Chapter 4 - The Man Behind the Door
The faint creak outside the bedroom lasted only a second.
Daniel turned instantly.
The hallway was empty.
Only silence greeted him.
Lily lowered her voice. "Someone listens whenever I talk."
Daniel walked into the corridor, but whoever had been standing there had already disappeared. At the far end of the hallway, he noticed a small security camera mounted near the ceiling. It hadn't been there fifteen years ago.
He frowned.
"Who installed those cameras?"
Lily hesitated.
"Aunt Rebecca said they were for safety."
"Do they record every room?"
She slowly nodded.
"Except... except the master bedroom."
Daniel looked back toward Lily's tiny room. A camera faced directly toward her door, watching every movement in and out.
His jaw tightened.
Without saying another word, he returned inside and closed the door.
Lily instinctively looked nervous.
"We're not supposed to close it."
"Why not?"
"They said closed doors hide secrets."
Daniel looked around carefully.
The room appeared empty, but years of working on secure industrial sites had trained him to notice details others ignored.
Near the smoke detector...
A tiny blinking light.
Not a smoke detector.
A hidden camera.
Daniel quietly removed his jacket and casually hung it over the device.
The blinking light disappeared.
Lily's eyes widened.
"You'll get in trouble."
"I've been in worse trouble."
For the first time since recognizing him...
The corners of Lily's mouth moved slightly.
Not quite a smile.
But close.
Daniel sat beside the narrow bed.
"Tell me the truth."
"No one else can hear us now."
Lily stared at the floor.
Minutes passed before she whispered,
May you like
"I don't know where to begin."
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