Chapter 8
The north house had been reopened.
That was the next surprise.
One guard.
Fresh supplies.
Three bedrooms prepared.
One was clearly meant for a child.
Small bed.
Folded dresses.
Books.
No toys.
I stood in the doorway and felt sick.
Frank had not been telling Maisie a ghost story.
He had been preparing a destination.
Renata looked horrified when I brought her there.
“You knew nothing?”
She shook her head.
“For once, no.”
I believed her.
Frank remained calm.
“This is absurd.”
I turned.
“You stocked a bedroom.”
“For visiting family.”
“With Maisie’s size clothes?”
Silence.
I opened the wardrobe.
Three cardigans.
Two formal dresses.
One pair of flats.
Everything in her size.
Renata whispered:
“Frank…”
He looked at her with contempt.
“Don’t start.”
She took one step back.
That told me something too.
Even Renata had limits when she finally saw the whole plan.
I stepped closer.
“When were you going to bring her here?”
Frank sighed.
“When necessary.”
“What makes a three-year-old necessary?”
“When a father stops behaving like a father to the family.”
I stared.
There.
Openly now.
He intended to use my daughter as leverage.
Not harm permanently.
Not in his mind.
Just remove her until I remembered who mattered.
“When?”
He looked away.
I understood.
“After the next council vote.”
His face hardened.
There was an upcoming restructuring.
I planned to remove three of Frank’s oldest allies.
If I went through with it—
Maisie would disappear.
Then Frank would call it family intervention.
I almost laughed at the arrogance.
“You thought you could take my daughter and negotiate.”
“You would have listened.”
“No.”
My voice dropped.
“I would have ended you.”
Frank smiled faintly.
“That is exactly why she makes you weak.”
I stared at him.
“No.”
May you like
Then looked at the little bed.
“She makes me clear.”
