Chapter 4: The Person Inside My Walls
I ran through the front doors faster than I had ever moved in my life.
The alarm echoed through the marble halls.
“Maya!””
My voice bounced against the walls.
No answer.
That was the moment every parent fears.
The moment where your mind creates a hundred nightmares before reality has time to respond.
I rushed upstairs.
“Maya!””
Her bedroom door was open.
I stopped.
For a second, I couldn’t breathe.
Then I saw her.
She was sitting on the bed, holding her stuffed rabbit, confused by the noise.
“Daddy?””
I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms.
“Are you okay?””
She nodded.
“Someone was downstairs.””
My body went cold.
“Who?””
She looked toward the hallway.
“The man from the picture.””
I slowly turned.
“What picture?””
Maya pointed toward the shelf beside her bed.
A framed family photo sat there.
Me.
Michael.
Maya.
A picture from years ago.
“He looked like Uncle Michael,” she whispered.
I walked toward the hallway.
The house was silent.
Too silent.
Security officers entered moments later, searching every room.
Officer Daniels arrived shortly after.
“Mr. Hayes, we found something.””
He held up an envelope.
“It was left in your office.””
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
No signature.
No explanation.
Only one sentence.
You were never supposed to see the footage.
My blood ran cold.
Someone knew.
Someone knew I had discovered the hidden camera.
I looked at Daniels.
“Find Michael.””
He nodded.
But before he left, his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?””
Everyone looked at him.
He lowered the phone slowly.
“Mr. Hayes…”
“What happened?””
He swallowed.
“The police just received a report.””
“About what?””
His eyes moved toward Maya.
“They’re saying Victoria filed a complaint against you.””
I frowned.
“For what?””
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said:
“She claims you staged the entire incident.””
The room went silent.
I almost couldn’t process the words.
“She’s accusing me?””
“Yes.””
I laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“She pushed my daughter toward a staircase, and now she’s claiming I did this?””
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“She has witnesses.””
“Who?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
That told me everything.
“Who?””
Finally, he spoke.
“Michael.””
I felt like the floor disappeared beneath me.
My own brother.
The man who held my daughter.
The man who said he wanted to protect me.
He was now helping the woman who nearly destroyed my family.
I walked back into my office and looked out at the estate grounds.
The place I had built.
The place where I thought my family was safe.
My phone buzzed.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
I opened it.
It contained only a photograph.
A photograph taken moments earlier.
Of me standing inside my office.
May you like
The caption underneath made my blood freeze.
*You should have left the estate when we gave you the chance.*
