Chapter 1 - The Girl at the Service Door)
Three hours before Emily Vance called a billionaire stranger Daddy in front of three hundred wedding guests, she was sitting on the floor behind a catering truck trying to convince her little sister to stop crying.
"It's okay, Sophie."
It wasn't okay.
Emily knew that.
Sophie probably knew it too.
But it was what their mother always said.
It's okay.
Even when rent was late.
Even when the electricity was shut off for two nights.
Even when Claire came home from work with fear in her eyes and checked the hallway three times before locking the apartment door.
Even when someone started calling and hanging up.
Even when Claire packed emergency clothes into Emily's backpack and made her memorize a name.
Damian Vance.
Emily had heard that name before.
She had heard it when she was five and asked why other children had fathers at school performances.
She had heard it when she was seven and found her mother crying over an old newspaper article.
She had heard it two weeks earlier when Claire grabbed Emily's shoulders and said, "If something happens to me, you find him."
Emily had asked why.
Claire had looked toward the window.
"Because he doesn't know."
"Know what?"
"About you."
That answer had changed everything.
Now Claire had been missing for three days.
And Emily had done exactly what she was told.
She had taken Sophie.
She had taken the backpack.
She had taken the emergency cash from the flour tin.
She had taken two buses and one train.
And she had followed the address printed in the newspaper announcement about Damian Vance's wedding.
She had imagined a church.
Instead she found a palace.
White stone.
Valet parking.
Black cars.
Flowers everywhere.
Men in suits stood at every entrance.
Emily had tried the front doors first.
A security guard looked down at her.
"Where are your parents?"
"I need Damian Vance."
"He's unavailable."
"It's important."
"Where's your mother?"
Emily hesitated.
"She told me to find him."
The guard became suspicious.
Another man approached.
Emily backed away.
She had learned that adults used soft voices before calling social workers.
So she ran.
She carried Sophie around the side of the building until she found catering trucks.
That was how she ended up sitting behind one of them, sharing the final cracker in her backpack with a crying toddler.
Sophie pushed the cracker away.
"Mommy."
Emily's throat hurt.
"I know."
"Mommy."
"We're going to find her."
She did not know if that was true.
She had seen blood on their kitchen floor.
Only a little.
Near the broken mug.
She had seen the front door open.
Claire's purse remained inside.
Her phone was gone.
A neighbor told police she might have left voluntarily.
Emily knew better.
Her mother never left without Sophie.
Never.
A pair of shoes stopped nearby.
Emily pulled Sophie close.
A woman in a catering uniform crouched.
She appeared to be about sixty.
Gray hair.
Kind eyes.
"Sweetheart, are you lost?"
Emily shook her head.
"I'm looking for someone."
"Who?"
"Damian Vance."
The woman's eyebrows rose.
"That's a difficult person to find today."
"He's my dad."
The woman stared at her.
Emily immediately regretted saying it.
She stood.
"We have to go."
"Wait."
The woman held up both hands.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
"My mom said not to trust strangers."
"Your mother sounds sensible."
Emily looked at her.
The woman smiled sadly.
"My name is Nora. I've worked weddings here for seventeen years. You can see my name on my badge."
Emily looked.
NORA BENNETT.
Emily's heart jumped.
"Bennett?"
Nora glanced at the badge.
"Yes."
"My mom's last name is Bennett."
Nora smiled.
"Common name."
Emily wasn't smiling.
"Her name is Claire."
The woman's face changed.
The serving tray slipped from her hand.
It hit the pavement.
Emily jumped.
Nora stared at her.
"Claire Bennett?"
"Yes."
"From Connecticut?"
Emily nodded.
Nora's lips parted.
"How old are you?"
"Eight."
Nora looked toward the building.
Then back at Emily.
"Your mother has brown hair?"
"Yes."
"Green eyes?"
Emily nodded again.
Nora whispered something Emily could not hear.
"What?"
Nora shook her head.
"Nothing."
But her hands were trembling.
"Do you know my mom?"
"I knew a Claire Bennett a long time ago."
"Where?"
Nora looked around them.
"Not here."
Emily stepped closer.
"Please."
Nora seemed torn between fear and urgency.
Finally she whispered, "Eight years ago I worked at a private event for Vance International. Claire was there."
Emily's heart beat harder.
"With Damian?"
"Yes."
"Then she wasn't lying."
Nora stared at the child.
"No, sweetheart."
She picked up the tray.
"Your mother wasn't lying."
The service door opened.
A young coordinator appeared.
"Nora, what are you doing? We need champagne upstairs."
"Coming."
The coordinator noticed Emily.
"Who is that?"
"My niece."
Emily looked at Nora.
Nora did not blink.
"She got dropped off early."
The coordinator rolled her eyes.
"Keep her out of the ballroom."
The door closed.
Nora exhaled.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I have to see him."
"You don't understand the people you're dealing with."
"My mom said the same thing."
That stopped Nora.
Emily reached into her backpack.
She showed her the folded photograph.
Nora opened it.
Her face went pale.
"Where did you get this?"
"Mom."
Nora looked at the blonde woman standing behind Claire.
"Does she know you have it?"
"Who?"
Nora pointed.
"The bride."
Emily's stomach tightened.
"No."
Nora folded the photograph quickly.
"Keep it hidden."
"Why?"
"Because if Victoria sees this before Damian does, I don't think you'll ever get close enough to show him."
Nora took Emily's hand.
"Come with me."
They entered through the service corridor.
Twenty minutes later, Emily and Sophie were hidden in a linen room one floor below the ballroom.
Nora brought them sandwiches and milk.
Emily devoured half a sandwich before remembering Sophie and splitting it.
"When can I see him?"
"The ceremony starts soon."
"I can't wait."
"You may have to."
Nora crouched beside her.
"Listen carefully. Damian has private security everywhere. Victoria has her own people too."
"Why?"
"Rich people are afraid of losing things."
"Is Damian bad?"
Nora paused.
"I don't know."
Emily lowered her eyes.
"What if he doesn't want me?"
The question was so quiet that Nora almost missed it.
She sat beside her.
"Then that will be his failure."
Emily looked up.
"But first he deserves the chance to know you exist."
Footsteps sounded outside.
Nora stood.
The door opened.
A tall man in a dark suit appeared.
His expression was unreadable.
He had a communications earpiece and a silver watch.
"Who are these children?"
Nora moved in front of Emily.
"Family."
"Whose family?"
"Mine."
The man's eyes settled on Emily.
Then on the backpack.
"What's your name?"
Emily remembered her mother's warning.
Never tell anyone connected to Vance International until you are face to face with Damian.
She said nothing.
The man smiled.
"I'm Marcus Vale. Mr. Vance's head of security."
Emily's eyes dropped to his wrist.
The silver watch caught the light.
Something about it bothered her.
She had seen one like it before.
Three nights earlier.
In her mother's apartment.
On the wrist of a man standing in the hallway.
Before Claire disappeared.
Emily grabbed Sophie's hand.
Marcus noticed.
"Have we met?"
Emily shook her head quickly.
Nora stepped forward.
"They'll be leaving."
Marcus studied Emily for another second.
Then his phone vibrated.
He looked down.
His expression changed.
He walked into the corridor.
"Yes?"
A woman's voice came faintly through the phone.
Emily heard only one word.
"Children."
May you like
Marcus looked through the doorway at her.
Then he said, "I'll handle it."
