Chapter 2 - The Security Footage Proved Celeste Had Entered the Nursery Every Night at 2:55—Then the Twins Revealed What She Had Whispered to ThemThe next morning, nobody in the mansion was allowed to leave.
Rory ordered a full lockdown.
Every employee was questioned.
Every room searched.
Every vehicle inspected.
The destroyed teddy bear was placed inside a sealed evidence case.
I was asked to remain in the security room.
Not as a suspect.
At least, not officially.
Rory sat across from me.
His eyes never left mine.
“What did you know?”
“About what?”
“The girls.”
“That something was wrong.”
“You suspected?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Three weeks.”
“Why didn't you say anything?”
I looked at him.
“You weren't listening.”
Silence.
That answer seemed to anger him.
But he didn't deny it.
I continued.
“Every night at three, they screamed.”
“I knew.”
“You thought it was grief.”
“Yes.”
“I thought so too.”
“Until?”
“The bear.”
Rory leaned back.
“Celeste gave it to them.”
“I know.”
“Why didn't you question her?”
I hesitated.
“Because she's your sister.”
His jaw tightened.
“That isn't an answer.”
“It is in this house.”
He stared at me.
Then the security chief entered.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We recovered footage.”
The screen came alive.
The hallway outside the nursery.
2:54 a.m.
Nothing.
2:55.
Celeste entered.
She used a key.
2:56.
She entered the nursery.
2:58.
She left.
3:00.
The twins screamed.
I felt sick.
The next night.
Same thing.
2:55.
Celeste.
2:58.
She left.
3:00.
Screaming.
Rory didn't move.
“Every night?”
The security chief nodded.
“Thirty-one nights.”
I stared.
Thirty-one.
The twins had been tortured for a month.
I looked at Rory.
He looked devastated.
He replayed the footage.
Then paused.
Celeste leaned over the twins' beds.
Her lips moved.
We couldn't hear the audio.
But Lily's camera microphone had picked up something.
The security chief increased the volume.
Celeste's voice.
“Your father doesn't want you anymore.”
My stomach turned.
Another line.
“If you tell him, he'll send you away.”
Rory closed his eyes.
The next night.
Same words.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Celeste had been psychologically torturing them before the device was activated.
She wanted them afraid.
She wanted them dependent.
She wanted them to believe Rory didn't love them.
Why?
Rory stood.
“Bring the girls.”
They were brought downstairs.
Lily sat beside him.
Rose held my hand.
Rory asked:
“What did Aunt Celeste tell you?”
The twins looked at each other.
Lily whispered:
“She said Daddy was angry.”
Rose added:
“She said Mommy would never come back.”
Rory's face cracked.
“I would never blame you for that.”
Lily looked at him.
“She said you did.”
He pulled both girls against him.
“I would never.”
Rose started crying.
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
They stayed in his arms.
Then Lily looked at me.
“Mama?”
I smiled.
“I'm here.”
She whispered:
“That's why she doesn't like you.”
I looked at Rory.
“What?”
Lily continued.
“She doesn't like when you stay with us.”
Rory froze.
“Why?”
“Because Daddy listens to you.”
My heart skipped.
Celeste had been watching me too.
Maybe she knew I would notice.
Maybe she knew the children trusted me.
Maybe that's why I had become a target.
The security chief brought another file.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found financial transfers.”
“To Celeste?”
“No.”
“To a foundation.”
“Which one?”
“The Northbridge Children's Foundation.”
I recognized the name.
It belonged to a wealthy philanthropist.
Dr. Eleanor Voss.
But something looked wrong.
The foundation had received millions from shell companies connected to Celeste.
And those shell companies were connected to a man named Marcus Hale.
Rory went still.
“Marcus?”
“You know him?”
“He's my uncle's former accountant.”
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
Rory looked at the transfer records.
“No.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“He died four years ago.”
The security chief shook his head.
“These transactions happened last month.”
Someone was using the identity of a dead man.
Rory looked at me.
The traitor was larger than Celeste.
She wasn't the mastermind.
She was an entry point.
Then another alarm sounded.
The front gate camera showed a black SUV.
A man stepped out.
He held a photograph.
“Who is that?” I asked.
Rory stared.
“My father.”
I froze.
His father had been dead for ten years.
But the man standing outside looked exactly like him.
Rory whispered:
“Impossible.”
The man lifted the photograph toward the camera.
It showed Rory as a child.
Beside him stood Celeste.
And a third child.
A boy Rory had never seen.
May you like
On the back were three words.
YOUR BROTHER LIVES.
Related Stories
