Chapter 2 - The Hidden Lens
I hung up without answering. I looked back at Lily, who had fallen asleep against the white pillows of the examination bed, her tiny chest rising and falling in exhaustion.
"She's resting now," Dr. Evans said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "The physical injuries will heal within a couple of weeks, Daniel. But the emotional trauma... she’s going to need time. She keeps asking if she's in trouble."
"She’s not in trouble," I whispered, the guilt of not protecting her eating at my stomach. "I promised Claire."
While Lily slept, I pulled out my phone and accessed the smart-home security application. My parents' house was an older estate in the suburbs of Austin, but six months ago, after my father complained about package thefts, I had personally installed a high-definition, hardwired security camera system around the perimeter of their property, including the terrace and the side entryway leading to the laundry room.
I logged into the master administrator account—one my father didn't know existed, as he had only ever used the basic user app on his phone.
I scrolled the timeline back to 2:40 p.m.
The backyard feed showed the party in full swing. Lily was standing near the edge of the terrace, holding a small paper plate with a cupcake. Sophie, Rebecca’s daughter, ran past, deliberately bumping into Lily’s shoulder. The cupcake fell, staining Sophie’s expensive white party dress.
The reaction was instantaneous. Rebecca didn't just get annoyed; she lunged forward, grabbing Lily by the upper arm with enough force to lift her off her feet. The camera captured the audio with terrifying clarity: "You clumsy little orphan. Your mother is gone, and your father is spoiling you into a monster. You’re ruining my daughter’s day."
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Lily began to sob, trying to pull away. Rebecca dragged her toward the side door of the house. But what happened next wasn't on the backyard camera. They entered the side hallway—a blind spot in the main system.
Or so Rebecca thought.
