Chapter 3: The Toy Hidden in the Attic
Vanessa stood at the top of the stairs holding Lily’s stuffed rabbit.
The same stuffed rabbit I had seen my daughter carry every night since she was three.
The one she slept with after her mother died.
The one she held during thunderstorms.
The one she squeezed whenever she was scared.
And now Vanessa was standing there with it in her hand.
My first thought was simple.
Why did she have Lily’s toy?
My second thought was much worse.
What had she done with it?
“Mason,” I said quietly, without taking my eyes off Vanessa, “go upstairs.””
The boy froze.
Vanessa’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“Because I said so.””
She slowly walked down the stairs.
“You’re really treating me like an enemy in my own house?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know what she was anymore.
The woman I married was standing in front of me, but she felt like a stranger wearing a familiar face.
Mason stood up.
“Dad…”
“It’s okay,” I told him.
“Go check on Lily.””
He nodded quickly and disappeared upstairs.
Vanessa watched him leave.
Then she looked back at me.
“You’re turning my children against me.””
I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Your children?””
“Yes.””
“You mean the children who are afraid to tell the truth when you’re around?””
Her face tightened.
“They’re exaggerating.””
“Mason is seven.””
“So?””
“Seven-year-olds don’t invent fear like this.””
She looked away.
That tiny movement told me everything.
I walked toward her.
“Why do you have Lily’s rabbit?””
Vanessa looked down at the stuffed animal.
“She left it downstairs.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“I was putting it away.””
“Where?””
She hesitated.
“Upstairs.””
“Where upstairs?””
Her eyes met mine.
“The attic.””
I stared at her.
“The attic?””
“Yes.””
“Why would Lily’s rabbit be in the attic?””
Vanessa sighed.
“Because she’s too dependent on it.””
The words made my skin crawl.
“Dependent?””
“She’s too attached.””
“She’s five.””
“She needs to grow up.””
I looked at the rabbit.
Its white fur was worn from years of hugs. One of its ears was slightly bent because Lily carried it everywhere.
That rabbit wasn’t a problem.
It was comfort.
It was security.
It was one of the few things she had left from a childhood that had already taken too much from her.
I reached for it.
Vanessa pulled it back.
“She doesn’t need it.””
My voice dropped.
“Give me the rabbit.””
“No.””
The answer shocked me.
“Excuse me?””
“She needs boundaries.””
I stared at her.
“You took away her food.””
“She was being disciplined.””
“You locked the pantry.””
“For safety.””
“And now you took away the one thing that helps her sleep?””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“You don’t understand what it’s like managing a child like Lily.””
A cold feeling settled in my chest.
“A child like Lily?””
She immediately realized what she had said.
But it was too late.
“What does that mean?””
“I didn’t mean—”
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
She looked annoyed.
“She’s emotional.””
“She’s five.””
“She cries over everything.””
“She lost her mother.””
The room went silent.
Vanessa looked away.
“You always use that excuse.””
I felt my anger rise.
“Excuse?””
“Yes.””
“She lost her mother.””
“She was two.””
“She remembers.””
“She barely remembers.””
That sentence hit harder than I expected.
Because it showed me something.
Vanessa didn’t just misunderstand Lily.
She didn’t care to understand her.
I took the rabbit from her hand.
This time, she let me.
“Tell me what happened last month.””
Her face changed.
“What?””
“Mason was about to tell me something.””
Silence.
Then she laughed.
A short, nervous laugh.
“You’re seriously listening to a child over your wife?””
“Yes.””
The answer came immediately.
Her expression hardened.
“Wow.””
I walked upstairs.
Behind me, Vanessa said something that stopped me.
“You’re making a mistake.””
I turned around.
“What mistake?””
“Choosing them over me.””
I stared at her.
“They’re children.””
“And I’m your wife.””
“You’re supposed to protect them.””
“I do.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You protect yourself.””
I went upstairs.
Lily was sitting on her bed.
The second she saw the rabbit in my hand, her eyes widened.
“Bunny!””
She reached for it.
Then stopped.
Her little hand dropped.
“Can I have it?””
The question broke me.
She was asking permission to hold her own toy.
I walked over and gave it to her.
“Of course you can.””
She hugged it tightly.
Then whispered:
“Mommy said Bunny was bad.””
I sat beside her.
“Why?””
“She said I use Bunny because I’m a baby.””
I looked at the floor.
“Baby, you can love whatever makes you feel safe.””
She looked at me carefully.
“Are you mad?””
I forced myself to smile.
“No.””
“At Mommy?””
I didn’t answer immediately.
Because I didn’t want to lie.
“I’m upset because you were hurt.””
She nodded slowly.
Then she whispered something I almost missed.
“Daddy?””
“Yes?””
“Can I tell you something?””
“Anything.””
She looked at the bedroom door.
Then lowered her voice.
“Mommy doesn’t like when I talk to Mason.””
“Why?””
“Because Mason tells the truth.””
My heart tightened.
“What truth?””
Lily hugged Bunny tighter.
“I don’t know.””
She looked scared.
“Mommy says kids who tell secrets are bad.””
I sat there silently.
A thousand thoughts went through my head.
How long had this been happening?
How many times had Lily cried while I was away?
How many times had Mason seen something and stayed quiet because he was afraid?
I kissed Lily’s forehead.
“Go to sleep, okay?””
She grabbed my hand.
“Will you stay?””
“I’ll stay.””
She closed her eyes.
But she didn’t let go.
Not even after she fell asleep.
An hour later, I went downstairs.
I found Vanessa in the kitchen.
She was pouring herself a glass of wine.
Like the night hadn’t happened.
Like our daughter’s red cheek wasn’t still fresh in my mind.
“You’re unbelievable,” she said.
I leaned against the doorway.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
“You hurt Lily.””
“I already apologized.””
“When?””
“I said I lost control.””
“That’s not an apology.””
She rolled her eyes.
“You’re impossible right now.””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I’m finally paying attention.””
That made her quiet.
Then she smiled.
A small, bitter smile.
“You think you found the truth.””
“I know I did.””
“No.””
She took a sip.
“You found one side.””
“What does that mean?””
“It means you don’t know what happens when you’re gone.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me.””
She looked at me.
For a moment, I thought she would.
Instead, she walked past me.
“You should ask Mason.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
She stopped at the doorway.
Then turned around.
“You trust him so much.””
Her smile disappeared.
“Ask him what he did.””
I felt a chill.
“What are you talking about?””
But she didn’t answer.
She walked upstairs.
I stood there, confused.
Because Vanessa had just done something strange.
She had tried to make me suspicious of Mason.
The child who had spent the entire night protecting Lily.
The child who looked terrified every time his mother spoke.
I went back upstairs.
Mason was sitting on the edge of his bed.
Waiting.
He looked at my face.
And immediately knew something was wrong.
“What did she tell you?”” he asked.
I closed the door behind me.
“Mason.””
He looked nervous.
“Did she tell you about the attic?””
I froze.
“The attic?””
His face went pale.
“Dad…”
“What happened in the attic?””
He looked toward the hallway.
Then whispered:
“She keeps things up there.””
“What things?””
His eyes filled with fear.
“Things she takes from Lily.””
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
“Why?””
Mason swallowed.
“Because Mom says Lily doesn’t deserve them.””
I stared at him.
“Show me.””
His hands began shaking.
“You really want to see?””
“Yes.””
He slowly nodded.
Then walked toward the attic door.
A door I had passed hundreds of times.
A door I had never thought to open.
He reached for the handle.
Before touching it, he whispered:
“Dad… there’s something you need to know.””
“What?””
Mason looked at me.
“The day Lily disappeared for three hours…”
My blood ran cold.
“What are you talking about?””
He opened the attic door.
A dark staircase waited above us.
And from somewhere inside the attic came the sound of something moving.
May you like
Mason’s voice trembled.
“That wasn’t the first time Mom locked someone up there.””
