Chapter 4 - The Missing Recording)
At seven the next morning, Claire opened the security application.
The kitchen camera appeared.
She selected the previous week.
Nothing.
No recording.
She checked the settings.
Video history unavailable.
Claire frowned.
Mark entered behind her.
"What are you doing?"
She closed the application too quickly.
"Checking the camera."
"Why?"
"I heard something last night."
Mark walked to the pantry.
"Probably the ice maker."
"Probably."
He glanced at the small camera mounted near the ceiling.
"Battery might be dead."
Claire's heart beat faster.
"How long does it save footage?"
"Thirty days."
He looked at her.
"Why?"
"No reason."
Mark stepped closer.
"You've asked me three weird questions before breakfast."
She forced a smile.
"New-mom brain."
He did not smile back.
"Claire."
Noah began crying from upstairs.
She escaped.
By noon, Claire had checked Mark's laptop, the cloud account, and the local storage device in his office.
The footage was gone.
She called Evan.
"Did you delete it?"
"No."
"Don't lie."
"I didn't."
"You're the only person who knew."
"Mark knew."
"Obviously."
"Maybe he deleted it."
"Why would he?"
Evan was quiet.
Then he said, "Maybe because he has something to hide too."
Claire hung up.
She hated him for planting the thought.
She hated herself more because it stayed.
That afternoon Robert visited.
Claire's father arrived carrying groceries and complaining about traffic.
He kissed Noah's forehead.
"Still ugly."
Claire laughed.
"Dad."
"All babies are ugly for three months."
"You said I was beautiful."
"You were my daughter. I had to."
Robert was easier around Noah.
The hard edges disappeared.
Claire watched him hold the baby.
Her guilt returned.
He trusted Mark.
He trusted Claire.
He even trusted Evan more than he should.
"Dad."
Robert looked up.
"What?"
"How is the company?"
"Busy."
"Any problems?"
"Always."
"Financial?"
He frowned.
"Why?"
"Nothing."
Robert studied her.
"You need money?"
"No."
"Does Mark?"
"No."
"Then why are you asking?"
Claire almost told him.
Instead, she said, "I worry about you."
Robert snorted.
"Worry about your own house."
She looked away.
He noticed.
"Everything good with Mark?"
"Yes."
"Claire."
She gave him the same false smile she had given her husband.
"Everything's fine."
Robert nodded slowly.
But Claire knew the look.
He did not believe her.
Three days later, the missing video appeared.
Not on Mark's system.
On Claire's email.
Anonymous sender.
No message.
One attached file.
She clicked it.
The kitchen filled the screen.
Timestamp: 10:18 p.m.
Evan entered.
Claire watched herself confront him.
She watched the argument.
The papers.
The forged signature.
The broken photograph.
Evan grabbing her wrist.
Then something she did not remember.
After Claire ran upstairs, Evan stayed in the kitchen for nearly two minutes.
He walked directly beneath the camera.
He took out his phone.
He called someone.
The microphone captured his voice.
"I tried."
Pause.
"No, she won't sign."
Pause.
"I know."
Then Evan said something that made Claire stop breathing.
"If Mark finds out about the transfer, we're both finished."
Claire replayed it.
We're both finished.
Both.
Not I am finished.
Both.
Someone else knew.
Someone else was involved.
Then the recording ended.
Claire stared at the anonymous email.
A second message arrived.
You have three days to convince Evan to pay.
Claire's hands shook.
Another message.
If not, Mark gets the full file.
Claire stood so quickly her chair fell backward.
Noah began crying.
She rushed to him.
Her phone buzzed again.
May you like
One final message.
And your father gets everything.
