She Played His Dead Wife's Song, And the Billionaire Knew the Truth

Chapter 2 — The Mother Who Left A Song

Julian carried Lily out of the ballroom himself.

The guests whispered behind him. Phones were raised. Videos were already being sent. But he no longer cared about the gala, the donors, or the elegant lies that held his family together.

He brought Lily into the private music room where Elena's portrait still hung above the fireplace.

The girl looked at the painting and went completely still.

"That is my mother," she whispered.

Julian's face tightened.

He had spent five years standing before that portrait with grief so deep it had become part of his bones. Elena had died shortly after childbirth, or so he had believed. The baby had been declared stillborn. Julian had been too broken to question the paperwork.

Now the child he mourned sat alive in front of him.

"Who raised you?" he asked.

Lily hugged herself. "A woman named Mara. She said she was my nurse."

"Where is she now?"

Lily's lips trembled. "Dead."

Julian lowered himself in front of her wheelchair.

"Did Mara tell you who I was?"

"Not at first."

"Then how did you find me?"

Lily reached into the pocket of her worn dress and pulled out a folded sheet of music. The paper was old and soft from being handled too many times.

On the top line, in Elena's handwriting, were four words:

For Julian, someday.

Julian took it with trembling fingers.

It was the melody.

The one Elena had written during her pregnancy. A lullaby for their daughter.

Below the notes, Elena had written a message.

If our child is ever taken from me, teach her this. Julian will know. No one else will.

Julian could barely breathe.

The door opened behind him.

Celeste entered without knocking.

She had regained control of her face, but not her eyes.

"Julian, we need to be careful. This could be a public trap."

Julian stood slowly.

"She knows Elena's song."

"Songs can be stolen."

"She knows Lily Rose."

Celeste's mouth tightened.

"Your grief is making you foolish."

Lily flinched at the sharpness in her voice.

Julian saw it.

"Have you met this child before?"

Celeste laughed softly. "Of course not."

But Lily suddenly whispered, "Yes, you have."

The room froze.

Julian looked at Lily. "What do you mean?"

Lily stared at Celeste with fear and anger mixed together.

"When Mara got sick, a woman came to the clinic. She wore pearls. She told Mara that if I ever came here, everyone would call me a liar."

Celeste took one step back.

Julian's voice became dangerously quiet.

"What clinic?"

Lily looked at him.

"The Silver House."

Julian turned to Celeste.

Because years ago, after Elena's death, Celeste had personally arranged all hospital and funeral records through a private facility with almost the same name.

Silver House Medical Center.

And now his dead daughter had just come home from there.