Chapter 4 - The Silent Guard
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At 2:00 AM, the Caldwell estate was wrapped in absolute darkness.
Ethan sat in his study on the main floor, staring at the lit screen of his laptop. On the desk beside him sat two cups of cold black coffee.
He pulled up the digital logs for the home's security system.
The Caldwell mansion was equipped with high-end motion sensors and exterior cameras, but Ethan had always maintained a strict privacy policy regarding internal rooms. There were no cameras in the bedrooms, the nursery, or the bathrooms.
Claire had specifically requested that when they moved in after their wedding.
"A home should feel like a sanctuary, Ethan, not an interrogation room," she had argued sweetly at the time.
Ethan leaned back in his leather chair, a cold sweat breaking over his neck.
He opened his personal email and typed a quick message to Marcus Vance, the head of corporate security at Caldwell Horizon.
Subject: Private Installation.
Need unmonitored interior audio and visual feeds set up in the main estate by noon tomorrow. Do not use company contractors. Use off-grid equipment.
Marcus replied within three minutes: Consider it done, boss. I'll arrive with a crew at 7:00 AM under the guise of an HVAC system upgrade.
Ethan closed his laptop and rubbed his tired eyes.
A soft knock sounded at the heavy oak door of the study.
Claire stood in the doorway, wearing a sweeping silk robe. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders in perfect waves, and her smile was soft, almost sorrowful.
"Ethan?" she said gently, stepping into the room. "Why are you sitting in the dark? You have an early flight to New York tomorrow for the board meeting."
Ethan looked up at her. For the first time, he noticed how perfectly calculated her posture was.
"I cancelled the flight," Ethan said flatly.
Claire paused, her eyes flickering slightly. "You cancelled? But the merger deal—"
"My daughter has second-degree burns on her arms, Claire," Ethan said, keeping his voice strictly neutral. "The merger can wait."
Claire walked over, placing a soft, warm hand on his shoulder. "Ethan, darling... I know you're upset. I feel terrible about what happened in the bathroom. I blame myself for leaving the room for even five seconds."
Ethan looked down at her hand on his shoulder.
"She said you told her good girls don't complain," Ethan murmured.
Claire sighed, shaking her head. "Oh, Ethan... you know how Maddie twists things when she's trying to get attention. She's been struggling ever since we started setting boundaries for her."
"Boundaries?" Ethan repeated carefully.
May you like
"She misses Emma," Claire said softly, her voice dripping with sympathy. "And when you're gone, she acts out. I didn't want to stress you with the details while you were managing the company, but she lies, Ethan. She lies a lot."
Ethan stared at his wife. The air in the room felt suddenly razor-thin.
