Chapter 3: The Room With the Purple Door
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The music was still playing.
The waiters were still walking between tables.
People were still holding glasses of champagne and pretending they weren’t listening.
But every person standing near us had the same expression.
They were waiting.
Waiting to hear what my daughter meant.
I looked down at May.
“Sweetheart,” I said carefully, “what thing?””
May looked around at all the adults staring at her.
Then she leaned closer to me.
“The thing that makes the little girl cry.””
My stomach tightened.
Daniel reached for my arm.
“Maybe we should stop this.””
I understood why he said it.
This was his career.
His boss.
His reputation.
One wrong sentence from a four-year-old could destroy years of hard work.
But when I looked at May’s face, I didn’t see a child trying to create drama.
I saw a child who genuinely believed she was helping.
Richard took a slow breath.
“May.””
His voice was softer now.
“Can you tell me who this little girl is?””
May looked at him.
“I don’t know her name.””
“Where did you meet her?””
“At the house.””
Richard looked confused.
“You already said that. What house?””
May pointed toward Vanessa.
“Her house.””
The color drained from Vanessa’s face.
“That’s impossible.””
Her voice came out too quickly.
Richard turned toward her.
“Why?””
Vanessa blinked.
“Because she has never been there.””
Nobody moved.
I felt a strange chill run through me.
Because Vanessa had answered a question nobody asked.
May had never said the little girl was at Vanessa’s current house.
She had only said “her house.””
Richard noticed too.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Vanessa.””
She immediately looked away.
“I mean, this is ridiculous.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“May, honey, can you explain what you saw?””
May nodded.
“She was sitting on the floor.””
“Where?””
“In the room.””
“What room?””
“The purple door room.””
Richard’s face changed again.
This time, I was certain.
He knew something.
“Richard?”” Daniel asked.
Richard didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at his wife.
“Where did you take her?””
Vanessa stared at him.
“What?””
“The girl.””
“What girl are you talking about?””
Richard’s voice became quieter.
But somehow that made it more serious.
“The girl from three years ago.””
A wave of confusion moved through the guests.
I looked at Daniel.
He looked just as shocked as I was.
Three years ago?
A girl?
What was happening?
Vanessa shook her head.
“I have no idea what you mean.””
Richard stared at her.
“Yes, you do.””
The confidence she had carried all evening was gone.
For the first time, I saw fear.
Not panic.
Not guilt.
Fear.
Like something she had buried was suddenly standing in front of her.
May tugged on my dress.
“Mommy.””
I looked down.
“Yes?””
“The little girl had a mark.””
“What kind of mark?””
May touched her own arm.
“Here.””
She pointed to the same place on herself.
“A little red mark.””
I swallowed.
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“May, where did you learn about this?””
She looked at him.
“I told you.””
“No, sweetheart. You never told us.””
“Yes, I did.””
“When?””
May frowned, thinking.
“At the house.””
Richard took a step closer.
“May, did you go into my house?””
“No.””
“Did someone show you pictures?””
“No.””
“Did someone tell you this story?””
May shook her head.
“No.””
She looked genuinely confused.
Then she said something that made my entire body freeze.
“I saw it when Daddy took me to work.””
Daniel went pale.
“What?””
I looked at him.
“You took her to work?””
Daniel looked at me quickly.
“Only once.””
“When?””
He swallowed.
“Last month.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“It was just for an hour. I had a meeting. May was with me.””
Richard interrupted.
“Where did you take her?””
Daniel looked embarrassed.
“To the office.””
Richard’s eyes stayed on him.
“And after?””
Daniel hesitated.
“I walked her through the building.””
The silence became heavier.
Richard whispered:
“The old office?””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Richard, this is getting ridiculous.””
But Richard wasn’t looking at her anymore.
He was looking at May.
“Sweetheart, did you see a girl there?””
May nodded.
“She was crying.””
“When?””
“She was hiding.””
“Where?””
May pointed toward the mansion.
“Behind the purple door.””
Richard closed his eyes for a second.
Like he was trying to remember something painful.
Then he turned toward Vanessa.
“Take off your bracelet.””
Everyone looked confused.
Vanessa stared at him.
“What?””
“The bracelet.””
She touched her wrist.
“No.””
Richard’s expression hardened.
“Take it off.””
The party guests went silent.
Vanessa’s eyes became cold.
“You’re embarrassing me.””
Richard didn’t move.
“Take it off.””
Slowly, Vanessa removed the expensive bracelet from her wrist.
Richard walked closer.
He looked at the inside of it.
Then his face changed.
I couldn’t see what he saw.
But whatever it was, it confirmed something.
Daniel whispered:
“What is going on?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know.
But then Richard looked directly at me.
And he said the words I never expected to hear.
“Your daughter may have just remembered something that happened three years ago.””
My heart stopped.
“What happened three years ago?””
Richard looked at Vanessa.
“She wasn’t supposed to remember.””
Vanessa stepped backward.
“Richard, don’t.””
But he continued.
“There was a little girl who lived here.””
The entire backyard went quiet.
May you like
And then he said:
“And she disappeared.””
