Chapter 4: Everything He Already Knew
The line stayed open.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Daniel kept his eyes on Lily.
She had stopped shaking.
She was watching his face the way children watch a parent's face when they are trying to understand whether the world is still safe.
He tried to keep his expression steady for her.
"You were wondering," Daniel said.
"So you knew she'd tell me."
"I knew it was a matter of time." Thomas's voice was even.
Unhurried.
The voice of a man who had also been rehearsing.
"Children notice things."
"She's four."
"Four-year-olds have eyes, Daniel."
"Don't." His grip on Lily's hand tightened slightly, then released.
"Don't be clever with me right now."
A pause.
"What do you want to do?"
"I want to know how long."
"That's between me and Renata."
"No." Daniel stood up from the floor.
He walked to the window so his back was to Lily.
His voice stayed low.
"It stopped being between you and Renata the moment my daughter started keeping your secret.
How long, Thomas?"
Silence.
"Eight months," Thomas said.
Daniel put one hand flat against the window glass.
Outside, the garden was bright and ordinary.
A sprinkler moved slowly across the lawn.
"Eight months." He said it quietly.
"We launched the Harwick account seven months ago.
You were in my house for the planning meetings.
You sat at my table."
"Daniel—"
"You held my daughter."
The line went quiet again.
"I'm not proud of it," Thomas said finally.
"I'm not interested in what you're proud of." Daniel turned away from the window.
"I'm going to ask you one thing, and I need you to answer me honestly.
Not as my partner.
As someone who has apparently been in my home for eight months without my knowledge." He paused.
"Is there anything else I don't know?"
Another silence.
Longer this time.
"Thomas."
"There are some things," Thomas said carefully, "that you should probably hear from Renata."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I can give you."
"Then we're done on the phone." He moved toward the door.
"And we're done at the firm.
I'll have legal draw up the dissolution paperwork by end of week."
"Daniel, don't do anything—"
"Don't tell me what to do." His voice stayed quiet.
That was the most frightening thing about it.
"You've been in my house for eight months.
You've been at my table.
My daughter knew your name before I knew you were there.
We are done."
He ended the call.
He stood in the middle of the room for a moment.
Then he looked at Lily.
She was still in the armchair.
She had found a small decorative cushion and was holding it against her chest.
Her eyes were on him.
"Daddy's not angry at you," he said.
"I know," she said.
Then: "Are you angry at Mama?"
He crossed the room and crouched in front of her again.
"I need to talk to Mama.
Grown-up talk.
But first I need you to do something for me."
"What?"
"I need you to go to Mrs.
Pearce next door and ask her if you can have a biscuit and watch her television for a little while.
Can you do that?"
Lily considered this seriously.
"Can I tell her why?"
"You can tell her Daddy asked."
She nodded and climbed down from the armchair.
At the door she stopped and looked back at him.
"Daddy.
The man with the yellow tie." She hesitated.
"He wasn't very nice to me either."
Daniel went very still.
"What do you mean, sweetheart?"
But Lily had already turned and walked into the hallway, her small footsteps crossing the marble toward the front door.
He stood up slowly.
May you like
He looked at the staircase.
Then he started up it.
