Chapter 1 - Kibble on the Marble
The silver stainless-steel bowl sat three inches from Lily’s knees.
Small brown pellets of dried dog kibble filled it to the brim.
Vanessa’s fingers—wrapped in beige silk that smelled of expensive vanilla—pressed down hard on the five-year-old’s shoulder.
The cold marble of the kitchen floor seeped straight through Lily’s thin pink dress.
Vanessa leaned in close, her dark, curled hair falling over her cheek like a curtain.
"Eat," Vanessa whispered.
Her thumb moved up, clamping over Lily’s small mouth to muffle the hiccuping sob.
Lily’s blonde curls shook violently as tears tracked through the dust on her cheeks.
A small rubber duck with its left eye scratched off lay trapped underneath Lily’s left foot.
Its hollow plastic body yielded under her heel without a sound.
Vanessa squeezed harder, her manicured nails digging through the fabric of the girl’s dress.
"This is what little girls get when they ruin my dinner party," Vanessa murmured, her eyes fixed on the floor.
"Not a single bite of real food."
Lily’s small fingers clawed uselessly at the edge of the silver bowl.
Her fingernails left tiny, faint streaks in the stainless steel.
Across the island, the giant glass windows reflected the bright morning sun, making the dry kibble glisten.
The house was vast, silent, and smelled of lemon oil and polished brass.
Vanessa didn't look at the door.
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She didn't hear the heavy leather soles of dark oxfords sprinting across the hardwood hallway.
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