Chapter 5
The grand kitchen of the estate was a masterpiece of white marble and stainless steel, but tonight, it felt like an interrogation room. Ryan sat the little girl gently on a plush velvet stool at the kitchen island. Under the bright, recessed lighting, her condition was even more heartbreaking. Her fair, rosy skin was bruised in several places, and the oversized shirt she wore smelled faintly of damp wood and old dust.
Emily moved quickly, her maternal instincts momentarily overriding her shock. She filled a glass with warm water and placed a plate of fresh fruit and cheese in front of the starving child.
"Here you go, sweetie," Emily said, her voice soft and encouraging. "Eat as much as you want."
The girl looked at the food with wide eyes, then glanced at Ryan for permission. Ryan nodded slowly, his heart aching in a way he couldn't comprehend. She immediately grabbed a slice of apple and began eating with desperate, frantic bites.
Lily sat on the stool next to her, swinging her legs in her white shoes. "I tried to give her sandwiches," Lily proudly announced to her mother. "But she said she likes apples better."
Ryan stood on the opposite side of the marble island, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His dark eyes never left the mysterious child.
"Lily," Ryan said gently, "how long have you known she was hiding in the hallway?"
Lily paused, a piece of cheese halfway to her mouth. She tilted her head, her innocent face scrunched in thought. "A long time. Since after my birthday."
Emily gasped, gripping the edge of the marble counter. "Lily's birthday was four months ago, Ryan. She's been living in the walls for four months?"
"Apparently so," Ryan replied, his voice dangerously low. He stepped around the counter, approaching the girl. "Sweetheart, can you tell me your name?"
The girl swallowed her food and looked up, her messy brown hair falling into her eyes. "I'm Sarah."
"Sarah," Ryan repeated, the name echoing in his mind, searching for a connection. "Sarah, you called me Daddy. Why did you call me that?"
Sarah looked at him, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Because... because my mommy told me. She gave me a picture of you. She said, 'This is your daddy, and he is a very strong man, and he will keep you safe.'"
Ryan felt the blood drain from his face. "Your mommy? Where is your mommy right now, Sarah?"
"She went to sleep," Sarah whispered, her eyes dropping back to her plate. "A bad man made her go to sleep. And then the bad man brought me here. He put me in the dark place and said if I came out, he would make me go to sleep, too."
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Ryan’s jaw clenched so tight it threatened to crack. He looked at Emily, and the unspoken realization passed between them. This wasn't an accident. This was a message. Someone had breached his impenetrable fortress, bypassed millions of dollars in security, and planted a living ghost in his walls.
"Emily," Ryan said, his voice cold and commanding. "Take the girls up to the master bedroom. Lock the steel door. Do not let anyone inside."
