Chapter 1 - Grandpa, She Hit Mommy
Thomas heard the boy before he saw him.
“Grandpa?”
The tiny voice came from the far end of the marble hallway.
Thomas turned.
Toby stood beside one of the cream columns, his little gray suit slightly wrinkled and his brown hair messy from crying. One small hand was clenched around something.
Thomas immediately crouched.
“Toby?”
The three-year-old ran toward him.
Thomas caught his hand.
“What happened?”
Toby looked behind him.
Then he looked toward the ballroom.
Evelyn appeared in the doorway.
She was supposed to be getting ready for her wedding.
Instead, she stood completely still in her white lace gown, veil resting over her blonde hair, her face suddenly pale.
Thomas noticed.
He also noticed the way Toby was trembling.
“Grandpa,” the boy whispered.
His little fingers reached into his suit pocket.
He pulled out a small black USB drive.
Thomas stared at it.
“What's that?”
Toby held it toward him.
“Mommy said to give this to you if she didn't wake up.”
Thomas's expression changed.
“What?”
Toby swallowed.
Then he pointed toward Evelyn.
“Grandpa... she hit Mommy.”
The hallway seemed to go silent.
Evelyn's lips parted.
“Toby—”
Thomas slowly stood.
His eyes never left her.
“What did you do to my daughter?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Thomas, don't listen to him. He's just confused.”
Toby grabbed Thomas's jacket.
“Mommy told me.”
Thomas looked down at the boy.
Then at the USB.
Then back at Evelyn.
His daughter had been supposed to be helping with the wedding.
She had been missing for almost an hour.
Nobody had known where she was.
Evelyn had told everyone she was resting.
Thomas had believed her.
Until now.
Evelyn suddenly stepped forward.
“Give me that drive.”
Thomas moved his arm across Toby's body.
“No.”
Her expression changed.
For the first time, the sweet bride-to-be disappeared.
Something frightened and desperate flashed across her face.
Thomas saw it.
And so did Toby.
Thomas slipped the USB into his inner pocket.
“Go to the suite, Evelyn.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“Thomas, please.”
He didn't move.
Then his phone vibrated.
He pulled it out.
The screen lit up.
A video thumbnail appeared.
It showed a dark room.
A woman lying on the floor.
Thomas froze.
Toby looked at the screen.
“Grandpa...”
Thomas's breathing stopped.
The boy whispered:
May you like
“That's Mommy.”
👉 Thomas had walked into the hallway expecting to escort a bride to the altar, but the USB had just shown him that his daughter might be fighting for her life.
