Eva's point of view I stood in the kitchen pretending everything was normal. My hands shook as I packed lunch boxes with sandwiches cut into perfect shapes, fruit arranged in colorful patterns, and cookies baked fresh the night before, as if these everyday acts could somehow shield my children fro
Camille's point of view By the time I reached the security command center in the east wing of our home, Max had already arrived with the children. All four sat in the adjacent room, snacking on cookies while watching a movie, seemingly unaware of the real reason for their early departure from scho
"Mom, you're squeezing my hand too tight," James complained as we hurried along. "Sorry, sweetie," I loosened my grip slightly, scanning every shadow, every doorway as we moved. Sara met us halfway, her face tense. "I'll take them the rest of the way," she offered, reading my expression. "Josh is
"Pizza sounds wonderful," I managed, sitting down beside them. "Who's winning?" "James, as usual," Sam grumbled. "He always wins the strategy games." I caught Sara's questioning gaze and shook my head slightly, not now, not in front of the children. She nodded in understanding. The safe room door
Victoria adjusted face mask one last time before entering Westmount Academy. The mask covered her scars extending high enough to meet the large sunglasses that hid her eyes. Her backstory was simple and impossible to verify immediately, laryngeal surgery requiring her to wear a mask and limit speaki
"Is your house like a castle?" the other girl asked. "Kind of. It has lots of rooms and guards everywhere. Even when we go to the lake house, the guards come too. It's annoying because they follow us everywhere." Victoria whispered softly, "That sounds like quite an adventure. Do you like having g
"That's wonderful, sweetheart," Eva replied, helping Mia into her coat. "Ms. Rivers said maybe she could come give me private lessons like Miss Taylor does," Mia continued. "Can she, Mommy? Please?" Eva smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Well, we'd need to check her credentials first, but that
Max and Josh stood in the hallway outside Mia's bedroom, their voices low as they discussed the disturbing discovery about "Ms. Rivers." "The security team verified it," Josh said grimly. "The real substitute teacher was sent on a wild goose chase with a fake family emergency. Whoever this 'Ms. Riv
"Is that why you and Uncle Josh and Aunt Sara looked so worried when I told you what we talked about?" Eva hugged Mia closer. "Yes, sweetheart. We were concerned because those are things we keep private to keep our family safe." Mia's brow furrowed in the way it always did when she was processing
Eva shook her head. "I can't sleep. Not knowing she was that close to Mia. Not knowing what else she might be planning." "That's exactly why you need to rest," Max insisted gently. "We need to be at our best right now. Most alert. Most prepared." Eva leaned against him, and he could feel the sligh
Max and Josh stood in the hallway outside Mia's bedroom, their voices low as they discussed the disturbing discovery about "Ms. Rivers." "The security team verified it," Josh said grimly. "The real substitute teacher was sent on a wild goose chase with a fake family emergency. Whoever this 'Ms. Riv
"That's wonderful, sweetheart," Eva replied, helping Mia into her coat. "Ms. Rivers said maybe she could come give me private lessons like Miss Taylor does," Mia continued. "Can she, Mommy? Please?" Eva smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Well, we'd need to check her credentials first, but that
"Is your house like a castle?" the other girl asked. "Kind of. It has lots of rooms and guards everywhere. Even when we go to the lake house, the guards come too. It's annoying because they follow us everywhere." Victoria whispered softly, "That sounds like quite an adventure. Do you like having g
Victoria adjusted face mask one last time before entering Westmount Academy. The mask covered her scars extending high enough to meet the large sunglasses that hid her eyes. Her backstory was simple and impossible to verify immediately, laryngeal surgery requiring her to wear a mask and limit speaki
"Pizza sounds wonderful," I managed, sitting down beside them. "Who's winning?" "James, as usual," Sam grumbled. "He always wins the strategy games." I caught Sara's questioning gaze and shook my head slightly, not now, not in front of the children. She nodded in understanding. The safe room door
"Mom, you're squeezing my hand too tight," James complained as we hurried along. "Sorry, sweetie," I loosened my grip slightly, scanning every shadow, every doorway as we moved. Sara met us halfway, her face tense. "I'll take them the rest of the way," she offered, reading my expression. "Josh is
Camille's point of view By the time I reached the security command center in the east wing of our home, Max had already arrived with the children. All four sat in the adjacent room, snacking on cookies while watching a movie, seemingly unaware of the real reason for their early departure from scho