Chapter 5 - Shadows of the Past
Three days after Evelyn's arrest, the Sterling mansion remained under heavy lockdown. The media had gotten wind of the scandal, and news vans were parked outside the high stone gates, desperate for a statement from the reclusive billionaire whose family drama had taken over the national headlines.
Inside, Arthur had completely isolated himself from the corporate world. His vice presidents were running Sterling Global Logistics, while Arthur spent every waking hour in the nursery with Lily.
Despite the safe environment, Lily was far from okay.
She refused to eat solid food. Every time Maria or Arthur brought a plate or a bowl near her, she would scream, cover her face with her arms, and hyperventilate. She would only drink milk from a plain plastic cup, and only if Arthur held it for her himself.
Dr. Sarah Lin, a renowned child psychologist specializing in extreme trauma, arrived at the mansion on Thursday morning. She sat quietly on the soft rug in Lily’s playroom, building blocks while Arthur watched anxiously from the doorway.
"Lily," Dr. Sarah said gently, rolling a soft blue ball toward the little girl. "Would you like to play with the ball?"
Lily sat in the corner, clutching a faded plush bunny her biological mother had given her before she passed away. She stared at Dr. Sarah with big, hollow eyes, offering no response.
Dr. Sarah stood up after an hour and walked out into the hallway to speak with Arthur privately.
"How bad is it, doctor?" Arthur asked, his voice strained with exhaustion. Dark circles shadowed his eyes; he hadn't slept more than two hours a night since the incident.
"It’s deep, Arthur," Dr. Sarah explained softly. "Lily has associated food and eating spaces with severe punishment and degradation. Evelyn didn't just abuse her physically; she systematically conditioned Lily to believe she was subhuman. She feels safe only when she is invisible."
Arthur leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. "What do I do? How do I make her know she’s safe?"
"Patience, love, and absolute control over her environment," Dr. Sarah replied. "Rebuild her relationship with food from scratch. Don't use dining tables or formal dishes for now. Let her eat wherever she feels safe—even if it's on your lap in the garden. And most importantly, you need to address the root of why Evelyn was able to do this."
Arthur opened his eyes, frowning. "What do you mean?"
"Evelyn didn't just target Lily by chance," Dr. Sarah said, pulling a folded document from her folder. "My team did a quick background check on Evelyn’s family prior to her marriage to you. Did you know she was deeply in debt before she met you? Her family's firm was bankrupt. She targeted you, Arthur. And getting rid of Lily wasn't just about jealousy—it was about securing your entire estate for herself."
Before Arthur could process this revelation, Maria hurried up the hallway, holding a cordless phone.
"Mr. Sterling," Maria said nervously. "It’s your head attorney, Mr. Vance. He says it’s urgent. Evelyn’s father, Richard Vance, just posted her five-million-dollar bail."
Arthur’s eyes snapped open, blazing with renewed fury. "What? How did a judge grant bail on felony child torture charges?!"
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"Richard Vance pulled political favors," Maria whispered. "And Mr. Sterling... Mr. Vance says Evelyn isn't in hiding. She just filed a counter-lawsuit claiming you orchestrated the video to frame her, and she’s demanding temporary custody of Lily to 'evaluate her mental health.'"
Arthur took the phone, his grip so tight the plastic casing groaned. "Over my dead body," he growled into the receiver.
