Chapter 5: The Recording Nobody Was Supposed to See
My thumb hovered over the video.
Vanessa grabbed my wrist.
“Don't.””
I looked at her hand.
“Let go.””
“Naomi, please.””
“Why?””
“Because you don't know what's on it.””
“You just told me it's the recording that disappeared.””
“I said it's the recording they claimed never existed.””
“That's worse.””
Principal Harris stepped closer.
“Naomi, we should preserve the evidence before opening it.””
I looked at him.
“How?””
“Forward the message to my phone. Don't delete the original.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Principal Harris turned toward her.
“Why are you objecting?””
She didn't answer.
“That video may explain how your name was removed from the school records,” he continued.
“It may also establish what happened that night.””
Vanessa whispered, “It'll put everyone in danger.””
I stared at her.
“Everyone?””
Her eyes met mine.
“Especially Lena.””
That did it.
I unlocked my phone.
“Play it.””
Principal Harris exhaled.
“Are you certain?””
“No,” I said.
“But I'm done being afraid of information.””
I pressed the screen.
The video opened.
At first, there was only darkness.
Then a doorway appeared.
My doorway.
The camera was positioned low, almost hidden behind something.
I recognized the living room immediately.
The date stamp in the corner made my stomach drop.
Six months earlier.
11:47 p.m.
Rain streaked the windows.
The sound of arguing filled the room.
My voice came first.
“Give me my phone, Ethan.””
His voice followed.
“You're not calling anyone.””
“I said give it back.””
The picture shook.
Then Ethan stepped into view.
He looked exactly as I remembered him, but somehow colder.
I was standing near the kitchen, one hand against the wall.
My hair was messy.
My face looked pale.
And I was holding the side of my head.
Lena's baby monitor sat on the counter behind me.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“I forgot that part.””
I glanced at her.
“You were there.””
“I told you.””
The video continued.
Ethan held my phone.
“Who are you calling?””
“The police.””
He laughed.
“You think they'll believe you?””
I heard myself say, “You can't keep doing this.””
“Doing what?””
“Threatening me.””
He stepped closer.
“I've never threatened you.””
“You just did.””
“No. I warned you.””
There was a crash outside the frame.
I flinched.
Then came my voice.
“Lena is staying with me.””
Ethan's expression changed.
“No.””
“She is my daughter.””
“She belongs with both of us.””
“You don't get to decide that.””
“I already did.””
The video suddenly moved.
The camera angle shifted.
Whoever had recorded it stepped back.
Then I saw something behind Ethan.
A second person.
A woman.
My breath stopped.
The woman was standing in the hallway.
Watching.
I turned toward the screen.
Vanessa went rigid.
“That isn't possible.””
I paused the video.
“Who is that?””
She stared at the frozen image.
“I don't know.””
“Look at her.””
“I am.””
“You recognize her.””
“No.””
Principal Harris leaned closer.
“Can we enlarge that?””
I did.
The image became grainy, but the woman's face was visible enough to make out.
I didn't know her.
But Vanessa did.
The moment I looked at Vanessa, she stepped backward.
“You know her.””
“No.””
“You're lying.””
“No, Naomi.””
“Then why do you look terrified?””
She shook her head.
“Because this isn't the full recording.””
I pressed play again.
The woman stepped forward.
Her voice was clear.
“Ethan.””
He turned.
“What are you doing here?””
“I told you to wait outside.””
“I couldn't.””
She looked at me.
Then said something that made my skin crawl.
“She can't know.””
I froze.
Ethan glanced toward the camera.
“Who?””
“The baby. She heard everything.””
My eyes moved toward the monitor.
The little red light was on.
Lena had been awake.
She had been hearing them.
I covered my mouth.
On the video, I was crying.
“You're scaring me.””
Ethan stepped toward me.
“You're not going anywhere.””
“I have a surgery in the morning.””
“I know.””
“I need to go.””
“You're not taking Lena.””
“You can't stop me.””
His voice dropped.
“Watch me.””
Then the woman spoke.
“Ethan, that's enough.””
He turned to her.
“You're taking her side now?””
“No.””
“Then stay out of it.””
“I told you this would go too far.””
My heart slammed against my ribs.
I turned toward Vanessa.
“Who is she?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
I paused the recording.
“Who is she?””
Vanessa's voice was barely audible.
“His sister.””
I stared at her.
“Ethan has a sister?””
She nodded.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't I?””
“Because he told me not to tell you.””
“Her name.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Marissa.””
I looked back at the screen.
Marissa.
The name meant nothing.
Then the video continued.
Ethan reached for me.
I stepped backward.
“Don't touch me.””
Marissa moved between us.
“Ethan, stop.””
He shoved her aside.
I stumbled.
My head struck the edge of the kitchen counter.
The sound was sickening.
I dropped to the floor.
Lena began crying from the bedroom.
“Mommy!””
I heard my own voice, weak and confused.
“Lena…”
Ethan looked down at me.
Vanessa gasped beside me.
“No…”
On the video, Marissa ran toward me.
“She hit her head.””
Ethan crouched.
“She's fine.””
“She's bleeding.””
“She'll be okay.””
“Call an ambulance.””
“No.””
“Ethan!””
“No one calls anybody.””
Marissa stared at him.
“You just hurt her.””
“She fell.””
“I saw what happened.””
“You didn't see anything.””
The video shook violently.
Then Vanessa's voice appeared from somewhere behind the camera.
“Call 911.””
I spun toward her.
“That was you.””
Vanessa nodded through tears.
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you?””
“I tried.””
The recording showed her stepping into frame.
She had my phone.
No.
Not my phone.
A different phone.
She held it out.
“I already called.””
Ethan turned.
“You did what?””
“I called.””
He lunged toward her.
The camera dropped.
The screen went black.
Then audio continued.
Footsteps.
A baby's cries.
Vanessa shouting.
“Don't touch her!””
Ethan yelling.
“Give me the phone!””
Then a loud crash.
And silence.
The image returned seconds later.
Vanessa was kneeling beside me.
I was barely conscious.
She was crying.
“Naomi, stay awake.””
My eyes were half-open.
“Lena…”
“She’s okay.””
“Promise?””
“I promise.””
Then Ethan's voice came from somewhere off camera.
“If you tell them what happened, I'll make sure you never see either of them again.””
Vanessa looked toward him.
“You can't do that.””
“Try me.””
The video ended.
No warning.
No dramatic music.
Just black.
Nobody moved.
Lena was still in the counselor's room down the hall, unaware of what had just been shown.
My legs felt weak.
I sat down.
“He lied.””
Principal Harris said nothing.
“He told everyone I abandoned my daughter.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“You knew.””
She nodded.
“He told the police I was unstable.””
“Yes.””
“He made it look like I caused everything.””
“Yes.””
“And you still helped him.””
Vanessa looked devastated.
“I was afraid.””
“You let me believe I was losing my mind.””
“I didn't know what to do.””
“You knew enough to tell the truth.””
“I tried.””
“When?””
She wiped her eyes.
“The morning after.””
“And?””
“He found me.””
I stared.
“What did he do?””
“He showed me another video.””
My stomach tightened.
“Of what?””
“Me.””
“Doing what?””
She looked at Principal Harris.
“Being in your house.””
I frowned.
“I was already there.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“Not that night.””
“What do you mean?””
Vanessa's hands trembled.
“He had a second recording.””
“Where?””
“In my apartment.””
“Why?””
“Because someone had installed a camera.””
Silence.
I stood.
“Ethan put a camera in your apartment?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“I don't know.””
“Why?””
“I think he was recording everyone.””
Principal Harris's expression darkened.
“Everyone?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He kept recordings.””
“Of who?””
“Me. Naomi. Teachers. People he'd spoken to.””
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
I looked at the phone in my hand.
The message was still open.
The video had been sent by an unknown number.
My mind raced.
“Who sent this?””
Vanessa whispered, “The person who wants me dead.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She shook her head.
“I didn't mean literally.””
But she had.
We both knew it.
A knock sounded at the office door.
A teacher entered.
“Principal Harris?””
He turned.
“What is it?””
“The police are here.””
My heart jumped.
“Why?””
The teacher looked uncomfortable.
“They received a call about a disturbance at the school.””
Vanessa's face went white.
“Already?””
Principal Harris frowned.
“Who called?””
The teacher hesitated.
“Anonymous.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked at me.
Then my phone buzzed.
Another message.
This one had no video.
Only six words.
*ASK VANESSA WHO THE CAMERA WAS FOR.*
I slowly raised my eyes.
“Who was the camera for, Vanessa?””
She stared at me.
And after a long silence, she whispered,
“Not me.””
Then Lena screamed from the hallway.
“Mommy!””
I ran toward her.
Behind me, Vanessa shouted,
“Naomi, don't let the police take that phone!””
I stopped.
Because suddenly, I understood.
May you like
She wasn't warning me about the police.
She was warning me about what the police might already know.
