Chapter 5: The Hidden Camera
I stared at the message until the words blurred.
Michael noticed my expression.
“What is it?””
I didn’t answer.
I handed him my phone.
He read it once.
Then again.
His face tightened.
“Who sent this?””
“I don’t know.””
He looked at the number.
“No caller ID.””
I felt a familiar fear crawling back into my chest.
Patricia had recorded me.
She had edited the video.
She had tried to make me look like a monster.
But now someone was saying there was more.
Someone else had been watching.
Michael walked through the house slowly.
Checking corners.
Checking rooms.
“What are you doing?””
“Looking.””
“For what?””
“A camera.””
The word sounded ridiculous.
Until it didn’t.
Because after everything Patricia had done, nothing felt impossible anymore.
I followed him upstairs.
Noah was still sleeping.
His little stuffed bear was tucked beside him.
The sight almost broke me.
This was supposed to be his safe place.
Our home.
Not a place where someone secretly watched us.
Michael checked the nursery carefully.
Behind the bookshelf.
Near the window.
Inside the decorations.
Then he stopped.
“What?””
He didn’t answer.
He was staring at a small wooden picture frame sitting on the dresser.
A frame Patricia had given us after Noah was born.
“She brought this,” Michael said.
My stomach dropped.
“Take it down.””
He picked it up.
The back looked normal.
Until he noticed a tiny opening.
A hole.
Small.
Almost invisible.
Michael’s face changed.
“No.””
He turned it around.
There was a tiny camera lens hidden inside.
I covered my mouth.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak.
Someone had been watching our baby’s room.
Someone had been watching us.
Michael immediately grabbed the frame and carried it downstairs.
He placed it on the table.
Then he called Patricia.
She answered on the third ring.
“What?””
Michael’s voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Mom, why is there a camera in Noah’s room?””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then Patricia said:
“What camera?””
My hands shook.
Michael looked at me.
“You know exactly what camera.””
Another pause.
Then Patricia laughed.
A small, cold laugh.
“Oh.””
My skin went cold.
“Oh?””
“Yes.””
She sounded almost relieved.
“I wondered when you would find it.””
Michael’s face hardened.
“You admit you put it there?””
“Of course I did.””
“Why?””
“To protect my grandson.””
I almost shouted.
“Protect him?””
Patricia ignored me.
“Someone had to make sure he was safe.””
Michael looked disgusted.
“You filmed us without permission.””
“I’m family.””
“That doesn’t give you the right.””
Patricia’s voice became sharper.
“And if you had watched the footage, you would understand why I did it.””
Michael went quiet.
“What does that mean?””
I felt uneasy.
Because Patricia sounded confident again.
Like she had another weapon.
“You really want to know?”” she asked.
Michael gripped the phone.
“Yes.””
“Fine.””
A pause.
Then Patricia said:
“Watch the footage from three nights ago.””
Michael frowned.
“Why?””
“Because you’ll see what Sarah did when you weren’t home.””
My heart stopped.
“What are you talking about?””
Patricia didn’t answer me.
She only said:
“Goodbye, Michael.””
Then she hung up.
The room was silent.
Michael looked at me.
May you like
And for the first time since this nightmare began…
I saw doubt in his eyes again.
