Chapter 2: The Man Behind the Curtain
I ran into the house without turning off the engine.
The rain soaked through my shirt as I crossed the driveway, but I barely felt it.
All I could hear was Lily’s voice.
“Daddy, please come back!””
The mansion that had always felt warm now looked like a stranger’s house.
The lights were on.
The front door was open.
And there was no sound.
No crying.
No footsteps.
Nothing.
“Lily!””
My voice echoed through the empty hallway.
I ran upstairs.
Her bedroom door was open.
Her stuffed rabbit was lying on the floor.
I picked it up.
The little pink ribbon around its neck was torn.
My chest tightened.
“Lily!””
A noise came from downstairs.
A door closing.
I turned around.
Someone was there.
I rushed back down and froze.
The mysterious man from the camera stood in the kitchen.
He wasn’t hiding anymore.
He was waiting.
For me.
He looked calm.
Too calm.
“Where is my daughter?”” I demanded.
The man didn’t move.
“Daniel Carter.””
The way he said my name made my skin crawl.
“You know who I am?”” I asked.
He gave a faint smile.
“I know a lot about you.””
I stepped forward.
“Where is Lily?””
Before he could answer, Sarah walked out from the hallway.
And she looked completely different from the woman who waved goodbye to me that morning.
No fear.
No guilt.
Just cold confidence.
“Daniel.””
I stared at her.
“What did you do?””
She tilted her head.
“You came back sooner than expected.””
I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“My daughter is missing, and that’s what you say?””
The man stepped closer.
“Careful.””
I looked at him.
“You don’t threaten me in my own house.””
Sarah laughed quietly.
“Your house?””
Those two words hit harder than they should have.
“What does that mean?””
She walked toward the kitchen table and picked up a folder.
“You really never wondered why things were changing?””
I didn’t answer.
Because suddenly, I realized something.
The man wasn’t acting like an intruder.
He was acting like someone who had been waiting for this moment.
Sarah placed the folder on the table.
Inside were documents.
My name.
My company.
My signature.
But something was wrong.
I looked closer.
“These are fake.””
Sarah smiled.
“No, Daniel.””
She leaned forward.
“They’re the reason everything is about to disappear.””
My heart pounded.
“What did you do?””
The man looked at Sarah.
Then at me.
And said the words that made the entire room go silent.
“You weren’t leaving for a business trip.””
I frowned.
“What?””
He pointed at the folder.
“You were leaving because Sarah needed you out of the house.””
I looked at my wife.
And for the first time in ten years…
I didn’t recognize her.
Then, from somewhere behind the kitchen door, I heard a tiny sound.
A soft knock.
Three times.
My blood ran cold.
Because Lily had a secret signal with me.
Three knocks meant one thing.
She was trapped.
I turned toward the door.
May you like
But before I could open it, Sarah whispered:
“Daniel… there’s something you never knew about your daughter.””
