Chapter 4 - THE MAN BEHIND THE SMILE
The first time I met Adrian Marquetti, he brought Lily a doll.
He arrived in a silver sports car on a rainy Thursday afternoon.
He was younger than Vincent by nearly ten years, handsome in a polished, effortless way.
His smile was warm.
His eyes were not.
"Elena Reyes," he said, taking my hand. "I've heard about you."
I frowned.
"Have you?"
"Of course. You're the maid whose daughter put my brother in time-out."
He laughed.
I forced a smile.
"That was an accident."
"Nothing in this family is ever an accident."
He said it lightly.
But something about the words made me uncomfortable.
Lily appeared beside me.
Adrian crouched.
"And you must be the famous Lily."
She nodded.
He handed her a pink doll.
"For you."
Lily looked at it.
Then at him.
"Did you ask my mommy?"
Adrian blinked.
"What?"
"Before giving presents, you have to ask."
I nearly smiled.
Adrian's expression tightened.
Then he looked at me.
"May I?"
I nodded reluctantly.
Lily accepted the doll.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She examined it.
Then asked:
"Why are your shoes dirty?"
Adrian laughed.
"Apparently the rules apply to everyone."
"Yes," Lily said firmly.
He stood.
For a moment, he studied her face.
Then he looked toward the staircase.
"Interesting."
That evening, Vincent invited Adrian to dinner.
I served roasted chicken and vegetables.
Lily sat at a small table near the kitchen doorway, coloring.
The brothers spoke quietly.
At first, I couldn't hear them.
Then Adrian raised his voice.
"You can't keep living like this."
Vincent said nothing.
"Fourteen years, Vincent."
"Don't."
"You have to accept that Sofia is gone."
Vincent's glass struck the table.
"Don't say her name."
Adrian leaned back.
"You're letting a maid's child reopen old wounds."
I froze.
Vincent's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Elena and Lily are not your concern."
Adrian smiled.
"Everything in this family is my concern."
The room went silent.
Then Lily looked up from her drawing.
"You're being mean."
Both men turned.
She pointed at Adrian.
"You made Mister Vincent sad."
Adrian stared.
Lily continued:
"Say sorry."
He laughed.
"Little girl, you don't understand—"
"Being big doesn't mean you can be mean."
Vincent lowered his head.
For a moment, I thought he was hiding a smile.
Adrian wasn't smiling.
He stood abruptly.
"I think I've had enough dinner."
He left without another word.
Later, Vincent found me in the kitchen.
"I'm sorry about my brother."
I shook my head.
"It's all right."
"No."
He looked toward Lily, asleep on a blanket near the fireplace.
"It isn't."
He hesitated.
"Adrian doesn't like people he can't control."
I thought of the doll.
The strange way he'd studied Lily.
"Then perhaps he shouldn't give children presents."
Vincent looked at me.
For the first time, he smiled openly.
"Perhaps not."
That night, I found the doll in Lily's toy basket.
Something inside it clicked when I moved it.
I frowned.
The sound came from the plastic body.
I examined the seam along its back.
A tiny panel had been loosened.
Inside was a small black device.
My blood turned cold.
I didn't know what it was.
But I knew enough not to put it back.
I carried it downstairs.
Vincent was in his study.
He looked up when I entered.
"Elena?"
I placed the device on his desk.
"Your brother gave Lily a doll."
His expression changed.
"Where did you find this?"
"Inside it."
Vincent stared.
Then he pressed a button on his phone.
"Daniel. My study. Now."
His security chief arrived seconds later.
Vincent pointed at the device.
"Tell me what that is."
Daniel examined it.
His face hardened.
"A listening device."
Silence.
Vincent looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
"Adrian."
For the first time since I'd met him, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
Not for himself.
May you like
For Lily.
And for me.
