Chapter 2: The Dog Who Refused to Let Me Die
The water was colder than anything I had ever felt.
My yellow dress floated around my waist.
My shoes slipped off.
I opened my mouth to scream, but water rushed inside.
I kicked.
My little hands slapped against the surface.
I could see the sunlight, but it seemed impossibly far away.
Above me, Vanessa stood beside the pool.
For a moment, she did nothing.
Then she looked toward the mansion.
I remember seeing her adjust her bracelet.
I remember her bending down to pick up my red ball.
And I remember her saying something I would only understand years later.
"Finally.""
My lungs burned.
I reached upward again.
Then Max appeared.
He came charging across the terrace, barking so loudly that the birds scattered from the nearby trees.
He jumped into the water without hesitation.
His powerful legs carried him toward me.
When he reached me, he pushed his body beneath my arms.
I grabbed his fur.
He twisted around, trying to keep my face above the surface.
I was terrified.
My fingers were tangled in his wet coat.
He kept swimming.
But I was small, frightened, and unable to understand what was happening.
At one point, my grip slipped.
My face went beneath the water again.
Max immediately turned.
He caught the back of my dress between his teeth and pulled.
His claws scratched against the pool tiles as he struggled to reach the shallow steps.
He was fighting against my weight.
And he was winning.
Mrs. Evelyn heard the barking from the kitchen.
At first, she assumed Max was chasing something in the garden.
Then she heard a tremendous splash.
She dropped the plate in her hands.
It shattered against the floor.
"Max?""
No answer.
Then came another bark.
This one sounded different.
Evelyn ran through the glass doors.
The moment she reached the terrace, she froze.
Lily was in the water.
Max was dragging her toward the steps.
And Vanessa was standing beside the pool.
Not helping.
Not shouting.
Just standing there.
"OH MY GOD!""
Evelyn ran forward.
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"Get that dog out of there!""
Evelyn stared at her.
"Ma'am, Lily is drowning!""
"That animal is going to bite her!""
"Then help me!""
Vanessa stepped backward.
Evelyn reached the pool just as Max pulled Lily toward the shallow end.
She plunged both arms into the water and grabbed the child's dress.
Together, she and Max managed to pull Lily onto the marble tiles.
Lily wasn't moving.
Her eyes were closed.
Her lips had turned pale.
Evelyn dropped to her knees.
"Lily? Sweetheart? Can you hear me?""
She patted the child's cheek.
Nothing.
Vanessa stood several feet away.
"Move the dog!""
Evelyn looked up.
"What?""
"Get him away from her!""
Max stood over Lily, soaked from head to tail.
He barked and whined, nudging her shoulder.
Evelyn ignored Vanessa.
She checked Lily's breathing and immediately called emergency services.
"Please! My little girl has nearly drowned! We're at the Carter estate!""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Tell them it was an accident.""
Evelyn looked at her.
"What?""
"Tell them Lily fell.""
"She was pushed.""
Vanessa's face turned white.
Then she grabbed Evelyn's arm.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
Evelyn pulled away.
"I saw you standing there!""
Vanessa leaned closer.
"You saw nothing.""
But Evelyn had already looked toward the security camera mounted above the terrace.
And she knew exactly where to find the recording.
The ambulance arrived eleven minutes later.
To me, those eleven minutes were an eternity.
I remember fragments.
Someone shouting my name.
A cold oxygen mask.
Max barking as paramedics lifted me onto a stretcher.
And my father's voice.
"Lily!""
He had arrived home just as the ambulance was pulling through the gates.
He dropped his briefcase on the driveway and ran.
"What happened to my daughter?""
A paramedic tried to stop him.
"Sir, please give us room.""
"That's my little girl!""
My father grabbed the stretcher.
His face changed when he saw me.
My yellow dress was wet.
My hair was plastered against my forehead.
My eyes were closed.
"Princess?""
He touched my hand.
"Baby, Daddy's here.""
Vanessa appeared behind him.
Her makeup was running.
Her hair was slightly disheveled.
She began crying.
"Marcus, it was horrible.""
He turned toward her.
"What happened?""
"She fell into the pool.""
My father stared.
"How?""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"I don't know. I was only looking away for a second.""
Then Max came running out of the house.
His fur was still wet.
He had blood on one paw from a cut sustained against the pool tiles.
He pushed past the security guard and ran toward the ambulance.
My father looked at him.
"Max?""
The dog whined and tried to climb onto the stretcher.
A paramedic gently moved him away.
"Sir, this dog needs to stay back.""
Max barked.
Then he turned toward Vanessa.
He barked again.
And again.
It wasn't his normal greeting.
It was an angry, desperate sound.
Vanessa stepped backward.
"Get that animal away from me!""
My father looked at her.
Then at Max.
Something about the scene didn't make sense.
But he had no time to investigate.
He climbed into the ambulance.
And as the doors closed, Max sat in the driveway, watching it disappear.
At the hospital, doctors worked on me for several hours.
My father sat outside the emergency room.
His shirt was still wet because he had held me before the paramedics took me away.
His hands were shaking.
He called the nanny.
He called his sister.
He called the hospital twice to ask whether the doctors had said anything.
Then he called Vanessa.
She was already at home.
"Marcus, I'm so sorry.""
He closed his eyes.
"How did it happen?""
"I told you. She slipped.""
"Where were you?""
"I was standing beside her.""
"Then how did she fall?""
Vanessa began crying.
"Are you blaming me?""
"I'm asking what happened.""
"I turned away for a moment. That's all.""
My father pressed his fingers against his forehead.
"Vanessa, she's three years old.""
"I KNOW!""
The sudden shout made him pull the phone away from his ear.
Vanessa quickly softened her voice.
"I'm sorry. I'm just traumatized. I thought I was going to lose her.""
My father didn't answer.
Then she said something that would later become important.
"Marcus, we need to get rid of that dog.""
He frowned.
"What?""
"Max. He's dangerous. He jumped into the pool and nearly made everything worse.""
My father looked through the hospital window.
A nurse was adjusting the blanket over my bed.
"Max saved her.""
There was silence.
Then Vanessa said, very quietly:
"Are you sure?""
My father stared at the phone.
"What do you mean?""
"I mean, you didn't see what happened. That dog could have dragged her under.""
"Stop talking, Vanessa.""
He ended the call.
For the first time since their marriage, my father wondered whether his wife was telling him the truth.
I woke up the following morning.
My father was sleeping in a chair beside my bed.
His head was resting against the wall.
One hand held mine.
I moved my fingers.
He woke instantly.
"Lily?""
I blinked.
"Da...ddy?""
He nearly fell out of the chair.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
He leaned over and kissed my forehead.
"You're awake.""
I looked around.
The room smelled like medicine.
There was a monitor beside my bed.
I didn't understand where I was.
I started crying.
"Daddy.""
"I'm here.""
"Max?""
My father stopped.
Then he smiled.
"Max is at home, princess.""
"Max come?""
My father brushed my hair away from my face.
"Of course he'll come.""
I grabbed his finger.
"Max help.""
My father went still.
"What did you say?""
"Max... help Lily.""
His expression changed.
He looked toward the nurse.
Then back at me.
"Did Max help you in the pool?""
I nodded weakly.
"Max pull.""
My father closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he pressed my little hand against his lips.
"Thank you, Max.""
That afternoon, Vanessa arrived at the hospital carrying a large bouquet of pink roses.
She wore a pale-blue dress and oversized sunglasses.
The moment she entered the room, she smiled.
"Oh, my poor little girl.""
I turned toward the wall.
She placed the flowers on the table.
"Look what Mommy brought you.""
I didn't answer.
She leaned closer.
"Don't you want to give Mommy a hug?""
I pulled the blanket over my chin.
My father noticed.
"She's tired, Vanessa.""
Vanessa's smile tightened.
"Of course.""
She reached for my hand.
I flinched.
Her fingers stopped.
For a fraction of a second, her face lost its pleasant expression.
Then she turned toward my father.
"Marcus, I think we should discuss what happened.""
He stood.
"Not here.""
"Why not?""
"Because Lily needs rest.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"She won't remember any of this.""
My father frowned.
"What?""
"She's three. Children forget things.""
I looked at her.
Then I said something that made my father slowly turn around.
"Pink lady push.""
Nobody moved.
Vanessa's bouquet slipped slightly from her hands.
"What did you say?""
I pointed at her.
"Pink lady.""
My father stared at his wife.
"Vanessa?""
She laughed nervously.
"Marcus, she's confused. She's been through a traumatic experience.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
Then I whispered:
"Pink lady say die.""
The room became completely silent.
My father looked at Vanessa.
And for the first time, she didn't have an answer.
That evening, my father returned to the mansion.
He went directly to the security office.
His head of security, Daniel Reed, stood when he entered.
"Mr. Carter.""
"I want the pool footage.""
Daniel hesitated.
"Sir?""
"From yesterday afternoon. Every camera covering the pool and terrace.""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"There's something you should know.""
My father stared at him.
"What?""
Daniel closed the office door.
"Mrs. Carter came here this morning and asked me to delete the recordings.""
My father felt his stomach tighten.
"She what?""
"She said the footage would upset you. She also said the company didn't need a liability issue.""
"Did you delete it?""
Daniel looked directly at him.
"No, sir.""
My father exhaled.
"Show me.""
Daniel opened the recording system.
The first camera showed Vanessa leading me toward the pool.
The second showed her looking around.
The third showed her standing behind me.
Then my father saw her hands.
He watched her push his daughter into the water.
He watched her remain perfectly still.
He watched her pick up the red ball.
And then he watched her walk away.
My father didn't blink.
The recording continued.
Max appeared.
The dog jumped into the pool.
He dragged me toward the steps.
Evelyn ran outside.
And Vanessa stood watching.
My father gripped the edge of the desk.
"How long?""
Daniel looked confused.
"Sir?""
"How long has she been trying to hurt my daughter?""
Daniel swallowed.
"There's something else.""
He clicked another file.
It was recorded two days earlier.
Vanessa was standing outside the study, speaking on her phone.
Her voice was perfectly clear.
"If Lily dies, everything becomes much easier.""
My father stopped breathing.
Then Vanessa mentioned a name.
A name my father recognized.
May you like
A name belonging to the lawyer who had prepared my mother's estate.
And the next sentence made him understand that the swimming pool incident was only the beginning.
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