Chapter 3 - The Missing Camera
The nursery camera disappeared on a Tuesday.
Daniel noticed because his phone stopped receiving notifications.
He was in a meeting downtown when he opened the baby monitor application and saw a gray screen.
Camera unavailable.
He texted Vanessa.
Camera down?
She answered almost immediately.
I unplugged it. It keeps disconnecting and making noises.
Daniel replied with a thumbs-up.
That was all.
Ethan discovered the unplugged camera that afternoon.
He found Vanessa standing on a chair beneath it.
"What are you doing?"
She looked down.
"None of your business."
"That's Noah's camera."
"I know what it is."
She removed the device from the wall bracket.
Ethan watched her place it inside a drawer.
"Why?"
"Because I'm his mother."
"That doesn't answer anything."
Vanessa stepped down.
"Go downstairs."
"No."
Her eyes changed.
Ethan had learned to recognize the moment irritation became danger.
He backed toward the door.
"Fine."
Vanessa followed.
"Give me your phone."
"What?"
"Your phone."
"Why?"
"Because you're acting suspicious."
Ethan laughed without humor.
"You're taking down a camera and I'm suspicious?"
Vanessa grabbed for his pocket.
Ethan moved away.
She caught his sleeve.
"Give it to me."
"No."
Noah woke and started crying.
Ethan glanced toward the crib.
Vanessa used the distraction to snatch the phone from his hand.
"Hey."
She unlocked it.
Ethan froze.
His password had not changed in years.
Daniel knew it.
Vanessa apparently did too.
She opened the gallery.
"What are you doing?"
Then she found the photograph of his wrist.
Her face went still.
Ethan lunged for the phone.
She pulled it back.
"So this is what you're doing."
"Give it back."
"Collecting evidence?"
"You hurt me."
"I grabbed you."
"You left marks."
Vanessa deleted the photograph.
Then she opened the recently deleted folder and removed it there too.
Ethan's stomach dropped.
"You're insane."
She slapped him.
Not hard.
Not like later.
But hard enough to turn his face.
Silence filled the room.
Vanessa seemed surprised by herself.
Ethan touched his cheek.
Noah cried behind them.
The sound sharpened the moment.
Vanessa handed the phone back.
"Tell your father."
Ethan stared at her.
"Go ahead."
She stepped close.
"Tell him I slapped you after you called me insane."
"I'll tell him everything."
"And I'll tell him you grabbed me first."
"I didn't."
"Who will he believe?"
Ethan said nothing.
Vanessa smiled.
"Exactly."
That evening Daniel came home carrying takeout.
Vanessa kissed him by the door.
Ethan stayed upstairs.
At dinner Daniel looked at the empty chair.
"Where is he?"
"Moody."
Daniel frowned.
"Again?"
Vanessa opened a container.
"He's struggling with the baby."
"What do you mean?"
"He wants attention."
Daniel stopped.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"I didn't want to say anything, but he's been angry."
"At Noah?"
"I don't know."
Daniel's expression changed.
"Has he done something?"
"No. Not exactly."
That hesitation was calculated perfectly.
Daniel pushed his chair back.
"I'll talk to him."
Vanessa caught his hand.
"Don't accuse him. He's still your son."
The sentence made Daniel grateful to her.
That was what frightened Ethan later when he overheard it.
Vanessa was not merely lying.
She was building a version of him.
Jealous.
Unstable.
Resentful.
And Daniel was helping her without realizing it.
When Daniel entered Ethan's bedroom, he found his son lying on the bed.
"Hey."
Ethan did not answer.
Daniel sat.
"You okay?"
"Fine."
"Vanessa says you're having trouble with Noah being here."
Ethan turned slowly.
"What?"
"Nobody's blaming you."
"She said that?"
"She thinks you might feel replaced."
Ethan sat up.
"I protect him."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Daniel frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Ethan looked toward the hallway.
Vanessa's shadow passed beneath the door.
"Nothing."
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.
"I need you to try, Ethan."
"Try what?"
"Just make this easier."
The words settled heavily.
Make this easier.
Ethan nodded.
After Daniel left, he opened his laptop.
He created a new email address Vanessa did not know.
Then he uploaded every photograph he still had.
The marks on his wrist were gone.
But he had learned the lesson.
May you like
Evidence could not stay on his phone.
From that night forward, everything important would be stored somewhere Vanessa could not reach.
