Chapter 2 — The Nanny Who Refused to Lie
Chapter 2 — The Nanny Who Refused to Lie
By seven in the morning, the Blackwood mansion had become a crime scene.
No one called it that.
Not yet.
But Lily knew.
The moment she returned from the hospital, two security officers were standing in the foyer.
The marble floor had been cleaned.
The blood was gone.
The broken toy Ethan had been holding was gone.
Even the small smear where Lily's knee had scraped against the stone had disappeared.
Someone had tried to erase the night.
But Serena was still there.
And so was the truth.
Lily stood beside the staircase, holding the discharge papers the doctor had given her.
Her stomach still hurt.
A dark bruise had spread beneath her shirt.
The doctor had told her to rest.
She had refused.
Ethan was still in the hospital.
She couldn't sit at home while he was alone.
Then she heard footsteps.
Victor entered the foyer.
His face looked harder than it had the night before.
He had not slept.
Neither had Lily.
Victor stopped in front of her.
“Come with me.”
Lily followed.
He led her into his private office and closed the door.
A security monitor covered one wall.
A large desk stood in the center.
Everything was immaculate.
Cold.
Controlled.
Very different from the chaos Lily had witnessed only hours earlier.
Victor pointed toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Lily did.
He remained standing.
“What happened yesterday?”
Lily took a breath.
“Serena hurt Ethan.”
Victor's jaw tightened.
“Start from the beginning.”
“I was upstairs preparing his medicine.”
“How long were you gone?”
“Less than a minute.”
“What happened when you came back?”
“She was holding him.”
“How?”
“By his arm.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“Was she angry?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Ethan was crying.”
“Why was he crying?”
“I don't know.”
“Did he cry often?”
“Sometimes.”
“Did Serena dislike that?”
Lily hesitated.
“Yes.”
Victor noticed.
“How often did she become angry with him?”
Lily looked down.
“Almost every day.”
Victor's expression changed.
“Almost every day?”
“She complained that he was spoiled.”
“What else?”
“She said he needed discipline.”
Victor's hands slowly closed into fists.
“Did she ever hurt him before yesterday?”
Lily swallowed.
“I saw bruises.”
“Where?”
“His shoulder. His ribs. Once near his neck.”
“Did you report them?”
“I told Serena I was concerned.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me babies bruise easily.”
Victor stared at her.
“And you believed her?”
“No.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
Lily looked up.
“Because she made it clear what would happen if I did.”
“What did she threaten?”
“She said she'd destroy my career.”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“That's all?”
“No.”
Lily's voice dropped.
“She said people like me disappear when powerful people decide they should.”
Silence filled the office.
Victor walked toward the window.
For several seconds, he looked outside.
Then he turned.
“Why didn't you tell me anyway?”
Lily looked at him.
“Because I was afraid you wouldn't believe me.”
Victor stared.
“Why?”
Lily gave a small, bitter smile.
“Because Serena is your fiancée.”
That answer hit him harder than anything else she had said.
He returned to the desk.
“Tell me exactly what happened when you came downstairs.”
Lily did.
Every detail.
The way Ethan's crying sounded.
The way Serena pulled his arm.
The way Lily tried to stop her.
The kick.
The threat.
The moment Victor walked in.
She didn't exaggerate.
She didn't leave anything out.
She simply told the truth.
When she finished, Victor sat silently.
Then the door opened.
A security officer entered.
“Sir.”
Victor looked up.
“What?”
“We found something.”
The officer placed a tablet on the desk.
“Security footage from the foyer.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“Leave us.”
Lily stood.
But before she could reach the door, another voice came from the hallway.
“Victor?”
Serena.
Lily stopped.
Victor looked toward the door.
“Come in.”
Serena entered wearing a pale silk blouse.
She looked exhausted.
Almost fragile.
There were tears in her eyes.
She glanced at Lily.
Then at Victor.
“Can I speak to you privately?”
Victor didn't answer immediately.
Then he said:
“Lily stays.”
Serena's face changed.
“Why?”
“Because this concerns her.”
Serena looked at Lily.
“I don't think that's appropriate.”
Victor leaned back.
“Sit.”
Serena sat.
Victor placed the tablet on the desk.
“Tell me what happened.”
Serena's eyes filled with tears.
“I already told you.”
“Tell me again.”
She swallowed.
“Lily was supposed to be watching Ethan.”
Victor said nothing.
“She left him alone.”
Lily's head snapped up.
“That isn't true.”
Victor raised one hand.
“Let her finish.”
Serena nodded.
“I heard Ethan crying.”
She wiped her cheek.
“I came downstairs.”
“You came downstairs?”
“Yes.”
“I thought Lily was upstairs.”
Serena continued.
“Ethan was on the floor.”
Lily stared at her.
“What?”
Serena looked at Victor.
“She had dropped him.”
The room went silent.
Lily felt the blood drain from her face.
“I didn't.”
Serena began crying.
“I tried to pick him up.”
“You're lying.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“Let her speak.”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
Lily looked directly at Serena.
“I will not let you lie about this.”
Serena's tears stopped.
For one second, the mask slipped.
Then she turned toward Victor.
“She attacked me.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“What happened next?”
“I tried to take Ethan from her.”
Serena nodded.
“And she hit me.”
Lily stared.
“I did not.”
“She slapped me.”
“I didn't.”
“She pushed me.”
“No.”
Serena pointed toward Lily.
“She was out of control.”
Lily felt her hands trembling.
She looked at Victor.
“She's trying to make you believe I hurt him.”
Victor's face remained unreadable.
Serena whispered:
“Why would I hurt Ethan?”
Lily answered immediately.
“Because you hate his crying.”
Serena turned sharply.
“You're insane.”
“You've said it yourself.”
“When?”
“Every day.”
Serena stood.
“Victor, you cannot seriously believe this woman.”
Victor's voice was cold.
“Sit down.”
Serena sat.
He looked at both women.
“Neither of you is leaving.”
The security officer returned.
“Sir.”
Victor looked up.
“What did you find?”
“We recovered three camera feeds.”
“Play them.”
The officer connected the tablet to the monitor.
The first recording showed the foyer.
Ethan was crying.
Serena entered.
Lily was nowhere in sight.
Serena picked him up.
The footage continued.
Victor watched.
Lily watched.
Serena watched.
Then Serena's face changed.
Because the video showed exactly what she had denied.
She grabbed Ethan's arm.
The baby screamed.
Lily came running downstairs.
She tried to take him.
Serena pushed her.
Lily stumbled.
Then Serena kicked her.
The room went silent.
The footage continued.
Serena looked directly into the camera.
She knew she was being recorded.
Yet she had still done it.
Victor slowly turned toward her.
Serena's face had gone white.
“I…”
Victor stood.
“Don't.”
She stopped.
He walked toward the monitor.
“That's your version?”
Serena shook her head.
“I was angry.”
“You lied.”
“I panicked.”
“You lied.”
“I was trying to protect Ethan.”
Victor turned.
“You hurt him.”
Tears returned to her eyes.
“Victor, please.”
“You hurt my son.”
She stepped toward him.
“I love you.”
Victor looked at her.
“You don't love me.”
Her face collapsed.
“You love what you think I can give you.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Then why did you lie?”
She had no answer.
Victor pointed toward the screen.
“Why did you hurt him?”
“I didn't mean to.”
“You pulled his arm.”
“I was trying to stop him.”
“He's fourteen months old.”
“I know.”
“You're an adult.”
“I know.”
“He was crying.”
“I know.”
Victor's voice dropped.
“And you decided that was enough reason to hurt him.”
Serena began sobbing.
“I was frustrated.”
Victor looked at her for a long time.
Then he turned to the security officer.
“Take her phone.”
Serena froze.
“What?”
“Her phone.”
“No.”
“Now.”
The officer stepped forward.
Serena backed away.
“Victor, you can't do this.”
He looked at her.
“I can.”
She handed over the phone.
The officer took it.
Victor looked at Lily.
“You were telling the truth.”
Lily didn't answer.
She was too exhausted.
Victor approached her.
“I owe you an apology.”
“You don't have to.”
“I do.”
He looked at the bruise beneath her shirt.
“She hurt you because you tried to protect my son.”
Lily nodded.
Victor's voice softened.
“You should never have had to choose between your safety and his.”
Lily looked toward the floor.
“I would choose him again.”
Victor stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because he's a child.”
She looked up.
“And because someone has to.”
Victor didn't respond.
But something in his expression changed.
Later that morning, Victor went back to the hospital.
Ethan was sleeping.
His cast was bright white against his tiny arm.
Victor sat beside him.
Lily stood near the window.
A doctor entered.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
Victor stood.
“How is he?”
“Stable.”
“Will he recover?”
“Yes.”
Victor exhaled.
The doctor hesitated.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
“We reviewed Ethan's previous medical records.”
Victor's expression tightened.
“And?”
“There are inconsistencies.”
“What kind?”
“Several visits were recorded as routine.”
“And?”
“The notes don't match the physical findings.”
Victor went still.
“What are you saying?”
The doctor lowered his voice.
“I believe someone may have influenced the medical records.”
Lily looked at Victor.
He looked back at her.
The same thought appeared in both their minds.
Serena.
But Victor wasn't ready to assume.
He had learned something important in the last twelve hours.
Serena lied.
But if she had lied about the medical records too—
then yesterday's violence was only the beginning.
That evening, Victor returned to the mansion.
He entered his office alone.
The security officer placed Serena's phone on the desk.
“We haven't unlocked it.”
Victor nodded.
“Give it to Marcus.”
The officer hesitated.
“Sir?”
“Have him recover everything.”
“Messages?”
“Everything.”
“Deleted files?”
“Everything.”
The officer nodded.
“And Lily?”
Victor looked up.
“What about her?”
“She asked whether she still has a job.”
Victor stared at him.
“She's not just a nanny anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
Victor looked toward the hallway.
“It means she knows too much.”
The officer waited.
Victor's voice became quiet.
“So from now on, she gets protection.”
Across town, Serena sat alone in a private apartment.
She had changed clothes.
Removed her makeup.
Washed the blood from beneath her fingernails.
But she couldn't wash away the sound of Victor's voice.
You hurt my son.
She picked up a second phone.
A burner.
She dialed a number.
It rang once.
A man answered.
“Well?”
Serena whispered:
“He knows.”
Silence.
“How much?”
“The camera caught everything.”
Another pause.
“Then you failed.”
Serena's breathing became uneven.
“I need help.”
“You were supposed to marry him.”
“I know.”
“You were supposed to control the trust.”
“I know.”
“You were supposed to make Lily disappear.”
Serena closed her eyes.
“I know.”
The man's voice became colder.
“Then fix it.”
Serena opened her eyes.
“How?”
“You know what happens if Victor finds out who Ethan's mother really was.”
Serena's face went pale.
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“I won't.”
“You will.”
The line went dead.
Serena stared at the phone.
For the first time, she understood that she had never been the person in control.
She had only been useful.
And now that Victor had discovered the truth—
she was expendable.
At the hospital, Lily sat beside Ethan's bed.
His fingers wrapped around hers.
She smiled weakly.
“You're safe.”
Ethan stirred.
His eyes opened for a moment.
“Lily…”
She nearly cried.
“I'm here.”
His eyes closed again.
Lily looked toward the hallway.
Victor stood there.
Watching.
He had heard everything.
He walked inside.
“You should sleep.”
“So should you.”
He smiled faintly.
“I'm not very good at it.”
“Neither am I.”
They sat in silence.
Then Victor said:
“Lily.”
“Yes?”
“I need to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Do you know anything about Ethan's mother?”
Lily's expression changed.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at his son.
“Because Serena knows something.”
Lily stared at him.
“What?”
Victor's face hardened.
“I don't know yet.”
He looked at the sleeping child.
“But I'm going to find out.”
Lily tightened her grip on Ethan's hand.
And somewhere inside the Blackwood mansion, hidden beneath years of wealth, lies, and carefully guarded secrets, the truth was already waiting.
Victor simply didn't know that when he found it—
he would discover that Serena's attack on Ethan had never been about discipline.
May you like
It had been about inheritance.
And Lily was the only person standing between Serena and everything she wanted.
