Chapter 2 - The Boys Became Sick Every Night at the Same Time—And I Discovered Someone Was Controlling the Air Inside Their BedroomsBy morning, I had made a decision.
I wasn't going to confront anyone.
Not yet.
If I was right, someone was deliberately manipulating the environment around the boys.
But suspicion wasn't proof.
I needed evidence.
At breakfast, Lucas barely touched his food.
Leo pushed his plate away.
I watched the clock.
8:15.
Their symptoms were already improving.
That was interesting.
At night, they became sick.
During the morning, they slowly recovered.
I asked Mrs. Harper what time the ventilation system switched modes.
She hesitated.
“I'm not sure.”
“Could we check?”
“Mr. Moretti handles the environmental controls.”
That wasn't an answer.
I went downstairs.
Vincent was already in his office.
He looked exhausted.
“Did you sleep?”
“Not much.”
“Neither did I.”
I closed the door.
“Your sons asked me a strange question last night.”
His face changed.
“What?”
“They asked why their rooms smell like flowers at night.”
He stared at me.
“They've said that before?”
“Yes.”
He leaned back.
“I've asked them.”
“What did you think?”
“That they were imagining it.”
“Do you still think that?”
He didn't answer.
I told him about the vent.
The device.
The smell.
His expression became increasingly serious.
“Are you saying someone is poisoning them?”
“I don't know.”
“That is a serious accusation.”
“That's why I'm not making one.”
I showed him the recording.
He listened.
Then he stood.
“Where did you get this?”
“My room.”
He walked toward the door.
“Come with me.”
We went to the security office.
Vincent reviewed the footage.
At 2:13 a.m., a maintenance worker appeared in the hallway.
He stopped outside the twins' rooms.
He stayed there for seven minutes.
Then he left.
Vincent stared at the screen.
“Who is that?”
The security manager looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Russo.”
“Why was he here?”
“He said he was checking the ventilation.”
“Who authorized him?”
Silence.
Vincent turned toward him.
“Answer me.”
“No one, sir.”
That was when Vincent understood.
Someone had accessed the boys' hallway without authorization.
And someone had lied about it.
The security manager immediately began making calls.
I watched Vincent.
He looked furious.
But beneath the anger was something else.
Fear.
“Claire.”
“Yes?”
“If you're right…”
“I know.”
“What do we do?”
“Don't tell anyone what we've discovered.”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“Because if someone is deliberately doing this, they need to believe their plan is still working.”
He stared at me.
Then nodded.
“Agreed.”
We didn't know it yet, but that decision would save the boys.
Because that afternoon, Dr. Blake arrived unexpectedly.
He asked to speak with Vincent privately.
I watched from the hallway.
Their voices were low.
Then Dr. Blake said something that made Vincent's face change.
“We need to move the boys to the clinic.”
“Why?”
“Because their condition is worsening.”
“According to whom?”
“According to me.”
Vincent looked toward the twins' rooms.
“They're better today.”
Dr. Blake's expression hardened.
“Temporary improvement doesn't mean anything.”
I stepped into the room.
“Actually, it might.”
He glared at me.
“You again.”
“The boys' symptoms seem to improve when they're away from the house.”
“That is speculation.”
“Yes.”
“And you're not qualified to make medical conclusions.”
“I agree.”
He seemed confused.
“Then why are you talking?”
“Because you're qualified to make them sick if you keep ignoring the environment.”
His face went pale.
Vincent noticed.
Dr. Blake quickly recovered.
“This is absurd.”
He turned to leave.
I watched him.
His hand was shaking.
That was the first time I became certain.
He knew something.
And if he knew something, then the mystery wasn't just inside the mansion.
It was inside the medical team too.
That evening, I placed a small strip of medical-grade detection paper near the vent.
I wasn't testing for a specific toxin.
I simply wanted to know whether something was being released.
At 2:00 a.m., the system activated.
The smell returned.
I checked the strip.
Its color had changed.
I took a photograph.
Then I heard the door open.
Someone entered the hallway.
I stepped back into the darkness.
A figure approached the vent.
He crouched.
And when he turned toward the security camera, I recognized him.
Dr. Harrison Blake.
He was carrying a small metal case.
I held my breath.
He opened the vent.
Removed the device.
And replaced it with another.
Then he whispered into his phone:
“She noticed.”
A pause.
“No.”
Another pause.
“I'll handle it.”
I covered my mouth.
Then I heard another voice through his phone.
A woman's voice.
Cold.
Calm.
And very familiar.
“Make sure she doesn't get close to the boys.”
I recognized it immediately.
Mrs. Harper.
My heart nearly stopped.
The two people I had been watching were working together.
And neither of them knew I was standing ten feet away.
I silently recorded everything.
Then Dr. Blake walked away.
I waited.
When the hallway was empty, I stepped out.
The device remained in the vent.
I looked at it.
Then I looked toward the twins' bedrooms.
May you like
Whatever was happening to those boys had been planned.
And someone inside the mansion was terrified that I would discover why.
