The little girl hid under the piano… and called her billionaire father.”
The little girl hid under the piano… and called her billionaire father.”
“Daddy… they’re stealing everything.”
Emma whispered from beneath the black grand piano while thunder shook the mansion windows.
Her father stayed silent on the phone.
Outside the music room, men dragged paintings across the marble floor.
One voice snapped, “Find the girl before he gets here.”
Emma covered her mouth.
Then her father spoke softly.
“Press the lowest piano key three times.”
Emma obeyed.
A hidden camera screen lit beneath the piano.
And the first face on the screen was her stepmother.
Emma stared at the glowing screen beneath the piano.
Her tiny hands trembled.
The first face she saw was not one of the thieves.
It was her stepmother.
Victoria.
The elegant woman smiled into the hidden camera as if she were attending a dinner party rather than overseeing a robbery.
Emma's heart stopped.
"No..." she whispered.
The screen showed Victoria standing in the mansion's security room. Several monitors displayed every corner of the house. Around her stood armed men dressed in black.
One of them asked, "What if the girl escaped?"
Victoria's expression hardened.
"She won't."
Emma felt sick.
For two years Victoria had acted like the perfect stepmother. She bought Emma dresses. She attended school events. She kissed her forehead every night.
And now she was helping the criminals.
The phone pressed against Emma's ear crackled softly.
Her father's voice remained calm.
"Emma."
"Daddy..."
"Listen carefully."
"T-They're all working for Victoria."
"I know."
Emma blinked.
May you like
"You know?"
"Yes."
fULL
