Chapter 7 - The Little Girl Who Remembered the Red Shoes|
I wanted to believe Sarah's death had been an accident.
Not because Richard Bellini deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Not because Daniel Mercer seemed innocent.
But because Lily had already lost so much.
She'd grown up without her mother.
She'd spent months believing her father's fiancée didn't want her.
And now the truth threatened to change every memory she had left.
The next morning, Luca asked me to stay home with Lily while he met with investigators.
He looked exhausted.
But his voice was gentle.
“Don't tell her about the recordings yet.”
I nodded.
“She deserves to hear anything important from you.”
He looked grateful.
Then he left.
Lily spent most of the morning drawing at the kitchen table.
She drew the mansion.
The garden.
Her father.
Me.
And a woman with long brown hair standing beside a lemon tree.
“Is that your mom?” I asked.
She nodded.
“She used to sing when she cooked.”
I smiled.
“What did she sing?”
Lily hummed a little tune.
I recognized it from an old recording Sarah had left on Luca's phone.
It was a silly song about sunshine and lemonade.
Lily smiled.
“Mom said lemon cake makes sad people happy.”
I laughed softly.
“Maybe she was right.”
She looked at me.
“Claire?”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
She hesitated.
“Did Vanessa know Mom?”
My heart skipped.
“Why do you ask?”
Lily stared at her drawing.
“Because I remember her.”
I went still.
“What do you remember?”
The little girl thought carefully.
“She came to our house when I was little.”
I sat down slowly.
“Are you sure?”
Lily nodded.
“She had red shoes.”
My pulse raced.
Vanessa wore red shoes constantly.
“Do you remember anything else?”
Lily touched the edge of her paper.
“Mom told me to go upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Because they were arguing.”
I felt cold.
“Do you remember what they said?”
She shook her head.
Then frowned.
“Vanessa said something about a box.”
My heart hammered.
“What box?”
“I don't know.”
Lily looked toward the recipe box on the counter.
“Maybe that one.”
I forced myself to remain calm.
“Did your mom seem upset?”
Lily nodded.
“She was crying.”
I reached for her hand.
“Sweetheart, memories from when we're very little can get mixed up. But it's okay to tell your dad what you remember.”
She looked frightened.
“Will he be sad?”
“Maybe. But he'd rather know what's worrying you.”
She nodded.
Then leaned against me.
“Claire?”
“Yes?”
“I don't want another mom.”
My throat tightened.
“You don't have to.”
She looked up.
“Even if Daddy gets married?”
“Even then.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Vanessa said I needed to call her Mom after the wedding.”
I felt anger rise inside me.
“What did you say?”
Lily whispered, “I said I already had one.”
I pulled her into my arms.
“You did nothing wrong.”
She began crying.
“I thought Daddy would be mad.”
“He won't.”
I held her until she stopped shaking.
That evening, Luca returned.
He found us in the sitting room.
Lily immediately ran toward him.
“Daddy!”
He lifted her.
“Hey, peanut.”
She studied his face.
“Are you sad?”
He smiled faintly.
“A little.”
“Because of Mom?”
He nodded.
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“It's okay to miss her.”
Luca closed his eyes.
Then held her tighter.
“I know, baby.”
After dinner, Lily told him about the woman with red shoes.
I watched his expression change.
But he didn't interrupt.
He didn't frighten her.
He simply listened.
When she finished, he kissed her forehead.
“Thank you for telling me.”
She looked worried.
“Am I in trouble?”
“No.”
He hugged her.
“Never for telling me the truth.”
Later, after she went to bed, Luca sat beside the fireplace.
I brought him tea.
He looked at me.
“She remembered Vanessa.”
I nodded.
“Maybe.”
He stared into the cup.
“The investigators found something else.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Sarah's car was inspected two weeks before the accident.”
I frowned.
“Was something wrong with it?”
“No. The mechanic said the brakes were in perfect condition.”
I swallowed.
“And afterward?”
Luca looked up.
“The preliminary report found damage consistent with tampering.”
My heart stopped.
“Was that investigated?”
He shook his head.
“The final report called it inconclusive. But the detective assigned to the case retired six months later.”
“Can they reopen it?”
“They already have.”
I sat down.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Luca said quietly, “I spent five years blaming myself.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Sarah wanted me to come home earlier that morning. She said she needed to talk.”
His voice cracked.
“I told her I was busy.”
My chest tightened.
“She left anyway. And she never came back.”
I didn't know how to answer.
He stared toward Sarah's photograph.
“I keep thinking if I'd listened…”
“Luca.”
He looked at me.
I rarely used his first name.
But this time, I did.
“You didn't know what was happening.”
He shook his head.
“I should have.”
“You couldn't read her mind.”
His eyes filled.
“And you can't change what happened. But you can protect Lily now.”
He stared at me.
Then slowly nodded.
Before he could speak, his phone rang.
Marco.
Luca answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?”
He stood.
“Where?”
A pause.
Then he looked toward the staircase.
“Lock every entrance. Nobody comes inside.”
He ended the call.
I rose.
“What happened?”
Luca's face had gone pale.
“Vanessa just tried to enter Lily's school.”
My blood turned cold.
May you like
He looked directly at me.
“And she told the principal she was Lily's mother.”
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