Chapter 1: The Gift Left on the Marble Table
Daniel Carter stood motionless in the foyer, the small handmade package resting in his hands.
The brown paper was wrinkled. The red ribbon had been tied carefully by small fingers.
Margaret watched from the staircase, her expression calm.
“It’s just a child’s craft project,” she said lightly.
Daniel didn’t answer.
He untied the ribbon slowly.
Inside was a wooden picture frame, unevenly painted blue. A photo had been placed inside it—a picture of Daniel and Ethan taken years ago at a county fair.
On the back, written in crooked pencil letters, were the words:
For Dad.
Thank you for loving me even when I’m hard to keep.
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“What does this mean?” he asked quietly.
Ethan lowered his eyes.
“I thought… maybe if I gave you something nice, she wouldn’t send me away.”
The room went silent.
Daniel slowly turned toward Margaret.
May you like
For the first time since entering the house, he truly looked at her.
And what he saw chilled him.
