Chapter 2
The Moretti estate in Lake Forest felt different without wedding staff moving through it.
For six months, every hallway had contained flowers, fabric samples, guest lists, catering notes, or boxes labeled for the wedding.
By midnight, Galen had ordered all planning activity suspended.
Eira slept in his bed.
She had not done that in months.
The next morning she refused to take off Sofia’s locket for breakfast.
Galen did not ask her to.
After Sofia died from ovarian cancer, Galen had struggled to manage a grieving toddler and a family business at the same time.
Ainsley had stepped into the confusion.
She organized meals.
Found preschool programs.
Handled birthday parties Galen could barely think about.
She had been patient when Eira woke crying for her mother.
That patience was one reason Galen eventually trusted her enough to propose.
Now he walked through Eira’s bedroom and noticed spaces he had stopped seeing.
The silver-framed photograph beside her bed was gone.
So was a small music box Sofia had kept on the dresser.
A knitted blanket Sofia’s mother had made was missing from the reading chair.
“Where are they?” he asked.
Eira pointed toward the hallway.
“Ainsley said Mommy things make me sad.”
“Did you tell her that?”
“No.”
The answer came quickly.
Galen searched Sofia’s old sitting room.
Several shelves had been cleared.
He found empty rectangles in the dust where framed photographs once stood.
His house manager, Margaret Doyle, appeared in the doorway.
She had worked for the Moretti family for twelve years.
Galen turned.
“Who moved Sofia’s things?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Ainsley.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
“Margaret.”
She looked toward Eira.
Then lowered her voice.
“More than you think.”
Galen’s jaw tightened.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Ainsley said you approved it.”
“I didn’t.”
Margaret’s face changed.
Then she said something worse.
“She said a child specialist wanted the house cleared gradually before the wedding.”
Galen stared at her.
May you like
Eira had a therapist.
And Galen had never heard that recommendation.
