Chapter 2 - The Suitcase Beside The Staircase
THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE MADE ME PACK HIS 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER'S SUITCASE DURING THEIR ENGAGEMENT DINNER—THEN TOLD THIRTY GUESTS, “SHE NEEDS TO LEARN HER FATHER HAS A NEW FAMILY NOW!” BUT WHEN LUCA SAW HIS LITTLE GIRL STANDING AT THE STAIRCASE HOLDING HER TEDDY BEAR, HE RAN TOWARD HER. AND THE FOUR WORDS SHE WHISPERED MADE HIM TURN ON HIS FIANCÉE.
“Take her upstairs, Sophie. She's not part of tonight's celebration.”
Vanessa Bellini pointed toward the staircase.
Nine-year-old Lily Moretti stood beside me in her pale-yellow party dress.
She was holding a small brown teddy bear.
The one her mother had given her before she died.
“Please, Miss Vanessa,” Lily whispered. “Daddy promised I could sit beside him.”
Vanessa laughed.
“Your father has important guests tonight, sweetheart. He doesn't need you hanging around his chair.”
Thirty guests watched beneath the chandeliers.
Lily's little face turned red.
“I won't bother anybody.”
“Then stop arguing.”
I gently took her hand.
“Come on, honey. I'll get you something to eat.”
Vanessa caught my arm.
“And Sophie? Make sure her suitcase is ready before morning.”
My stomach dropped.
Because Luca Moretti had no idea his daughter was leaving.
My name is Sophie Bennett.
I'm twenty-seven years old, and I've worked as a housemaid at the Moretti mansion for fourteen months.
I started looking after Lily shortly after her eighth birthday.
Her mother had died three years earlier.
And although Luca was one of Chicago's most powerful men, there was one thing all his money couldn't fix.
His little girl still cried for her mother.
Some nights, she slept with her teddy bear pressed against her chest.
Other nights, she asked me to sit beside her until she fell asleep.
Last Christmas, she gave me a bracelet she'd made from plastic beads.
It cost practically nothing.
I wore it every day.
Tonight, she'd squeezed my hand before coming downstairs.
“Miss Sophie, do you think Daddy will like my dress?”
I'd smiled.
“He's going to love it.”
Now she was fighting back tears because Vanessa wouldn't let her sit at her own father's table.
“Mrs. Bellini,” I said quietly, “Mr. Moretti specifically asked me to bring Lily down for dinner.”
Vanessa's smile vanished.
“Are you correcting me?”
“No, ma'am.”
“Then do your job.”
Lily suddenly whispered, “It's okay, Sophie.”
She looked at Vanessa.
“I can eat upstairs.”
Something about the way she said it broke my heart.
Like a little girl who'd already learned she was easier to love when she stayed out of the way.
I started leading her toward the staircase.
Then someone called from the dining table.
“Lily?”
Luca Moretti had just returned from speaking with his security chief.
Thirty-six years old.
Dark hair.
Black three-piece suit, tattoos visible along his neck and hands.
He was holding a champagne glass.
But the moment he saw his daughter crying, he put it down.
“Princess?”
Lily stopped.
“Daddy?”
He hurried across the dining room.
“Baby, what's wrong?”
She immediately ran toward him.
Luca dropped to one knee and wrapped his arms around her.
“Hey, hey. Talk to me.”
Her little shoulders shook.
“I'm sorry, Daddy.”
His face changed.
“Sorry for what?”
Vanessa quickly stepped forward.
“Darling, Lily's overtired. Sophie was just taking her upstairs.”
Luca looked at his daughter.
“Is that true?”
Lily nodded.
But she wouldn't look at him.
He gently lifted her chin.
“Sweetheart, you know you can tell me anything.”
Her bottom lip trembled.
Then she whispered four words.
“Am I leaving tomorrow?”
Luca froze.
“What?”
Lily began crying.
“Miss Vanessa said I have to go away because you're getting married.”
Luca's eyes filled.
He pulled her tightly against his chest.
“Who told you that?”
Lily pointed toward Vanessa.
“Daddy, please don't send me away.”
His expression crumpled.
For a moment, he couldn't speak.
Then he kissed her forehead.
“Baby, listen to me. Nobody is sending you anywhere.”
He looked at Vanessa.
His voice shook with anger.
“What the hell is she talking about?”
Vanessa gave a nervous laugh.
“Luca, don't be ridiculous. It's only a wonderful boarding school. We discussed giving Lily more independence.”
“We discussed summer camp.”
“It's practically the same thing.”
“No, Vanessa. It isn't.”
Luca stood, keeping his daughter close.
“Why does she have a suitcase packed?”
Vanessa glanced toward me.
“Sophie misunderstood my instructions.”
My heart pounded.
Because I'd spent the afternoon folding Lily's clothes into a small pink suitcase.
Her pajamas.
Her favorite sneakers.
Her mother's old scarf.
And enough clothing for several months.
“Mr. Moretti,” I whispered, “Mrs. Bellini told me to pack everything.”
Vanessa snapped, “Sophie, that's enough.”
But Luca turned toward me.
“Everything?”
I nodded.
“She said Lily wouldn't need her bedroom anymore.”
The dining room went silent.
Luca stared at his fiancée.
“You told my daughter she wouldn't need her bedroom?”
Vanessa's face reddened.
“She's growing up, Luca. She can't spend her whole life hiding behind you.”
Luca's voice rose.
“She's nine years old!”
Lily buried her face against his shoulder.
He immediately softened his voice.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart. Daddy isn't angry with you.”
Then he looked toward the housekeeper.
“Mrs. Carter, please bring Lily a chair beside mine.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Luca, we're in the middle of dinner.”
He turned sharply.
“Then dinner can wait.”
He carried Lily to the table.
Sat down.
And kept her on his lap.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Lily reached into her dress pocket.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Miss Vanessa gave me something.”
She pulled out a small luggage tag.
Pink plastic.
With a printed address.
Luca took it.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“She said to put it on my suitcase so the driver would know where to take me.”
Vanessa's face went white.
Luca studied the address.
Then looked up.
“Vanessa, this isn't a boarding school.”
She swallowed.
“It's a private residence.”
“Whose residence?”
Nobody answered.
I watched Luca read the address again.
His hand began trembling.
Then he looked at his daughter.
“Lily, sweetheart, did Vanessa tell you who lives here?”
The little girl nodded.
“A lady who says she's my grandma.”
Luca stopped moving.
“Your grandma?”
“She called me yesterday.”
Vanessa suddenly whispered, “Luca, please.”
But Lily continued.
“She said she's been waiting a long time to see me.”
Luca stared at the luggage tag.
I had never seen him look frightened before.
Not once.
Then he took out his phone and called his head of security.
“Daniel. I need you to check an address.”
He read it aloud.
There was a long silence.
Then Daniel answered.
“Boss, that's the home of the woman who tried to take custody of Lily after her mother died.”
Luca slowly looked toward Vanessa.
His voice was barely audible.
“Why are you sending my daughter to someone I've spent three years keeping away from her?”
Vanessa backed away.
And that was when Lily tugged on his sleeve.
“Daddy, there's something else.”
He turned.
“What is it, princess?”
The little girl looked frightened.
“The lady told me I wasn't supposed to call you Daddy anymore.”
Luca's face went pale.
May you like
Then Lily whispered something that made every person at the dinner table turn toward Vanessa.
“She said Miss Vanessa already promised her I wouldn't be coming back.”
