Chapter 118

LORRAINE'S POV

Later that week, I managed to get a job as a receptionist at a small office downtown. The pay wasn’t great, and the hours were long, but it was better than nothing.

My first paycheck went straight to getting new clothes for the boys. Seeing their smiles when they put on their new outfits made all the exhaustion worth it.

Something strange was going on in the mansion next door. I kept hearing strange noises coming from there, like someone crying and calling out for help. I ignored it most of the time but lately, it was becoming more disturbing.

Every evening, as I prepared dinner, I heard it—it sounded like something, or someone, being beaten.

I felt goosebumps down my arms every time the noises started, but I tried to push it out of my mind, focusing on the things I had to do.

One evening, as I was stirring a pot of stew, the sounds became louder.

"Mom, what's that?" Alex asked me.

He seemed bothered by the noise. Even Aiden looked worried. It meant I wasn't bein