Chapter 6 - The Secret Under the Stairs
Ethan bent down and lifted Lily back into his arms, pulling her small frame tight against his chest. She clung to his tuxedo, her breath still coming in small, broken hitches as she rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Daddy…" Lily whispered, her small voice trembling close to his ear. "She said Mommy was in the basement."
The cold, violent fury on Ethan’s rugged face instantly evaporated, replaced by complete and total shock. His dark eyes widened, and his posture went rigid as if he had been struck by lightning.
He snapped his head toward the pile of presents where Claire was pushing herself up on one elbow. The color had completely drained from her face, leaving her pale as death.
"My wife is dead," Ethan said, each word heavy with disbelief and rising dread. "She died four years ago."
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Lily slowly raised a small, trembling hand and pointed toward a heavy brass-bound wooden door hidden beneath the sweeping curve of the grand marble staircase—a door that had been secured with a heavy iron padlock for as long as Ethan could remember.
Ethan’s expression changed instantly from shock to a cold, authoritative resolve. He handed Lily back to the bodyguard and turned slowly toward the locked door.
