Chapter 2
Mara frowned, looking closely at the tall, hinged mirror. It appeared to be a standard, antique fixture of the ancestral mansion, designed to reflect the golden light of the cascading crystal chandeliers. But as Lily tugged persistently at her hand, Mara noticed something odd about the thick evergreen garlands framing the glass. They were arranged too perfectly, almost intentionally concealing the edges of the wood.
"What do you see, Lily?" Mara asked, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the wealthy guests nearby.
Lily pointed a small, determined finger toward the edge of the mirror. Mara carefully reached out and drew aside a trailing piece of the heavy pine garland. Her breath hitched. Hidden seamlessly within the carved walnut frame was a heavy, sliding exterior bolt. It wasn't a mirror. It was a door, and it was locked from the outside.
Lily looked earnestly at Mara, her round rosy cheeks flushed with absolute certainty.
"Mommy here," Lily said softly, the natural toddler pauses making her words distinct and devastating. "Auntie hush."
Before Mara could process the chilling implication of the child's words, Selena appeared at their side. The heiress’s eyes darted frantically toward the exposed bolt, a flash of pure panic breaking her composed facade. She quickly faced Lily, kneeling down, though her reassuring smile appeared slightly too late to be convincing.
"Just a recording, sweetheart," Selena said smoothly, her voice a sickly sweet melody. "Auntie Selena plays videos of your mommy so you won't forget her. We've talked about this."
"It's not a recording, Miss Cross," Mara said, her clear eyes narrowing as her fingers instinctively curled around the cold iron bolt. "There is a room behind this."
"Step away from there immediately, Mara," Selena hissed, her emerald gown rustling as she stood up, her diamond earrings flashing a violent warning.
Mara didn't listen. Driven by a sickening realization, she slid the heavy bolt back and pulled the mirror door open.
The warm golden light from the salon flooded into a cramped, windowless cell. Seated inside on a narrow cot was Miriam Mercer. She wore a creased cream dress, a thin knitted shawl, and her old, tarnished wedding band. Her hair was loosely gathered, and her expression was quiet, watchful, and deeply haunted.
Damon, having noticed the commotion, stopped right beside Mara. He looked into the hidden room, his entire body freezing in absolute shock as he recognized his wife. Every guest in the immediate vicinity fell dead silent, the hush spreading like wildfire until the entire luxurious salon was muted.
Damon looked directly at his maid, his voice a lethal, vibrating whisper. "Mara. Who locked this?"
Miriam slowly stood up, stepping into the light. She met Damon’s stunned gaze, then immediately looked down at the little girl in the burgundy velvet pinafore. Moisture rapidly gathered along Miriam’s lower eyelids.
"Selena told me Lily was dead," Miriam rasped, her voice rough from disuse.
Selena briefly avoided Damon’s murderous gaze before looking directly at the woman she had kept captive for two years. Selena’s careful, polished smile completely disappeared.
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"Grief kept you quiet," Selena stated, a desperate, venomous justification.
Damon moved with terrifying speed. He stepped squarely between Selena and the open doorway, his broad shoulders blocking the heiress entirely. Mara held the heavy mirror door steady, her heart hammering wildly. Miriam extended a trembling, pale hand toward Lily. The toddler smiled brightly and gently took her mother's fingers. Damon did not look at his resurrected wife. His cold, unwavering gaze remained fixed entirely on Selena.
