Chapter 11 - GRACE WAS RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING
I read Grace’s entire memorandum after the case ended.
Every page.
No skipping.
No locking it away.
One line had nothing to do with Nora.
Ethan mistakes control for protection when frightened.
I laughed when I read it.
Then cried.
Grace knew me too well.
After she died, I tightened everything.
Security.
Schedules.
Staff.
School.
Lily’s routines.
I thought structure prevented loss.
Then Nora drugged me inside the most secure house I could build.
Control had not produced safety.
People speaking produced safety.
Lily.
Elizabeth.
Grace through her memorandum.
Accountants.
Doctors.
Investigators.
Systems.
I changed how Blackwood House operated.
Not into surveillance.
Into accountability.
Staff reporting channels independent of management.
Clear financial controls.
No employee responsible for both vendor relationship and invoice processing.
Child-safety policies.
Training.
Multiple trusted adults Lily could contact.
May you like
Safety needed redundancy.
Not one powerful father.
