A father opened the old doghouse in the backyard and found his seven-year-old daughter holding her little brother tightly in her arms.

Alejandro locked the study door.

Outside, Fernanda continued knocking.

"Open this door right now."

He ignored her.

Instead, he sat down at his desk and opened the security system.

The cameras covered almost every corner of the property.

For months, he had rarely checked them.

Why would he?

He trusted his wife.

At least he thought he did.

Lucía sat quietly beside Diego on the couch while Alejandro rewound the footage.

The first few hours showed nothing unusual.

Then he selected the backyard camera.

His heart stopped.

The video showed Fernanda leading the children outside shortly after lunch.

At first, everything appeared normal.

Then Fernanda pointed toward the old doghouse.

Diego hesitated.

Lucía shook her head.

Fernanda crouched in front of them.

She smiled.

But even through the silent footage, Alejandro could see something unsettling in the way she spoke.

Reluctantly, the children climbed inside.

Then Fernanda stood up.

Looked around.

Walked to the door.

And locked it.

Not by accident.

Not for a second.

She locked it deliberately.

Then she walked away.

Alejandro stared at the screen in disbelief.

But the worst part came later.

An hour passed.

The camera showed Lucía knocking from inside.

The tiny door shook repeatedly.

Fernanda stepped outside.

She approached the doghouse.

For one brief moment Alejandro hoped she was about to let them out.

Instead she leaned down and spoke through the door.

Then she turned around and walked back into the house.

Leaving them there.

Again.

And again.

For nearly five hours.

Alejandro felt physically sick.

Behind him, Lucía whispered quietly.

"That's when she told us you didn't want to see us anymore."

The room became silent.

Alejandro slowly turned toward his daughter.

Her eyes immediately dropped to the floor.

As if she expected him not to believe her.

That realization hurt more than anything.

He crossed the room and wrapped both children in his arms.

"I'm so sorry."

Lucía began crying.

Not loudly.

Just the quiet tears of a child who had been carrying fear for too long.

For the first time since Mariana's death, Alejandro realized he had failed to see what was happening right in front of him.

And downstairs, Fernanda was still demanding to be let inside.

But everything had changed.