Chapter 1
Victoria swung the hockey stick before Grace had time to think.
Four-year-old Lily stood frozen beside the kitchen table, her tiny hands pressed against her chest.
Grace moved first.
She threw herself over her daughter.
The stick crashed across Grace’s shoulder.
Pain exploded down her arm.
She dropped to one knee but kept Lily behind her.
“Mommy!” Lily screamed.
Victoria tightened both hands around the stick.
“You should have stayed in the servants’ room,” she snapped. “Both of you.”
Grace looked up at the woman who was supposed to marry Nathan in three days.
“Please,” Grace whispered. “She’s only four.”
Victoria lifted the stick again.
“She’s the reason you keep thinking you belong here.”
The kitchen door opened.
Nathan stepped inside.
He stopped.
His briefcase slipped from his hand.
Victoria stood over Grace with the hockey stick raised.
Grace was on the floor.
Lily was crying behind her.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Lily looked directly at Nathan.
Her lower lip trembled.
“Daddy…”
Nathan went pale.
Victoria lowered the stick.
“Nathan, this isn’t what—”
Grace forced herself upright despite the pain.
“She’s your daughter.”
Silence filled the kitchen.
Nathan stared at Grace.
Then at Lily.
Then back at Grace.
“What did you say?”
Grace swallowed.
“I tried to tell you four years ago.”
Victoria suddenly stepped forward.
“She’s lying.”
Grace reached into her apron pocket.
Victoria saw the movement and lunged.
Nathan caught the hockey stick before she could raise it again.
He ripped it from her hands.
“Don’t touch them.”
“Nathan!”
Victoria reached toward Lily.
Nathan slapped her hand away and stepped between them.
“You attacked my child and her mother.”
Victoria’s face changed.
Fear replaced anger.
“Your child? You don’t even know that!”
“I know enough to see what you were doing when I walked in.”
Nathan grabbed Victoria by the arm and pushed her toward the back door.
She fought him.
“You’ll regret this!”
“No,” Nathan said. “I regret believing you.”
He shoved Victoria outside.
Then he locked the door.
She began pounding against the glass.
“You can’t do this! This is my house too!”
Nathan turned away.
“No. It never was.”
Sirens grew louder outside.
Grace stared at him.
“You called the police?”
Nathan shook his head.
“The house alarm did when she forced open the equipment cabinet.”
Two officers appeared through the side gate.
Victoria immediately began shouting.
“She attacked me! The maid attacked me!”
Nathan ignored her.
He crossed the kitchen and knelt beside Grace.
His eyes fell to the swelling across her shoulder.
Then he looked at Lily.
She was still crying.
Slowly, Nathan opened his arms.
Lily hesitated.
Grace whispered, “It’s okay.”
Lily ran to him.
Nathan lifted her against his chest.
The moment her tiny arms wrapped around his neck, something inside him broke.
He closed his eyes.
“My God,” he whispered.
Lily touched his cheek.
“Are you really my daddy?”
Nathan looked at Grace.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Yes,” she said quietly.
Nathan held Lily tighter.
Then he reached for Grace’s hand.
“My wedding is over.”
Victoria screamed from outside.
Nathan didn’t even turn around.
“You’re both safe now.”
Grace looked toward the windows.
Two police officers were handcuffing Victoria.
But Grace’s expression remained frightened.
Nathan noticed.
“What is it?”
Grace squeezed his hand.
“There’s something else you need to know.”
Nathan frowned.
Grace looked toward the hallway leading upstairs.
“Victoria wasn’t trying to hurt Lily because she hated her.”
Nathan’s face hardened.
“Then why?”
Grace whispered the words.
May you like
“Because Lily found something in your bedroom this morning.”
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