, no one was looking at Vivienne Sinclair.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on Nathan.
Or on the barefoot woman standing behind him.
Sophia's breathing had become shallow.
She didn't move.
She didn't speak.
She looked like someone who had spent so long surviving that she no longer remembered how to be safe.
Nathan slowly removed his coat.
Without a word, he draped it over her trembling shoulders.
The oversized wool coat swallowed her tiny frame.
Only then did he notice how thin she had become.
His chest tightened.
"When was the last time you ate?" he asked softly.
Sophia lowered her eyes.
"I... I don't remember."
The answer struck harder than any knife.
Nathan turned.
His face was no longer filled with confusion.
It was frighteningly calm.
"Security."
Within seconds, six armed security officers rushed into the foyer.
Their captain stopped.
He looked from Nathan...
...to Vivienne...
...to Sophia.
Then his face drained of color.
He finally understood.
Nathan pointed toward Vivienne.
"No one leaves."
Vivienne laughed nervously.
"Oh, Nathan..."
"This is all a misunderstanding."
"She volunteered to work."
Sophia instinctively flinched.
Nathan noticed.
His hands curled into fists.
"Volunteered?"
He looked toward the household staff.
"Every person who has worked in this house during the last three years."
"You have one opportunity."
"Tell the truth."
Silence.
The servants exchanged terrified glances.
Then the oldest housekeeper stepped forward.
She was nearly seventy.
Her hands shook violently.
"Mr. Ashford..."
Tears rolled down her face.
"We wanted to tell you."
"They told us you had abandoned her."
"They changed every employee who questioned it."
"They said if we spoke..."
"...our families would lose everything."
Sophia closed her eyes.
Nathan felt his heart breaking piece by piece.
"Who ordered it?"
The old woman slowly lifted her finger.
Toward Vivienne.
"I did."
Vivienne folded her arms.
"So what?"
"You were never here."
"Someone had to run this house."
Nathan stared at her.
"No."
"You stole it."
One hour later...
The police arrived.
Detectives filled every room.
Forensic photographers documented everything.
Sophia quietly sat beneath a blanket while a female paramedic treated the bruises on her wrists.
One detective approached Nathan.
"Sir..."
"We found something."
He handed Nathan a worn leather journal.
Sophia gasped.
"My diary..."
Nathan opened it carefully.
Every page told the same nightmare.
Day after day.
Month after month.
The entries began hopeful.
Nathan will find me.
He always keeps his promises.
Months later...
I heard him outside today.
Vivienne locked me in the attic.
She said if I screamed, someone else would die.
Another year passed.
I don't know what day it is anymore.
Sometimes I wonder if Nathan is alive...
...or if I'm already dead.
Nathan could barely breathe.
The final page had only one sentence.
If he ever comes home...
Please let him recognize my voice.
Nathan closed the diary.
Tears finally escaped.
May you like
He had searched the world...
While the woman he loved had been imprisoned under his own roof.
