Chapter 1
“Check the cameras. Right now.”
My voice tore through the ballroom hard enough to silence even the men who had spent twenty years pretending nothing frightened them.
Maisie was still wrapped around me.
Her fingers twisted into my jacket while every bodyguard in the room moved behind my shoulder.
Frank did not.
He remained beside the drinks table, staring at the ceiling camera Maisie had just pointed toward.
Renata’s face changed first.
Not guilt.
Calculation.
“Vito, she’s three.”
I looked at her.
“That makes the camera older than the witness.”
Her mouth closed.
One of my guards returned with a tablet.
The estate system opened immediately.
Laundry room.
6:41 p.m.
I pressed play.
Maisie appeared first.
She stood beside a basket of folded napkins, apparently looking for something.
Renata entered behind her.
No sound.
Then Frank appeared in the doorway.
I watched my uncle close the door.
My breathing slowed.
Maisie turned toward him.
Frank pointed toward Renata.
Renata stepped forward.
Maisie tried to move away.
Frank caught both her wrists.
Everything inside me went cold.
Renata leaned down and slapped my daughter across the cheek.
Once.
Then again, lighter.
Like she was testing how much force would leave a mark without creating too much noise.
Around me, nobody moved.
I watched Maisie struggle.
Frank held tighter.
Renata said something.
No audio.
Then Maisie kicked backward.
Frank released one hand.
That was how she escaped.
The video ended with my daughter running from the room alone.
I lowered the tablet.
Frank stared at me.
Renata tried to speak.
I raised one hand.
“No.”
She froze.
I looked at my uncle.
“You held my daughter down.”
Frank’s jaw tightened.
“She needed correcting.”
May you like
Maisie buried her face against my neck.
And suddenly I understood this was not the first time she had heard those words.
