Chapter 4
It felt like all the blood in my body froze in that moment.
My heart was pounding, ready to burst out of my throat.
I couldn't control my curiosity.
I wanted to see what that face, hidden for three years, actually looked like.
I crept quietly, slipping into the shadows by the kitchen door.
From where I was, I managed to catch a glimpse of Grace's profile through the crack.
She turned around, like she was reaching for something on the counter.
Her face was bathed in light, and I saw every detail, clear as day.
The moment I saw her face, I clamped my hand over my mouth so I wouldn't make a sound.
A bone-chilling cold shot up from my feet to the top of my head, and cold sweat instantly broke out on my back.
That face... That face... How could it be her?
No way. That was impossible.
She... She was supposed to be dead. She died in that fire five years ago!
I stood there, frozen, a chill running through my entire body.
I'd never forget that face in my whole life.
It was Haley Brooks. David's former assistant.
The same Haley who was supposed to have died in that fire in the company five years ago.
The news said her face was burned beyond recognition.
They could only identify her through dental records.
But the face before me was perfectly flawless. There wasn't even a hint of burn marks.
She looked thinner and more haggard. And in her eyes, there was a hint of weariness and gloom that I could not fathom.
But that was definitely Haley.
She didn't die.
She tricked everyone.
Why wasn't she dead?
And why did she come to work for my family, using the name Grace Ward?
Questions crawled through my mind, gnawing at me like a swarm of insects.
I didn't dare keep watching.
I was scared she'd turn around and see me.
It took every ounce of strength I had not to scream.
I slowly slipped back into the shadows in the corner.
Then, step by step, as if time had slowed to a crawl, I crept back toward the entryway.
My hands were shaking so badly that my grip on the suitcase handle kept slipping.
I took a deep breath, then another, forcing myself to calm down.
I couldn't let Grace know that I recognized her. No way.
I went outside again and closed the door.
Then I took my keys out of my bag, deliberately making a lot of noise with them.
The sound of the keys hitting the lock rang out in the silent hallway, sounding especially harsh.
With a click, I pushed open the door and turned on the entryway light.
I called out in the brightest, most cheerful voice I could manage, "Honey, Anna, I'm home!"
No one was in the living room.
As soon as I finished speaking, the kitchen door slid open.
Grace—no, Haley—stepped out from inside.
She'd slipped the white mask back over her face, fitting snugly.
"Mrs. Lane, you're back," she said, her voice as gentle and calm as ever.
It was almost like the person who'd taken off the mask just now was only my hallucination.
"Yeah, the project wrapped up early, so I thought I'd surprise you guys," I said with a smile, doing my best to look casual. "Where are David and Anna?"
"Mr. Lane took Anna to the park downstairs. He said they'd be back before dinner," Haley answered smoothly, not missing a beat.
I nodded, changed my shoes, and dragged my suitcase into the living room.
I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eye.
I was terrified she'd see the raw fear and shock in my eyes.
I pretended to unpack my suitcase. "Grace, what's for dinner tonight?"
"I made your favorite stew, and Mr. Lane's favorite fish," she replied.
"Thanks, Grace."
"No problem. It's what I'm here for."
We talked just as we had every single day for the last three years.
But it was like an invisible hand was crushing my heart, and I could barely breathe.
Before long, David and Anna's laughter echoed from the hallway. The door swung open.
"Mom!" Anna darted into my arms like a little butterfly.
I hugged her soft little body tight, and I nearly burst into tears.
I'd keep my sweetheart safe, no matter what.
David walked in, his face lit up with surprise when he saw me. "You're back early. Why didn't you let me know?"
He came over, reaching out to hug me.
Instinctively, I took a step back.
His hand froze in midair.
"What's wrong?" he asked with a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
"Nothing. I'm a bit tired from the flight." I forced a smile.
David didn't give it a second thought and grinned. "Good to have you home. Grace, let's get dinner started."
Dinner tasted like nothing. I barely paid attention to the food on my plate.
I watched David and Grace interact with an easy familiarity.
David said, "Grace, could you pass the greens?
"Grace, Anna's plate is empty."
They were so comfortable, so perfectly in tune with each other. And me? I felt completely out of place, like a stranger in my own home.
I couldn't listen to David's praise for Grace without suspicion anymore.
He always said having Grace in our family was the luckiest thing that ever happened to us.
Did he know all along?
Was he lying to me from the very beginning?
Once that thought took root, I couldn't shake it off.
*****
That night, I lay in bed, restless and unable to settle down.
David was out like a light, his breathing slow and steady.
But I stared up at the ceiling, my mind racing, wide awake the whole night.
Haley's face kept replaying in my head, along with David's words: "Don't overthink it."
He wasn't trying to reassure me.
He was warning me.
I needed evidence. I had to prove that Grace was really Haley, and that I wasn't imagining things.