Chapter 8: The Man Who Wanted My Son
The image on the security monitor made everyone freeze.
Daniel stood outside the mansion.
No fear.
No panic.
Just confidence.
Like he had been waiting for this moment.
“How did he get access?””
Grace whispered.
I didn’t answer.
Because I already knew.
The person who knew the security system.
The person who knew the layout of my house.
The person who had been watching us.
Was someone who had been close to my family.
Daniel.
I grabbed my phone.
The signal was weak.
The security app kept loading.
Then a message appeared.
*REMOTE CONNECTION ACTIVE.*
My stomach dropped.
“He’s controlling the system.””
Amelia looked at me.
“Victor, you need to listen to me.””
I turned.
“No.””
She stopped.
“I need you to listen.””
I looked at her.
“You had six years.””
She swallowed.
“You’re right.””
That answer surprised me.
She didn’t defend herself.
She didn’t make excuses.
She just looked tired.
“I should have found a way back.””
Eli stepped closer to her.
She looked down.
“I’m sorry, baby.””
He stared at her.
“You really didn’t leave me?””
Her face broke.
“No.””
She knelt.
“I thought about you every single day.””
Eli hesitated.
Then he slowly moved closer.
He didn’t hug her.
Not yet.
But he stood beside her.
And somehow, that hurt more.
Because I knew they both wanted to.
They just didn’t know how to fix six years.
A loud sound came from the front door.
Everyone turned.
The lock system activated.
Then deactivated.
Someone was trying to enter.
I moved in front of Eli.
Bianca immediately stepped forward.
“Victor.””
“What?””
She looked toward the door.
“Daniel won’t stop.””
I stared at her.
“You sound like you know him very well.””
Her face fell.
“I do.””
The honesty surprised me.
“Tell me everything.””
She looked at Amelia.
Then at me.
“I met Daniel before you knew me.””
I waited.
“He approached me because he knew I was close to Amelia.””
“Why?””
“Because Amelia trusted me.””
The words hurt.
Because I remembered how quickly Bianca entered our lives after Amelia disappeared.
How she became the person who helped me survive.
How she was always there.
Always available.
“I thought you were helping me.””
Bianca looked down.
“I was.””
I shook my head.
“Were you?””
She looked up.
“Yes.””
Her voice was stronger.
“Victor, I know what I did was wrong. I know I lied. But I never wanted Daniel to hurt you.””
“Then why stay?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid.””
A crash came from outside.
Everyone jumped.
The front camera showed Daniel walking closer to the door.
Not rushing.
Not hiding.
Walking like he owned the place.
He lifted his phone toward the camera.
A message appeared on the security screen.
*YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED ME FIRST.*
Then another message appeared.
*YOU WANT THE TRUTH? COME OUTSIDE.*
Amelia grabbed my arm.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“He’s trying to control the situation.””
“He always does.””
That sentence caught my attention.
“What do you mean?””
Amelia looked toward the door.
“Daniel doesn’t just threaten people.””
She paused.
“He convinces them.””
My eyes moved to Bianca.
She looked away.
And suddenly I understood.
Daniel didn’t force Bianca with fear alone.
He controlled her with something else.
Something deeper.
Something she was still hiding.
The front door shook.
Not enough to break.
Enough to remind us he was there.
Eli grabbed my jacket.
“Daddy, don’t go.””
I looked down.
His eyes were full of fear.
I knelt.
“I’m not leaving you.””
“Promise?””
I nodded.
“Promise.””
Then I looked at Grace.
“Take Eli upstairs.””
Grace nodded.
But Eli refused.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
He held onto me.
“I want to know the truth too.””
My heart broke.
He was six years old.
He shouldn’t have to know any of this.
But he had already been living inside it.
Before I could answer, the security monitor changed.
A new camera view.
The driveway.
Daniel was gone.
My eyes narrowed.
“Where did he go?””
Then we heard it.
A sound from inside the mansion.
A door opening upstairs.
Everyone turned.
The room went cold.
Grace whispered:
“The upstairs hallway.””
I looked toward the staircase.
The same staircase where Eli slept every night.
The same place where my son kept his toys.
Daniel wasn’t outside anymore.
He was inside.
And then a voice echoed from the second floor.
“Victor.””
Daniel.
My entire body went still.
“You’ve spent six years looking for answers.””
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A pause.
“Now I’ll show you why you never found them.””
