Chapter 1 - The Second Voice
The terrified housemaid remained frozen near the doorway.
Her name was Maria Santos, and Victor had never seen her look so afraid.
“Sir, this wasn’t the first time.”
Serena’s face changed instantly.
“That woman is lying.”
Victor did not look at his fiancée.
His eyes stayed on Maria.
“What do you mean?”
Maria swallowed.
Lily was still sitting against the wall, one arm wrapped around her stomach while fourteen-month-old Ethan cried against her shoulder.
Victor crossed the room and carefully took his son.
The moment Ethan felt his father’s arms, the baby buried his face against Victor’s chest.
Victor tried gently moving Ethan’s left arm.
The child whimpered.
Something inside Victor turned cold.
“Call Dr. Hale.”
Serena stepped forward.
“Victor, you’re overreacting.”
He finally looked at her.
“Am I?”
She stopped.
Maria’s hands trembled.
“Three weeks ago, Miss Serena grabbed Ethan when he wouldn’t stop crying.”
Serena laughed sharply.
“That is ridiculous.”
Maria continued.
“Last Thursday, he spilled juice on her dress.”
Her voice broke.
“She locked him in the dark laundry room.”
Victor stared at her.
Lily looked up.
“You knew?”
Maria lowered her eyes.
“I heard him crying.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because she said I would lose my job.”
Maria hesitated.
“Then she showed me pictures of my son leaving school.”
Silence filled the room.
Victor’s expression became unreadable.
Serena shook her head.
“This is insane.”
Victor reached into his pocket and called the estate gatehouse.
“Close every gate.”
Serena’s eyes widened.
“Victor.”
“No vehicles leave the property.”
She stared at him.
“You’re imprisoning me?”
“No.”
Victor looked toward Maria.
“I’m making sure nobody disappears before I understand what happened to my son.”
Ten minutes later, Dr. Benjamin Hale entered the mansion.
He examined Ethan carefully.
Victor stood nearby with his fists clenched.
Finally, the doctor looked up.
“I don’t think anything is broken.”
Victor exhaled.
“But there’s something else.”
Dr. Hale gently turned Ethan’s arm.
A faint older discoloration was visible near his shoulder.
“This did not happen tonight.”
Victor slowly looked toward Serena.
She crossed her arms.
“Toddlers bruise themselves constantly.”
Dr. Hale did not answer.
Instead, Lily spoke.
“There are more.”
Victor turned.
“What?”
Lily looked toward the second floor.
“I started keeping records.”
Serena suddenly went pale.
Victor noticed.
“What records?”
Lily struggled to stand.
“Every unexplained mark.”
“Every strange accident.”
“Every time a camera mysteriously stopped working.”
Victor stared at her.
“Where are they?”
Lily pointed upstairs.
“Inside Ethan’s nursery.”
Serena immediately moved toward the staircase.
Victor stepped directly into her path.
For the first time that night, fear appeared clearly in her eyes.
And Victor understood something terrifying.
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Serena was not afraid of what they had already found.
She was afraid of what was still upstairs.
