Chapter 8: The Enemy Inside the House
The message remained on Ethan’s screen.
Nobody spoke.
The darkness around them felt alive.
The only light came from the phone in Ethan’s hand.
Richard stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Ethan didn’t answer.
Sophia saw his expression.
“What did it say?””
He looked at her.
For a second, he wanted to hide it.
Protect her.
That instinct was still there.
Even after everything.
But then he remembered the camera footage.
The smile.
The lies.
The secrets.
He handed her the phone.
Sophia read the message.
Her face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Ethan noticed immediately.
“You know who sent it.””
Sophia looked up.
“No.””
“You do.””
“No.””
“Then why did you look scared before you even finished reading?””
She didn’t answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Sophia.””
She looked at him.
“I said no.””
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“You’re making this worse.””
Ethan looked between them.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Before anyone could answer, a loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Richard immediately looked toward the staircase.
“Lily.””
He moved first.
The others followed.
They rushed upstairs.
Ethan reached his daughter’s room and pushed the door open.
“Lily!””
The room was empty.
The window was open.
The curtains moved in the cold night air.
Ethan’s heart stopped.
“No.””
He ran to the window.
Below, the backyard was empty.
“Lily!””
Richard checked the closet.
Nothing.
Sophia stood in the doorway.
Her face was pale.
“I don’t understand.””
Ethan turned.
“You said you were protecting her.””
Sophia looked hurt.
“I was.””
“Then where is she?””
The question destroyed her.
Because she didn’t have an answer.
Daniel walked toward the window.
He examined the frame.
Then looked down.
“Someone came from outside.””
Richard shook his head.
“That’s impossible. The security system would have alerted us.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Unless someone disabled it.””
Everyone went silent.
Ethan slowly turned.
The same thought entered everyone’s mind.
Someone inside the house.
Someone who knew the system.
Someone close.
Sophia whispered:
“No.””
Ethan looked at her.
“What?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“What?””
Her voice trembled.
“There’s only one person who knows every security code.””
Richard’s face changed.
“Who?””
Sophia looked at him.
“You.””
The accusation landed instantly.
Ethan stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Sophia stared.
“I’m just saying—”
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“Not again.””
Richard looked wounded.
But Ethan continued.
“I’m done watching everyone accuse each other.””
He looked at his father.
“I need my daughter.””
Then he looked at Sophia.
“And I need the truth.””
A sound came from downstairs.
A phone ringing.
Everyone stopped.
It wasn’t Ethan’s.
It wasn’t Sophia’s.
It was coming from the living room.
They rushed down.
A small black phone sat on the table.
Nobody recognized it.
Richard stared.
“That wasn’t there before.””
Daniel slowly walked toward it.
“Don’t touch it.””
The phone stopped ringing.
Then immediately started again.
Ethan picked it up.
“Hello?””
Silence.
Then a child’s voice.
“Daddy?””
Ethan nearly collapsed.
“Lily?””
A small cry came through the phone.
“Daddy, I’m scared.””
“Where are you?””
“I don’t know.””
“Look around, sweetheart.””
A pause.
Then Lily whispered:
“There are lots of boxes.””
Ethan’s face changed.
Boxes.
A storage room.
An old warehouse.
“Lily, listen to me. Stay calm.””
Then another voice came through.
An adult.
A woman.
“Ethan.””
Everyone froze.
Because they recognized the voice.
Sophia.
But she was standing right beside him.
Ethan slowly looked at his wife.
The phone continued.
“You should have listened.””
Sophia whispered:
“That’s not me.””
The voice on the phone laughed.
“No, Ethan.””
A pause.
Then:
“But she knows who I am.””
Sophia stepped backward.
Her face turned completely white.
“Impossible.””
Ethan looked at her.
“Who is she?””
Sophia couldn’t speak.
The woman on the phone answered for her.
“My name is Claire.””
Daniel’s face changed.
Richard looked horrified.
Ethan noticed.
“You know her.””
Richard whispered:
“No.””
But his voice betrayed him.
The woman laughed.
“Tell him, Richard.””
The phone crackled.
“Tell your son who I really am.””
Richard closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“Claire was your mother’s sister.””
Ethan froze.
“My aunt?””
“Yes.””
The voice on the phone became colder.
May you like
“And I’m the reason your mother died.””
The call ended.
