Outside, the city carried on like nothing had changed. Inside the car, something delicate had cracked—something that couldn’t be ignored anymore.

Ethan sat quietly in the back seat, his small frame pressed into the leather as if he wanted to disappear. His eyes fixed on nothing in particular.

Daniel glanced at him in the rearview mirror, noticing how the boy avoided sudden movements, as if even the air itself could hurt him.

He wanted to say something—offer reassurance, make a promise—but words felt dangerous now, like stepping onto thin ice that might give way at any moment.

Instead, he cleared his throat softly and asked, almost like it was nothing:

“Does she ever… leave marks where people can see them?”

Ethan hesitated, then slowly shook his head, his fingers lacing together in his lap—a nervous habit Daniel had never noticed before.

“He says… it has to be where no one can see,” the boy whispered, barely louder than the hum of the engine.

The words lingered heavily in the air, carrying a quiet cruelty that made Daniel tighten his grip on the wheel.

They reached the gates of the estate—tall, imposing, the kind meant to promise safety to outsiders and silence to those within.

Daniel slowed the car, his foot hovering over the brake, as if stopping meant stepping into something he couldn’t undo.

Ethan noticed and broke the silence.

“Mr. Daniel… are you mad at me?”

The question struck harder than expected. Daniel quickly shook his head, forcing steadiness into his voice.

“No, not at all,” he said, though anger was building inside him—just not directed at the boy.

The gates opened automatically, smooth and silent, as if nothing inside those walls could ever be questioned.

Daniel drove in slowly, scanning the familiar surroundings that suddenly felt foreign, every corner carrying a new, unsettling weight.

The house stood ahead, flawless, sunlight reflecting off polished surfaces—a perfect image crafted for the outside world.

Ethan shifted slightly, shoulders tightening as they got closer. It was subtle, but now it felt like a warning.

They stopped at the entrance, neither moving for a moment, as if both understood that stepping out meant returning to an unspoken agreement.

Daniel turned off the engine. The silence made Ethan’s shallow breathing more noticeable.

“Do you want me to walk you in?” Daniel asked, even though he already suspected the answer.