Chapter 2: The Rules When Daddy Leaves
Marisol didn’t answer Valeria immediately.
On the monitor, she stood between my daughters with one hand pressed against the kitchen counter.
Her face had gone pale.
Sofia stared up at her.
“Are you going to tell him?”” Valeria asked again.
Marisol glanced toward the doorway Chloe had disappeared through.
Then she crouched in front of the girls.
“Not here,” she whispered.
My pulse quickened.
Hector reached for the keyboard and increased the volume.
Valeria wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater.
“You always say not here.””
“I know.””
“You said you’d tell Daddy after his last trip.””
“I know, cariño.””
“And you didn’t.””
Marisol closed her eyes.
For one terrible second, I thought Chloe had been right.
Maybe Marisol really had been manipulating them.
Maybe there was some secret arrangement inside my home that had existed right beneath my nose.
Then Sofia spoke.
“She’ll make you leave too.””
Marisol’s eyes opened.
“No one is making me leave.””
“Yes, she will,” Sofia insisted.
“Like Miss Hannah.””
I turned toward Hector.
“Who the hell is Miss Hannah?””
He shook his head.
“I don’t know.””
Neither did I.
That frightened me.
This was my house.
My children.
My employees.
And a six-year-old had just mentioned a woman I had never heard of.
Marisol gently took Sofia’s hands.
“Listen to me. Your father loves you.””
Sofia’s lower lip trembled.
“Then why doesn’t he believe us?””
The question hit me like a punch.
I gripped the edge of the desk.
Hector looked away from the screens.
I couldn’t.
I needed to hear every word.
Valeria sat beside her sister.
“We never told him everything.””
“Because you were scared,” Marisol said.
“Because Chloe said he’d send us away.””
My chair scraped backward.
“What?””
Hector lifted a hand.
“Alexander.””
I was already standing.
“She told my daughters I’d send them away?””
“Wait.””
“For what?””
“To find out what else she told them.””
Every instinct in me demanded that I run into the house.
I wanted to find Chloe.
I wanted to tear that mask off her face and demand an explanation.
But Hector was right.
If I revealed myself now, I would only see what Chloe wanted me to see.
I sat down again.
My hands were shaking.
On-screen, Marisol looked toward the hallway once more.
“She lied to you,” she told the girls.
“Your father would never send you anywhere.””
Valeria stared at the floor.
“She said he wants a new family.””
“No.””
“She said after the wedding, she’s going to have a baby with him.””
Marisol’s voice became firmer.
“That doesn’t mean your father stops being your father.””
“She said we remind him of Mommy.””
My throat tightened.
Valeria continued.
“And that makes him sad.””
I couldn’t move.
“She said he travels because he doesn’t like being around us anymore.””
“No,” Marisol whispered.
“She said that’s why he leaves.””
I stared at my daughter’s face on the screen.
Suddenly every airport goodbye from the past year looked different.
Every time Valeria had asked, Do you have to go?
Every time Sofia had called me twice before bed.
Every time I had returned with toys and gifts and found them strangely quiet for the first few hours.
I had assumed they missed me.
I hadn’t realized someone was teaching them that every departure was abandonment.
Hector leaned closer.
“Alexander, how often do you travel?””
“Two or three times a month.””
He said nothing.
He didn’t need to.
Chloe had opportunities.
Dozens of them.
Maybe hundreds.
Marisol pulled both girls into her arms.
“I should have told him sooner.””
Valeria whispered against her shoulder.
“Why didn’t you?””
Marisol’s face changed.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“Because I tried.””
I stopped breathing.
She stood suddenly.
“Come on. Upstairs.””
“Why?”” Sofia asked.
“We’re getting your rabbit later.””
“But Chloe said—”
“I don’t care what Chloe said.””
For the first time, I heard anger in Marisol’s voice.
“Go upstairs. Both of you.””
The girls obeyed.
The moment they disappeared, Marisol walked quickly into the kitchen.
She opened a drawer beneath the pantry cabinet.
Nothing unusual.
Then she reached behind a stack of dish towels and pulled out a small black notebook.
Hector leaned forward.
“What is that?””
“I don’t know.””
Marisol opened it.
She flipped through several pages.
Dates.
Notes.
Names.
Even through the camera, I could see that every page was covered with writing.
Then she took out her phone.
She hesitated.
And dialed.
A few seconds passed.
“Hello?””
She kept her voice low.
“It’s Marisol.””
Pause.
“No. He left this morning.””
Another pause.
“I know what you told me.””
Hector and I exchanged a look.
Marisol turned toward the kitchen doorway.
“I can’t keep waiting.””
Whoever was on the other end said something that made her face tighten.
“No,” she whispered.
“It’s worse now.””
I felt cold.
“What is?””
Hector didn’t answer.
Marisol continued.
“She told Sofia yesterday that her mother’s things belong to the new woman of the house now.””
My stomach twisted.
Emily’s things.
The missing jewelry.
Chloe had blamed Marisol.
I stared at the monitor.
Marisol lowered her voice further.
“And Valeria has bruises again.””
I was out of the chair before Hector could stop me.
“Alexander.””
I headed for the door.
He stepped in front of me.
“Move.””
“No.””
“Hector.””
“If you go in there now, Chloe denies everything. She says the girls are confused. She says Marisol is lying. You have forty minutes of footage and no idea how deep this goes.””
“My daughter has bruises.””
“I heard her.””
“Then move.””
Hector didn’t.
He had never disobeyed me before.
Not once in ten years.
“Look at me,” he said.
I did.
“You hired me to protect your family.””
“I know.””
“Then let me protect them properly.””
I wanted to hit something.
Instead, I turned back toward the screens.
Marisol was still on the phone.
“Can you come today?”” she asked.
Pause.
“No. Not tomorrow.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Today.””
She listened.
Then nodded.
“Thank you.””
She ended the call.
I looked at Hector.
“Find out who she called.””
“I can pull the property phone logs, but not her private cell.””
“Then find another way.””
Before he could answer, movement appeared on another monitor.
Chloe.
She was walking down the upstairs hallway.
Toward Valeria’s bedroom.
I felt every muscle in my body tense.
Sofia came out of the room first.
Chloe stopped.
“Where’s your sister?””
Sofia pointed inside.
Chloe stepped past her.
The camera angle changed as she entered.
Valeria was sitting on the edge of her bed.
Chloe closed the door.
Not completely.
Almost.
Then she turned toward my daughter.
“What did you say to Marisol?””
Valeria looked up.
“Nothing.””
Chloe walked closer.
“Don’t lie to me.””
“I’m not.””
Chloe reached down and took Valeria’s chin between her fingers.
Not violently.
That almost made it worse.
The gesture looked controlled.
Practiced.
“You know what happens when you make trouble.””
Valeria’s breathing changed.
“What happens?”” Hector whispered.
I didn’t answer.
Chloe released her.
“Your father gets stressed.””
Valeria said nothing.
“And when your father gets stressed, he leaves.””
“He already left.””
“Yes.””
Chloe smiled.
“Because you girls have been difficult.””
I felt something inside me crack.
Valeria’s eyes dropped.
“Daddy said it was work.””
“Adults say things to protect children.””
“You’re lying.””
The smile vanished.
“Excuse me?””
“Daddy loves us.””
“Of course he does.””
Chloe sat beside her.
“But love changes.””
Valeria moved away.
“Mommy said it doesn’t.””
For a second, Chloe’s expression hardened.
“Your mother is dead, Valeria.””
My daughter flinched.
Chloe leaned closer.
“And I’m going to be your mother soon.””
“No.””
“What did you say?””
“You’re not my mother.””
Silence.
Then Chloe stood.
She walked toward Valeria’s dresser.
On top sat a framed photograph.
Emily holding Valeria as a toddler.
Chloe picked it up.
“Maybe this is the problem.””
“Put that back.””
“You spend too much time thinking about dead people.””
“Put it back!””
Chloe opened the dresser drawer and shoved the photograph inside.
Valeria jumped up.
“Give it back!””
She grabbed Chloe’s arm.
Everything happened quickly.
Chloe spun around.
Her hand caught Valeria’s wrist.
She squeezed.
Valeria gasped.
I saw my daughter try to pull away.
Chloe squeezed harder.
“Let go of me!””
“Stop fighting.””
“You’re hurting me!””
My vision blurred.
I reached for the door again.
Then a voice came through the monitor.
“Take your hand off her.””
Marisol stood in the bedroom doorway.
Chloe released Valeria instantly.
Her entire expression changed.
Calm.
Surprised.
Almost innocent.
“Marisol.””
“Leave her alone.””
Chloe laughed softly.
“I think you’re forgetting who you work for.””
“I work for Mr. Hayes.””
“Soon you’ll work for both of us.””
“No.””
That single word changed the atmosphere.
Chloe stared at her.
“What did you say?””
Marisol stepped into the room.
“I said no.””
Valeria moved behind her.
Marisol didn’t take her eyes off Chloe.
“You will not touch these children again.””
Chloe gave a small laugh.
“Touch them?””
“You know exactly what I mean.””
“Be careful.””
“I’ve been careful for months.””
There was something in Marisol’s voice I had never heard before.
Not fear.
Decision.
Chloe seemed to hear it too.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Months?””
Marisol said nothing.
Chloe stepped closer.
“What have you been doing?””
“Protecting them.””
“From what?””
Marisol stared directly at her.
“From you.””
Silence.
Chloe’s face went completely still.
Then she smiled.
But this smile was different.
It wasn’t anger.
It was calculation.
“You’ve been documenting things.””
Marisol didn’t respond.
That was answer enough.
Chloe stepped past her.
She walked into the hallway.
Then downstairs.
Slowly.
Too slowly.
Hector switched between cameras.
“What is she doing?””
Chloe entered the kitchen.
She looked around.
Then opened the pantry drawer.
The one where Marisol had hidden the notebook.
My stomach dropped.
“She knows.””
Chloe moved the towels aside.
Empty.
She stared into the drawer.
Then turned.
Marisol was standing behind her.
The notebook was tucked under one arm.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Chloe held out her hand.
“Give me that.””
“No.””
“Marisol.””
“No.””
“That notebook contains private family matters.””
“It contains dates.””
Chloe’s face tightened.
“Give it to me.””
“And photographs.””
I felt sick.
Chloe took a step forward.
Marisol didn’t move.
“And recordings,” Marisol added.
Hector whispered, “Jesus.””
Chloe’s voice dropped.
“You recorded me?””
“I documented what happened when Mr. Hayes was gone.””
“Without permission?””
“I documented children being frightened inside their own home.””
Chloe laughed once.
“You really think Alexander is going to believe you?””
Marisol’s jaw tightened.
“He loves those girls.””
“He loves me.””
“That’s not the same thing.””
Chloe moved closer.
“You’re a housekeeper.””
Marisol didn’t flinch.
“And you are temporary.””
Chloe’s expression changed.
For the first time, the confidence disappeared.
Only for a second.
Then she reached for the notebook.
Marisol pulled it back.
“Don’t.””
“Give it to me!””
Chloe grabbed her arm.
The notebook fell.
Pages spread across the marble floor.
Photographs slid out from between them.
Hector zoomed the kitchen camera.
I leaned toward the screen.
One photograph showed a bruise on Valeria’s wrist.
Another showed Sofia crying beside a broken toy.
Another showed the inside of a closet.
There were dozens.
Chloe stared down at them.
Then she saw one particular photograph.
Her face went white.
Not angry.
Terrified.
She bent quickly and grabbed it.
Marisol lunged for her hand.
“Give that back.””
“What is this?””
“You know what it is.””
“No.””
Chloe’s voice cracked.
“What is this?””
I couldn’t see the photograph clearly.
Hector adjusted the zoom.
Still blurred.
Then Chloe turned it over.
Something was written on the back.
A date.
And beneath the date, two words.
Hector read them aloud.
“Emily’s room.””
My heart stopped.
Emily.
My dead wife.
Chloe stared at Marisol.
“You went in there?””
Marisol said nothing.
Chloe’s breathing became shallow.
“You had no right.””
“What did you do with her things?”” Marisol asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.””
“The jewelry.””
Silence.
“The letters.””
Chloe froze.
My hands went numb.
Letters?
“What letters?”” I whispered.
Hector looked at me.
Marisol stepped closer to Chloe.
“The letters Emily wrote to her daughters before she died.””
The security room seemed to tilt around me.
I had never known about any letters.
Chloe’s eyes flicked toward the hallway.
Marisol saw it.
“So you do know.””
“Shut up.””
“Where are they?””
“Shut up.””
“Those letters belong to Valeria and Sofia.””
“I said shut up!””
Chloe shoved Marisol.
Hard.
Marisol struck the kitchen island and cried out.
I stood.
This time Hector didn’t block me.
But before I reached the door, the monitor showed Chloe crouching beside Marisol.
Her voice became almost too quiet for the microphone.
“You should have left this alone.””
Marisol looked up.
“Why?””
Chloe leaned closer.
And what she said next stopped me where I stood.
“Because Emily didn’t write those letters before she died.””
Marisol’s face changed.
“What?””
Chloe smiled.
“She wrote them because she knew she was going to die.””
My hand slowly fell from the door handle.
Hector stared at the screen.
Marisol whispered, “What are you saying?””
Chloe picked up the photograph from the floor.
May you like
Then she said the words that turned my blood to ice.
“Emily knew exactly who she needed to protect those girls from.””
