Chapter 2: The Secret Dad Left Behind
Amanda didn’t move.
She just stared at the little black device in my hand.
The angry look on her face disappeared.
For a moment, she looked like she had forgotten how to breathe.
“What is that?”” she whispered.
I held it tightly.
“I don’t know.””
That wasn’t exactly true.
Dad had explained some of it.
Not everything.
He told me it was important.
He told me never to show it unless I felt something was wrong.
I didn’t understand why a seven-year-old needed something like that.
But Dad’s voice sounded serious.
And I trusted him.
Amanda slowly walked closer.
“Give that to me.””
I stepped backward.
“No.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“Ethan, don’t make this difficult.””
I looked toward Lily.
She was standing near the hallway, watching everything.
For the first time, I noticed something strange.
Amanda wasn’t angry anymore.
She was nervous.
“Why do you have that?”” she asked.
I didn’t answer.
Because I remembered Dad’s warning.
“Some people will act differently when they think nobody is watching.””
At the time, I thought he was talking about strangers.
I never imagined he meant someone living inside our house.
Amanda forced a smile.
“Sweetheart, your father probably gave you that because he wanted you to feel special.””
She reached out her hand.
“Now give it to me.””
I held it tighter.
“No.””
Her smile disappeared.
“Ethan.””
Lily stepped forward.
“Mom, why are you scared?””
Amanda looked at her.
“I’m not scared.””
“You are.””
“Go upstairs.””
“But—”
“Now.””
Lily didn’t move.
She looked at me instead.
I could see she was confused.
She was only six.
She didn’t understand why helping me had suddenly made everything worse.
I quietly whispered:
“Go, Lily.””
Her eyes filled with worry.
“But Ethan…”
“I’m okay.””
She didn’t believe me.
But she slowly walked upstairs.
The second she disappeared, Amanda’s voice changed.
“You need to understand something.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“This house has rules.””
I stayed silent.
“And one of those rules is not pretending you have power over me.””
“I don’t.””
“Then why are you holding that?””
I looked down at the device.
“I don’t know.””
That seemed to bother her more.
She walked toward the kitchen counter.
“Your father fills your head with nonsense.””
“He doesn’t.””
She laughed softly.
“You’re seven years old, Ethan. You don’t understand adults.””
I hated that sentence.
Adults always said that when they didn’t want kids to know the truth.
That evening, Amanda didn’t make dinner.
She ordered pizza for herself and Lily.
When I walked into the kitchen, she didn’t even look surprised.
“There are leftovers from lunch.””
I looked at the refrigerator.
The chicken was gone.
The pizza box was open on the counter.
I swallowed.
“I’m hungry.””
Amanda shrugged.
“Then eat the noodles.””
I stood there quietly.
Then Lily appeared at the doorway.
She was holding a blanket.
“Mom, can Ethan have some pizza?””
Amanda looked at her.
“No.””
“But—”
“Lily.””
My little sister stopped.
I saw her eyes move toward me.
Then she walked over and placed something in my hand.
A small piece of pizza she had hidden.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Amanda saw it.
Her expression changed.
“You disobeyed me?””
Lily hugged herself.
“I just wanted him to eat.””
Amanda opened her mouth to answer.
But suddenly, the device in my hand made a tiny sound.
A soft beep.
Amanda stopped talking.
Her eyes dropped to it.
“What did that do?””
I looked at the blinking light.
I had never seen it react before.
Then another sound came.
A faint signal.
And on Amanda’s face, I saw something I had never seen before.
Panic.
She slowly whispered:
“Where did your father get that?””
I didn’t know the answer.
But before I could say anything, the front door opened.
A man’s voice came from the hallway.
“Ethan?””
My heart jumped.
“Dad?””
I ran toward the door.
But when I reached it, I stopped.
Because Dad wasn’t alone.
Standing beside him was someone I had never seen before.
May you like
And the moment Amanda saw that person…
she turned completely pale.
