Chapter 2 - The Silent Secret
Alexander Vale towered over the children with an intimidating glare that usually made grown executives tremble.
Matthew immediately stepped in front of Lucy, using his own body as a shield to protect her.
He frantically signed to his father, trying to explain that Lucy was his friend.
Alexander sighed heavily, clearly annoyed by the fast hand gestures he could not comprehend.
He completely ignored his son and ordered his assistant to find Lucy's mother immediately.
Within minutes, Clara Harper was dragged into the grand hallway, her face pale with absolute terror.
Alexander coldly warned Clara that her daughter was never to interact with his son again.
He stated that Matthew needed professional handlers and doctors, not the distraction of the household staff.
Clara frantically apologized, pulling Lucy away and promising it would never happen again.
That night in their small apartment above the garage, Clara begged Lucy to stay away from the boy.
She explained that powerful men like Alexander Vale could destroy their lives with a single phone call.
But Lucy could not forget the beautiful, relieved smile on Matthew's face.
Over the next few weeks, Lucy secretly disobeyed her mother's strict orders.
She began sneaking into the mansion's massive library to meet Matthew when his father was at work.
Their friendship grew deep and strong in those stolen, quiet minutes.
Matthew taught her the signs for stars, planets, and the beautiful galaxies he loved to read about.
He told her that space made sense to him because it was entirely silent, yet no one called it broken.
He also bravely shared the painful memories of his mother, Isabelle.
He explained how she used to press his hands against the piano so he could feel the beautiful music.
Matthew confessed that his father had removed all of Isabelle's pictures and never spoke her name.
Lucy realized that Alexander gave his son billions of dollars in resources, but absolutely zero actual love.
One afternoon, Matthew and Lucy were flying a blue kite near the edge of the sprawling estate gardens.
A sudden gust of wind caught the kite, tangling it high in the branches of a massive oak tree.
Matthew confidently smiled and climbed onto the slippery stone wall to reach the tangled string.
Lucy frantically signed for him to be careful, but it was already too late.
Matthew's expensive shoe slipped on the damp, green moss.
He fell backward, hitting the hard ground with a sickening crunch that echoed through the garden.
Matthew cried out in silent agony, clutching his rapidly swelling leg.
Lucy screamed for help, catching the attention of the mansion's outdoor security team.
Alexander Vale suddenly burst out of the terrace doors, rushing toward his injured son with panic in his eyes.
May you like
But as Alexander dropped to his knees, he realized something that completely paralyzed him with fear.
Matthew was desperately signing crucial information about his injuries, and Alexander had absolutely no idea what he was saying.
