Chapter 2 - THE NIGHT GRAHAM COULDN'T SLEEP
Graham didn't return to the wedding reception.
The band continued playing for another twenty minutes before someone finally asked them to stop.
Guests left in small groups.
Some offered awkward congratulations to Vanessa.
Others avoided her completely.
Evelyn remained near the entrance.
Charles stood beside his son.
Neither man spoke for several minutes.
Finally, Charles asked:
“Where is Maisie?”
“With Naomi.”
“Good.”
Graham looked at his father.
“Dad, I didn't know.”
“I know.”
“But I should have.”
Charles nodded.
“Yes.”
That single word hurt more than criticism.
Graham walked upstairs.
The bridal suite looked untouched.
Vanessa's wedding dress hung beside the window.
Flowers covered the table.
Champagne waited in a silver bucket.
Everything looked beautiful.
But Graham could only see Maisie's frightened face.
He remembered the three days before the wedding.
He had told Naomi he wanted Maisie to feel comfortable.
He had promised to give his daughter a special role.
He had promised to make sure she knew she was still part of his family.
Instead, he had allowed her to disappear under a table.
He picked up his phone.
There were fourteen missed calls.
Messages from guests.
Photographs.
Videos.
Then he saw one from Evelyn.
Come home before you make another mistake.
Graham stared.
What did she mean?
He called her.
She answered immediately.
“You need to see the nursery.”
“What?”
“Just come home.”
He drove to the family estate.
The nursery was empty.
Maisie's toys were still there.
Her drawings.
Her stuffed rabbit.
But something was missing.
A photograph.
One of Naomi holding Maisie when she was six months old.
Graham frowned.
“Who removed this?”
Evelyn looked away.
“I don't know.”
Graham turned toward Vanessa.
“You knew my daughter was missing.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“I told you, she was overwhelmed.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
“You're blaming me because Naomi embarrassed us.”
“No.”
Graham's voice became colder.
“I'm blaming you because my daughter was hiding under a table while I stood ten meters away.”
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to make the evening beautiful.”
“And Maisie ruined it?”
She said nothing.
Graham walked away.
That night, he called Naomi.
She didn't answer.
He sent a message.
I want to talk. Not about Vanessa. About Maisie.
No reply.
He sent another.
I know I failed her. I want to fix it.
Still nothing.
At 3:12 a.m., he finally received one message.
Then start by finding out why she was told to hide.
Graham stared at it.
He looked toward the hallway.
Then he remembered something.
Before the reception began, Vanessa had insisted on meeting with the wedding coordinator alone.
She had specifically requested that the children remain away from the main ballroom until the photographs were completed.
At the time, Graham hadn't questioned it.
Now he wondered why.
He opened the wedding schedule.
A handwritten note appeared beside Maisie's name.
KEEP HER OUT OF SIGHT.
The note wasn't written by the coordinator.
Graham recognized the handwriting.
May you like
Vanessa's.
His stomach dropped.
