Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Came for Sophie
Vanessa waited in the private lobby wearing an ivory coat and dark glasses.
Her pregnancy looked perfect.
Round.
Heavy.
Convincing.
Emily would have believed it if Sophie had never opened the wrong door.
Cynthia stood beside her.
That concerned Emily more.
Patrick joined Emily before she entered the lobby.
"Sophie stays upstairs."
"Agreed."
"Do not let Cynthia provoke you."
Emily glanced at him.
"I'm security, Patrick."
"You're also a mother."
"Exactly."
They walked out together.
Vanessa removed her glasses.
"Where is she?"
Emily stopped six feet away.
"My daughter?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I brought her something."
Cynthia held up a shopping bag from an expensive toy store.
Emily did not take it.
"That's kind. She doesn't need anything."
Vanessa's smile tightened.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot."
"You spoke to her for thirty seconds."
"Children can misunderstand tone."
Patrick stepped forward.
"What can we help you with, Mrs. Whitmore?"
Vanessa ignored him.
She looked only at Emily.
"I would like to apologize to Sophie personally."
"No."
Cynthia laughed.
Vanessa's eyes hardened.
"Excuse me?"
"My daughter is not available."
"I own a residence in this hotel."
"And?"
"My husband owns this building."
Emily nodded.
"He employs me to control access to restricted areas. My daughter isn't a hotel asset."
Patrick almost smiled.
Cynthia stepped closer.
"This woman is becoming a problem."
Patrick responded calmly.
"Emily is doing her job."
Vanessa placed one hand over her belly.
"I don't feel well."
Emily watched her.
There it was.
The hand.
Always the same response.
Pregnancy had become Vanessa's shield.
Question her, and the baby was stressed.
Challenge her, and the baby was endangered.
Ask for verification, and the baby needed protection.
Vanessa suddenly winced.
Patrick looked concerned.
Emily did not move.
Vanessa noticed.
"You think I'm pretending."
Emily held her gaze.
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
Cynthia stepped forward.
"What has your daughter been telling people?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie."
Emily's voice cooled.
"Be careful."
Vanessa looked around.
The lobby was empty except for two security officers near the elevators.
She lowered her voice.
"Emily, I understand that children sometimes create stories because they want attention."
"My daughter doesn't need attention from you."
"If she repeats something damaging, people could get hurt."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's reality."
Emily took one step closer.
"What exactly shouldn't she repeat?"
For the first time, Vanessa hesitated.
Cynthia interrupted.
"This conversation is over."
She grabbed Vanessa's arm.
Emily noticed something.
Cynthia's hand landed against the side of Vanessa's stomach.
Hard.
Vanessa did not react.
No protective flinch.
No complaint.
Nothing.
Emily's eyes dropped.
Cynthia saw.
She moved her hand immediately.
Vanessa pulled the coat tighter.
"Tell Sophie to stay away from places she doesn't belong."
Emily's expression did not change.
"Tell Cynthia to stop disabling my cameras."
Both sisters froze.
Patrick turned toward Emily.
Cynthia recovered first.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Good."
Emily smiled faintly.
"Then you won't mind if I restore everything."
Vanessa's eyes widened.
Only slightly.
But enough.
She and Cynthia left without another word.
When the elevator doors closed, Patrick turned.
"I specifically told you not to provoke her."
"I asked a factual question."
"You threatened to restore deleted footage."
"Also factual."
Patrick shook his head.
"You're impossible."
Emily watched the elevator numbers climb.
"No."
She thought of Cynthia's hand hitting the fake belly.
"I'm right."
Upstairs, Sophie was waiting inside Emily's office.
Grace had remained with her.
The toy bag had been returned unopened.
Sophie looked relieved when her mother entered.
"Did she leave?"
"Yes."
"Was she mad?"
"Yes."
Sophie smiled.
Emily sat beside her.
"Listen to me carefully. If Vanessa or Cynthia ever approaches you without me, you walk toward the nearest employee and call me immediately."
"Okay."
"If they offer you anything, you don't take it."
"Okay."
"If they tell you I sent them, you still call me."
Sophie's smile disappeared.
"Are they dangerous?"
Emily wanted to lie.
Instead she said, "I don't know."
Sophie looked toward the desk.
Then she whispered, "Cynthia said something when they were behind the curtain."
Emily waited.
"I didn't remember it before."
"What?"
"She said, 'After Friday, nobody can make you prove anything.'"
Emily felt cold.
"What Friday?"
Sophie shrugged.
"I don't know."
Emily checked the gala schedule.
The event was on a Friday.
Six weeks away.
After the gala, nobody can make you prove anything.
Twenty-five million dollars would move that night.
Emily opened the calendar.
Then she noticed another entry.
Vanessa and Alexander were scheduled to fly to Switzerland forty-eight hours after the gala.
Private travel.
Two-week stay.
No public engagements.
Emily stared at the screen.
A fake pregnancy could not continue forever.
At eight months, time was running out.
Vanessa needed an ending.
And suddenly Emily knew what it might be.
A public announcement.
A financial transfer.
Then a private trip overseas.
Somewhere far from cameras.
Somewhere a tragedy could be announced without witnesses.
Emily called Alexander.
"When were you planning to tell people Vanessa lost the baby?"
His silence answered before his words did.
"What are you talking about?"
"Your Switzerland trip."
"She scheduled it."
"Why?"
"Rest before the birth."
Emily stared at the gala date.
"Cancel it."
May you like
"Why?"
"Because I think that's where your son is supposed to die."
