Chapter 7: The Camera Behind The Wall
For several seconds, I couldn’t hear anything.
Not Vanessa.
Not the traffic outside.
Not even my own breathing.
All I could think about was one sentence.
The camera you don’t know I installed in Lily’s room.
My daughter’s bedroom.
The one place where a child should be completely safe.
I looked at Vanessa.
“When?””
She avoided my eyes.
“When did you put a camera in her room?””
“Michael…”
“When?””
My voice was louder this time.
She flinched.
“About five months ago.””
Five months.
Five months of my daughter sleeping, crying, changing clothes, and whispering her fears while someone watched.
I felt sick.
“You recorded my child?””
“It wasn’t like that.””
“Then what was it like?””
“I was worried.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You were monitoring her.””
Vanessa stood up.
“She was lying to you.””
“She was six.””
“She knew exactly what she was doing.””
I stared at her.
The more she spoke, the more I realized she had built an entire world where my daughter was the enemy.
A child.
Her enemy.
“Where is the camera?””
She hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
I walked toward the corner of the room.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Michael, don’t.””
I looked around.
A small night light.
A bookshelf.
A stuffed animal.
Then I saw it.
A tiny black circle hidden inside the smoke detector.
My stomach dropped.
I reached up and pulled it down.
Lily’s favorite stuffed rabbit was sitting on the bed below me.
I imagined her sleeping there.
Talking to herself.
Missing me.
Thinking she was alone.
But she wasn’t.
She had been watched.
I turned around.
“Why?””
Vanessa looked frustrated.
“Because I needed to know what she was doing.””
“You needed to spy on a child?””
“She was stealing.””
“What did she steal?””
Her eyes moved to the necklace on the video screen.
“That.””
I looked down.
The necklace.
The one my father gave me before he died.
The one I lost after Lily’s birthday.
“You’re telling me this is why?””
“She took something valuable.””
I closed my eyes.
Then I remembered the video.
Lily wasn’t hiding.
She was holding the necklace like it meant something.
“Why did she have it?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
“Why?””
“She found it.””
“Where?””
Silence.
I walked closer.
“Where did she find my necklace?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“In my room.””
My eyes narrowed.
“What was it doing there?””
She looked away.
And suddenly, I understood.
The necklace wasn’t the beginning of the story.
It was another piece of it.
“Vanessa.””
She said nothing.
“Why was my necklace in your room?””
Her expression changed.
A tiny crack appeared.
“I found it.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You didn’t.””
She looked angry now.
“You’re accusing me?””
“I’m asking questions.””
“No, you’re looking for reasons to hate me.””
I almost laughed.
“Hate you?””
I pointed toward the camera.
“You put a camera in my daughter’s room.””
She went quiet.
Then a small voice came from the doorway.
“Daddy?””
I turned.
Lily was standing there.
Her eyes were fixed on the camera in my hand.
She looked terrified.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
“How long did you know?”” I asked softly.
She looked down.
“About the camera?””
She nodded.
My chest tightened.
“You knew?””
“I saw Vanessa put it there.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
She played with the sleeve of her shirt.
“Because she said you would think I was lying.””
I crouched.
“Lily, listen to me.””
She looked at me.
“You can always tell me the truth.””
She whispered:
“She said if I told you, she would show you the videos.””
My blood went cold.
“What videos?””
Lily’s eyes filled with tears.
“The ones where I cry.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“You threatened her.””
“No.””
“She was afraid of you.””
“I was trying to discipline her.””
I stood.
“No child should be afraid of the person taking care of them.””
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
Not fear.
Panic.
She answered.
“Hello?””
A few seconds passed.
Then her face went completely pale.
“What?””
She turned away from us.
“No, that’s impossible.””
I watched her carefully.
“Who was that?””
She hung up.
Nobody spoke.
Then she looked at me.
“The police.””
My heart stopped.
“Why would the police call you?””
Her lips trembled.
“They found something.””
“What?””
She looked at Lily.
Then back at me.
“They said there’s a report connected to this house.””
I stepped forward.
“What report?””
Vanessa’s voice dropped.
“One that was filed six months ago.””
I looked at Lily.
Six months ago.
Right around the time all of this started.
May you like
Then Vanessa said the words that changed everything.
“They said the report was made by someone inside this family.””
