Chapter 1 - THE PERFECT HOUSE
From the road, Sterling Manor looked like the kind of place where nothing terrible could ever happen.
The white stone mansion stood beyond two iron gates on thirty acres of perfectly cut grass. A private lake glittered beneath the afternoon sun. Ancient oak trees lined the driveway, and tall windows reflected the blue American sky like enormous mirrors.
But wealth could hide almost anything.
Mark Sterling knew that better than most.
At thirty-nine, he had built one of the largest real-estate development companies in the country. Business magazines described him as disciplined, brilliant, ruthless in negotiations.
None of those words mattered when he stepped through his front door.
Inside Sterling Manor, Mark was simply Leo's father.
"Da-da!"
The two-year-old came running across the marble foyer on unsteady legs.
Mark dropped his briefcase immediately.
"There he is."
Leo crashed into him.
Mark lifted him high and kissed his cheek.
For those few seconds, the billions disappeared.
So did the board meetings.
The lawsuits.
The construction deals.
The empty space in Mark's heart left by his wife, Anna, who had died shortly after Leo's birth.
Every photograph of her remained exactly where Mark had placed it.
He had never found the courage to move one.
Elena Morales watched from the staircase with a quiet smile.
She had worked in the Sterling household since before Leo could walk.
Officially, she was part of the household staff.
In reality, Leo treated her like family.
"Papa was late again," Elena teased.
Mark glanced at his son.
"You keeping track?"
Leo nodded dramatically.
Mark laughed.
Then a woman's voice floated down from the upper hallway.
"Mark?"
Victoria Vance appeared at the top of the staircase.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Perfect.
She wore an ivory dress and a diamond bracelet Mark had given her after their engagement.
Six months earlier, Mark had met her at a charity gala.
She had seemed compassionate.
Gentle.
Patient with Leo.
Everything Mark thought his son needed.
Victoria descended gracefully and kissed Mark's cheek.
"Long day?"
"Very."
She smiled at Leo.
"Come to Victoria."
The little boy tightened his arms around his father's neck.
For the briefest second, something cold crossed Victoria's face.
Then the smile returned.
Mark didn't notice.
Elena did.
And as Victoria walked away, Elena looked down at Leo.
The child was no longer smiling.
He was staring after Victoria with fear in his enormous blue eyes.
That was the first moment Elena understood something was wrong.
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She just didn't know yet how wrong.
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