Chapter 2: The Secret Behind Closed Doors
The room became completely still.
Even the refrigerator humming in the kitchen sounded too loud.
I looked at Vanessa.
“What did you just say?””
For the first time since I entered the house, she looked nervous.
“I didn’t mean—”
“You said cameras.””
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
That was when Vanessa realized she had made a mistake.
Malik looked from me to her.
“Nobody was supposed to know.””
My heart sank.
Nobody was supposed to know what?
I picked up the document from the table.
The paper was a report from the security company I had hired three days earlier.
The company had installed temporary indoor cameras after I became suspicious about strange things happening at home.
Missing groceries.
Nia suddenly becoming quiet.
Malik avoiding conversations.
Small things.
Things I ignored because I wanted to believe my family was okay.
The report contained video timestamps.
And what I saw on those recordings made me feel like I didn’t recognize the woman sitting across from me.
Vanessa noticed the paper shaking slightly in my hand.
“Daniel, listen to me.””
“No.””
My answer came immediately.
She stopped.
“No explanations yet.””
I looked at Nia.
“Sweetheart, can you go upstairs with Malik for a minute?””
Nia hesitated.
She looked at Vanessa.
Then at me.
Finally, she nodded.
Malik stood beside her.
As they walked away, I noticed something heartbreaking.
Nia held the envelope I gave her against her chest like it was the most valuable thing she owned.
When they disappeared upstairs, I turned back.
“What happened in this house?””
Vanessa sat down.
“You’re making a mistake.””
“A mistake?””
“Yes.””
She pointed at the papers.
“You’re letting a misunderstanding destroy our marriage.””
I placed my phone on the table.
“Then explain the videos.””
Her expression changed.
“What videos?””
“The ones showing Nia asking for dinner while you told her she didn’t deserve it.””
Silence.
Vanessa looked away.
That was the answer.
I had watched the footage the night before.
I saw my daughter standing in the kitchen after school.
Her backpack was still on.
She was tired.
Hungry.
She opened the refrigerator.
“Can I have some chicken?””
Vanessa’s voice came from behind the camera.
“You already ate today.””
Nia looked confused.
“I only had lunch.””
“You don’t need more.””
Then Vanessa walked over and closed the refrigerator door.
My daughter quietly said, “Okay.””
That word stayed in my mind.
Not angry.
Not rebellious.
Just defeated.
I looked at Vanessa.
“How could you?””
She folded her arms.
“I was trying to control her eating.””
“She’s ten years old.””
“She’s gaining weight.””
The words hit me harder than I expected.
“She’s a child.””
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“You’re too soft with them.””
I stared at her.
“Them?””
She immediately looked away.
But I heard it.
The way she separated herself from my children.
“Vanessa.””
She didn’t answer.
“Did you ever love Nia?””
Her eyes flashed.
“Don’t do that.””
“Answer me.””
She stood up.
“I married you. I built this family.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You built the image of a family.””
The anger returned.
“You think you’re perfect?””
“No.””
I looked toward the stairs.
“I think my daughter was afraid to tell me she was hungry.””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
A sound came from upstairs.
A drawer closing.
A few seconds later, Malik appeared at the top of the stairs.
His face was pale.
“Dad…”
I turned around.
“What is it?””
He slowly walked down.
“I found something.””
He held a small notebook in his hand.
My eyes narrowed.
“What is that?””
Malik looked at Vanessa.
She immediately became tense.
“Give me that.””
But Malik stepped back.
“No.””
His voice shook.
“You told me never to show Dad.””
Vanessa went silent.
I reached out my hand.
“Bring it here.””
Malik walked over and placed the notebook in my palm.
The cover was worn.
The pages were filled with handwriting.
Dates.
Meals.
Things Nia had eaten.
Things she hadn’t been allowed to eat.
I opened the first page.
And at the bottom was a sentence written by my daughter.
A sentence that made my hands go cold.
“I don’t think Mom wants me to be her daughter.””
I looked up.
Vanessa was crying now.
But I couldn’t tell if it was guilt.
Or fear.
Then my phone buzzed.
A new message appeared on the screen.
From the security company.
There was one more video file.
One they hadn’t included in the report.
May you like
The message only contained four words.
“Watch this one first.””
