Chapter 7 - The Yellow Blanket
The yellow blanket was faded, frayed at the edges, and smelled faintly of lavender and old memories. It was the blanket Grace had wrapped Lily in during those final, painful months in the hospital. For Lily, it wasn't just a piece of fabric; it was a physical tether to the mother she was slowly starting to forget. She dragged it everywhere, much to Vanessa’s mounting irritation.
The breaking point arrived on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, two months before the wedding. Lucas was delayed at the office, leaving Vanessa and Lily alone in the expansive house. Vanessa had invited an interior designer over to discuss remodeling the living room—a space she deemed "far too depressing and archaic."
As the designer took measurements, Lily sat quietly on the sofa, humming to herself and clutching the yellow blanket against her chest.
"Lily, sweetie," Vanessa said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as the designer glanced over. "Could we put that dirty old rag away? We have guests."
"It's not dirty," Lily said softly, her dark eyes wide. "It's Mommy's."
Vanessa's smile tightened, her pristine facade cracking just a fraction. She walked over, her heels clicking sharply against the hardwood floor, and reached for the blanket. "It is unhygienic, Lily. And it doesn't match the new aesthetic we are trying to build here. You're six years old now. It's time to grow up and stop clinging to the past."
"No!" Lily cried out, pulling the fabric away.
Vanessa’s eyes flashed with genuine anger. Without another word, she snatched the blanket from the little girl's grip with surprising force. Lily burst into tears, reaching out frantically.
"Enough!" Vanessa snapped, her voice dropping its sweet cadence. "You will go to your room and stop this tantrum immediately. I am going to be your mother now, and I will not tolerate this spoiled behavior."
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When Lucas returned home an hour later, he found Lily sobbing in her bedroom, the yellow blanket nowhere to be found. Vanessa met him in the hallway with a heavy sigh and a sympathetic expression.
"She had a complete meltdown, Lucas," Vanessa lied effortlessly. "She spilled juice all over that old blanket, and when I tried to put it in the wash, she threw a terrible fit. I'm worried about her attachment issues, darling. We might need to look into boarding schools or a specialized nanny."
