Chapter 1 - Her or Me?Seven-year-old Sophie Mercer had learned one rule after her mother died.
When the world became frightening, hold on to the things that still remembered her.
That was why she had refused to let go of the little blue music box.
It was barely the size of her two hands together, painted a faded navy blue with tiny silver stars along the lid. One corner was chipped. The brass key on the side squeaked when Sophie turned it too quickly.
But when the box played its soft, trembling melody, Sophie could almost hear her mother humming along.
Her mother had called it their secret song.
Now, on what was supposed to be the happiest morning of Sophie’s life, Natalie Vale had smashed it against the marble floor.
The crack echoed through the bedroom.
Pieces scattered beneath the vanity.
Sophie stared.
The tiny ballerina inside had snapped in half.
“No,” she whispered.
Natalie looked down at her without a trace of the sweetness she had shown Ethan for the past year.
“Sophie.”
The child backed away.
“You broke it.”
“You were being difficult.”
“It was my mom’s.”
Natalie’s jaw tightened.
“And now it’s broken.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with tears.
“You’re bad.”
Something changed in Natalie’s expression.
Not anger.
Satisfaction.
She crouched down until their faces were level.
“You should learn something, little girl,” she whispered. “Your father cannot protect you from everything.”
Then she stood, walked to the bathroom, shoved Sophie inside, and locked the door.
Sophie pounded on it.
“Daddy!”
Downstairs, wedding music floated through the Mercer mansion.
“Daddy! Please!”
Ethan Mercer was greeting the last of his guests when he heard it.
He froze.
His daughter’s voice.
He ran upstairs.
But Natalie intercepted him in the hallway.
“She’s having another tantrum.”
Ethan stared at the bathroom door.
“Sophie!”
A tiny voice answered from behind it.
“Daddy!”
He reached for the lock.
Natalie caught his arm.
“Ethan, the ceremony starts in ten minutes.”
“That’s my daughter.”
“She’s fine.”
“Then open the door.”
Natalie’s fingers tightened around his sleeve.
“No.”
Ethan looked at her.
For the first time since he had proposed, he saw something cold behind her beautiful smile.
“Open. The. Door.”
Natalie stepped closer.
“Her or me?”
Silence filled the hallway.
Ethan slowly turned toward her.
Then came a sound from inside the bathroom.
Not pounding.
Crying.
Ethan pulled his arm free.
“You’re insane.”
He unlocked the door.
Sophie flew into his arms.
Her face was wet.
Her tiny fingers were clutching something.
Ethan looked down.
A piece of blue-painted wood.
“What happened?”
Sophie buried her face against his chest.
“She broke Mommy’s music box.”
Ethan went still.
Natalie’s voice cut through the silence.
“She was playing with it and dropped it.”
Sophie lifted her head.
“No!”
Ethan looked from his daughter to his bride.
Then he saw the broken pieces on the floor.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He knelt and picked up the largest piece.
There was a small hollow compartment beneath the base.
He frowned.
He had never seen it before.
A thin strip of metal had sprung loose.
Ethan pressed it.
Click.
A hidden panel opened.
Inside was a folded piece of paper.
His name was written on it.
Ethan’s hands began to shake.
He unfolded the note.
Only four words were written.
ETHAN, DO NOT TRUST HER.
His breath caught.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
His dead wife’s handwriting.
Claire.
Dead for five years.
Ethan read the note again.
Natalie stepped toward him.
“What is that?”
May you like
Ethan looked up.
And for the first time that morning, Natalie looked afraid.
