Chapter 6 - The Night Maris Searched the Room
Gideon woke at 2:13 a.m. to the sound of a drawer slamming.
Maris was not beside him.
He stepped into the hallway.
Light spilled beneath Lumi’s door.
Inside, Maris stood beside the dresser while Lumi sat upright in bed.
Clothes covered the floor.
Toy boxes had been emptied.
“What are you doing?” Gideon asked.
Maris turned.
“Looking for my bracelet.”
“In her room?”
“Lumi takes things.”
Lumi’s face went pale.
“I don’t.”
Maris opened another drawer.
“She lies.”
Gideon walked inside.
“Go back to bed, Lumi.”
Maris blocked him.
“I’m talking to my daughter.”
“You’re searching her room in the middle of the night.”
“Stay out of it.”
“No.”
The word surprised both of them.
Maris slowly faced him.
“You have become very brave.”
Gideon looked at Lumi.
Her eyes moved toward the closet.
Then toward the floor beneath the bed.
Maris followed the glance.
She dropped to one knee and reached under the mattress.
Gideon caught her wrist.
“Stop.”
She stared at his hand.
“Take your hand off me.”
“Leave the room.”
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Lumi whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Maris’s expression softened immediately.
“There you are.”
She pulled free from Gideon and crouched in front of Lumi.
“Tell him why I’m searching.”
Lumi’s lips trembled.
“I took something.”
“What?”
“A phone.”
“Where is it?”
Lumi looked at Gideon.
Maris saw the answer.
Her eyes snapped toward him.
“You have it.”
Gideon kept his face still.
“No.”
Maris stood.
“You’re lying.”
“Get out of her room.”
Maris moved closer.
“You are turning her against me.”
“She came to me.”
“She belongs to me.”
Lumi flinched.
Gideon’s stomach turned.
Children did not belong to people.
They were trusted to them.
Maris seemed to realize she had said too much.
She forced a laugh.
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes,” Gideon said. “I think I finally do.”
Maris left the room without another word.
Gideon sat beside Lumi.
She whispered, “She knows.”
“I won’t let her hurt you.”
“You can’t stop the fire.”
“What fire?”
Lumi’s eyes filled.
“The one she started before.”
May you like
Then she pulled the blanket over her head.
👉 Lumi had just accused Maris of starting a fire—and the only fire in her past had killed her father.
