Chapter 2: The Secrets Behind the Cameras
The hospital room was too quiet.
Victor Blackwood hated quiet.
Silence usually meant someone was hiding something.
And right now, everyone was hiding something.
Ethan slept in the small hospital bed, his injured arm carefully supported.
The doctors had confirmed a fracture.
A tiny bone.
A tiny child.
A mistake that could never be undone.
Victor stood beside the window, staring at the city lights below.
Marco entered quietly.
“Sir.””
Victor didn’t turn.
“Tell me everything.””
Marco hesitated.
“About Serena?””
“About my house.””
That answer made Marco pause.
Because Victor wasn’t asking about one incident.
He was asking about every moment he had missed.
“The camera system shows several interruptions over the last three months.””
“How many?””
“Twenty-seven.””
Victor finally turned.
“Twenty-seven?””
“Yes.””
“Why wasn’t I told?””
Marco looked uncomfortable.
“Because the system reported them as technical failures.””
Victor walked closer.
“And now?””
“Now we know someone manually disabled them.””
The room went cold.
Victor looked back at Ethan.
“How long?””
“We’re investigating.””
“That wasn’t my question.””
Marco lowered his voice.
“Possibly months.””
Victor closed his eyes.
Months.
Months of trusting the wrong person.
Months of leaving his son alone.
Months of believing his mansion was safe.
A nurse entered.
“Mr. Blackwood?””
Victor turned.
“Yes?””
“Your son woke up.””
He immediately moved.
Ethan looked small beneath the blankets.
“Daddy.””
Victor sat beside him.
“I’m here.””
The little boy reached for his hand.
Victor held it carefully.
“I’m sorry.””
The words surprised even him.
He rarely apologized.
Not because he was arrogant.
Because Victor Blackwood had spent his entire life believing emotions made people vulnerable.
But looking at his son, he understood something.
Ignoring danger didn’t make him strong.
It made him careless.
Later that night, Lily arrived at the hospital.
She had refused to leave.
Even with her own injuries.
Victor found her sitting in the hallway.
“You should be resting.””
She looked up.
“I’m fine.””
“You were kicked.””
She looked away.
“That doesn’t matter.””
“It matters to me.””
The words surprised both of them.
Lily studied his face.
“Mr. Blackwood…”
“Victor.””
She hesitated.
“Victor.””
He sat across from her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Lily’s eyes filled with anger.
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Three weeks ago.””
Victor froze.
“What?””
“I sent an email.””
He immediately looked at Marco.
Marco checked his phone.
Then his expression changed.
“Sir…”
“What?””
“The email was deleted.””
Victor stood.
“By who?””
Marco didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Everyone knew.
The next morning, Victor returned to the mansion.
But he didn’t enter through the front door.
He entered through the security room.
He wanted answers.
The staff gathered nervously.
The house that once felt luxurious now felt like a crime scene.
Victor looked at the employees.
“If anyone knows something, today is the day you speak.””
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then the elderly housekeeper, Mrs. Evelyn Hayes, stepped forward.
“I do.””
Victor looked at her.
“You were afraid.””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her hands tightened around her apron.
“Because Serena told us what would happen if we talked.””
Victor’s voice became colder.
“What did she say?””
Mrs. Hayes looked down.
“She said your son belonged to her.””
A silence followed.
Victor’s expression changed.
“She said that?””
“Yes.””
“And nobody stopped her?””
Mrs. Hayes started crying.
“We tried.””
Victor looked at her.
“What happened?””
The woman whispered:
“She made sure we couldn’t.””
Before Victor could ask more, Marco entered.
“Sir.””
Victor turned.
“We found something.””
Marco held a folder.
Inside were printed photographs.
Victor opened it.
And his blood went cold.
The pictures showed Ethan alone.
Crying.
Standing outside a locked nursery door.
The timestamps were from nights when Victor was traveling.
But the final picture was different.
Because Ethan wasn’t alone.
Serena was standing behind him.
Holding something in her hand.
Victor looked closer.
“What is that?””
Marco’s voice was low.
“A second recorder.””
Victor stared.
“Where did you find it?””
Marco hesitated.
“In Serena’s room.””
Victor opened the folder.
There was a note attached.
Only six words.
*You never knew your own house.*
Then Victor’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A woman’s terrified voice whispered:
“Mr. Blackwood…”
“Who is this?””
A pause.
Then:
“I know what Serena did before she came here.””
Victor tightened his grip.
“Tell me.””
The woman whispered:
“She didn’t marry you for money.””
A long silence.
May you like
“She married you because of Ethan.””
Then the call ended.
