Chapter 5 - The Little Girl at the Window
Evelyn spent the next two days trying to understand how much of her marriage had been built on lies.
The answer, she was beginning to suspect, was almost all of it.
Dominic had a daughter.
He had maintained another household.
He had transferred Evelyn's company.
And Vanessa had been receiving money from a business that legally belonged to Evelyn.
Yet something bothered her more than anything else.
The little girl.
Sophie.
She had done nothing wrong.
Evelyn had no desire to punish a child for the decisions of two adults.
On Friday morning, Rachel called.
“I found something unusual about the townhouse.”
“What?”
“Sophie has been living there with a nanny. Vanessa hasn't been home for several days.”
“Where is she?”
“Unknown. But Dominic visited the property last night.”
Evelyn looked at the photograph on her phone.
The little girl stood beside a window, looking down at the street.
“Can I see her?”
Rachel paused.
“Why?”
“Because I want to know if she's all right.”
That afternoon, Evelyn drove to Society Hill.
She parked across the street and watched the townhouse for nearly twenty minutes.
Then the front door opened.
A little girl stepped onto the sidewalk with a woman carrying a shopping bag.
Sophie.
She wore a yellow coat and pink sneakers.
As they approached the car, the little girl stopped.
She looked across the street.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Sophie raised her hand.
Evelyn instinctively waved back.
The child smiled.
It was a small, uncertain smile.
Then she disappeared into the car.
Evelyn drove away with tears in her eyes.
She hadn't expected that.
She hadn't expected to feel tenderness toward a child who represented everything Dominic had denied her.
That evening, she returned to the townhouse.
This time, she approached the front door.
The nanny answered.
“Can I help you?”
“My name is Evelyn Mercer.”
The woman's expression changed.
“Mrs. Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“I think you should speak to Mr. Mercer.”
“I would like to speak to Sophie.”
The nanny hesitated.
Before she could answer, a small voice came from the hallway.
“Are you Daddy's wife?”
Evelyn looked down.
Sophie was standing behind the nanny.
“Yes,” Evelyn said gently.
The girl studied her.
“Mommy says you don't like me.”
Evelyn felt something twist inside her chest.
“Your mommy is wrong.”
“Are you mad because Daddy comes here?”
Evelyn knelt.
“I'm not mad at you, sweetheart.”
Sophie looked uncertain.
“Are you going to take Daddy away?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No. Your daddy belongs in your life. I'm not going to change that.”
The child considered this.
Then she stepped forward and held out a folded piece of paper.
“I made this for you.”
Evelyn accepted it.
It was a drawing of three people standing in front of a large house.
A man.
A little girl.
And a woman with long brown hair.
Above them, Sophie had written three names.
DADDY.
ME.
EVELYN.
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“Thank you. It's beautiful.”
“Daddy says you're good at making dresses.”
“I used to be.”
“Can you make me one?”
Evelyn smiled.
“If your father and mother agree, I'd love to.”
A car pulled into the driveway.
Dominic stepped out.
His expression changed when he saw Evelyn.
“What are you doing here?”
Sophie ran toward him.
“Daddy! She came to see me!”
Dominic looked down at his daughter, then back at Evelyn.
“Inside, Sophie.”
“But—”
“Now.”
The little girl lowered her head and went inside.
Evelyn stood.
“Don't speak to her like that.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“She's my daughter.”
“And she deserves to be treated like a person, not a problem you need to move out of the way.”
He stepped closer.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I wanted to meet her.”
“Why?”
“Because she's innocent.”
Dominic looked toward the house.
Then back at Evelyn.
“You don't understand what you're getting involved in.”
“I understand that you had a daughter while telling your wife you didn't want children.”
His face tightened.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what? The truth?”
“From the people who would use her against me.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You didn't protect me. You made sure I was the last person to know.”
Dominic lowered his voice.
“Come home. We'll talk privately.”
“No.”
“Evelyn, I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
She handed him the drawing.
“Your daughter wanted me to have this.”
He looked at it.
Something softened in his expression.
Then he folded the paper and slipped it into his coat.
Evelyn noticed.
For one brief moment, she remembered the man she had married.
But she couldn't afford to mistake one tender gesture for a changed heart.
She turned to leave.
Dominic caught her wrist.
“There's something you need to know about Vanessa.”
Evelyn stopped.
“What?”
“She wasn't supposed to be at that dinner.”
“She's your mistress. Why wouldn't she be?”
His jaw tightened.
“Because I was trying to end things.”
Evelyn almost laughed.
“After two years?”
“It's complicated.”
“Everything is complicated when you refuse to tell the truth.”
Dominic released her.
Then he said something that made her turn around.
“Vanessa didn't start this affair. She was already involved in my business before I met you.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Dominic looked toward the townhouse.
“It means the woman you called your best friend knew things about your family long before either of us understood what was happening.”
Before Evelyn could ask another question, his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What do you mean she's gone?”
A pause.
Then, sharply:
“Find her. Now.”
He ended the call.
Evelyn stepped backward.
“Who?”
Dominic looked at her.
May you like
“Vanessa.”
And for the first time, he looked genuinely afraid.
