Smoke curled from Lily’s hair as Renata clamped the scorching styling wand beside her scalp.

The scorching wand touched Lily’s hair before I reached the bathroom.

Smoke curled beside her scalp. She gripped the vanity stool with both hands, her knuckles white, tears streaming down her face without a sound.

“You’re mute,” Renata whispered. “No one will hear anything.”

I grabbed her wrist.

The wand swung toward me, heat grazing my sleeve. I wrenched it away and threw it into the empty sink.

“Get away from her!”

Renata clawed for Lily again.

I drove my foot into Renata’s stomach. She stumbled backward and crashed into the bathtub, striking the curtain hard enough to tear two rings from the rail.

Lily folded against me.

The burned lock smelled bitter. Her scalp was red beneath it, but I could not tell how deep the injury was. I lifted her from the stool and shielded her head against my chest.

Renata rose slowly.

Her face was no longer furious.

It was calculating.

She straightened her robe, pressed the estate intercom, and looked directly at me.

“Call the police. The nanny attacked me and tried to hurt Lily.”

“You burned her.”

“She was fighting while I fixed her hair.”

Lily shook violently in my arms.

Footsteps thundered through the hallway.

Grant entered with two uniformed officers and Security Chief Harris carrying a tablet. His eyes found the smoking wand, Lily’s damaged hair, and Renata’s hand still raised toward us.

“Renata,” he said, his voice almost unrecognizable, “what did you do to my daughter?”

Lily slipped down from my arms.

For two years, no doctor, teacher, therapist, or grieving relative had heard her speak.

She looked at Grant.

“Daddy…”

The single word stopped everyone.

Grant’s face broke open.

Lily pointed at Renata.

“She killed Mommy.”

Renata went pale.

One officer closed the bathroom door. The other moved between Renata and Lily while Harris began recording the room.

“I want a lawyer,” Renata said.