Lydia’s gut told her something was wrong. She had felt it the moment she dropped Ellie off at Kara’s house. Something about the way Kara smiled—too wide, too perfect—sent an uneasy ripple through her chest. But Mark had rolled his eyes, telling her she was overreacting.
Now, sitting in the kitchen, Lydia couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling. The clock ticked loudly, the sound stretching out the seconds. Her fingers curled around the edge of the table, foot tapping against the tiled floor.
Across the kitchen, Mark stood at the counter, casually slicing vegetables, completely unbothered. The scent of roasted chicken filled the air, but Lydia’s appetite was long gone.
“I can’t do this,” she muttered, suddenly standing. The chair scraped against the floor as she grabbed her car keys.
Mark sighed, setting the knife down. “Lyd, come on. It’s just a sleepover.”
“She’s never been away from home overnight,” Lydia snapped. “And at Kara’s house, of all places.”
Mark ran a hand through his hair. “You’re holding on to high school drama. That was twenty years ago. People change.”
Lydia shook her head, pressing her lips into a thin line. “I don’t trust her.”
Before Mark could argue, Lydia’s phone rang, slicing through the tension.
She snatched it up. “Sweetheart?”
A shaky whisper made her blood run cold. “Mom.”
Lydia straightened. “Ellie? What’s wrong?”
“I saw a camera,” Ellie’s voice trembled. “In the room. It’s hidden in the corner. There’s a little red light.”
Lydia’s stomach twisted.
“I’m coming,” she said without hesitation, already heading for the door.
She pounded on Kara’s front door so hard her knuckles ached. Every second felt like an eternity.
Finally, the door swung open, revealing Kara. She leaned against the frame, arms crossed, an amused smile playing on her lips.
“Oh, Lydia,” she said smoothly. “Wasn’t expecting you.”
Lydia shoved past her without answering, her heart racing. “Ellie?”
Footsteps pounded against the floor. Ellie appeared, running straight into Lydia’s arms, her small body shaking.
Lydia knelt, gripping Ellie’s face in her hands. “Are you okay?”
Ellie nodded quickly. “I didn’t know what to do.”
Lydia turned, her gaze burning into Kara. “She found a camera in the room.”
Kara didn’t even blink. “It was off.” She shrugged. “I put it there for security. Anyone could climb through the window.”
Lydia’s hands curled into fists. “Then why was the red light on?”
For a moment, just a fraction of a second, Kara hesitated. But Lydia saw it. The small crack in her perfectly calm mask.
“Delete the footage,” Lydia demanded. “Now.”
Kara sighed, rolling her eyes. “Fine. But you’re being paranoid.”
Lydia didn’t care. She grabbed Ellie’s hand and marched toward the door. “She’s never coming back here.”
The drive home was thick with silence. The weight of what had just happened pressed down on Lydia’s chest. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white.
Then, Mark sighed beside her. “Lydia, don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
Her jaw clenched. “Overreacting? Our daughter was in a room with a hidden camera!”
Mark exhaled slowly. “But why was it there? Maybe Kara was telling the truth. Maybe it was just for security.”
Lydia let out a bitter laugh. “You’re defending her?”
“I’m just saying you might be looking for something that isn’t there.”
Lydia tightened her grip on the wheel, anger bubbling inside her. “You always took her side, didn’t you?”
Mark groaned. “Lydia, not this again—”
She cut him off. “And now, here we are, and you’re still choosing her over your own family.”
Mark said nothing.
The next morning, Lydia stood at the kitchen counter, staring into her untouched coffee. She barely noticed the bitter taste. Sleep had been impossible. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Ellie’s scared face.
Across the room, Mark grabbed his jacket.
Lydia frowned. “Where are you going?”
“Work meeting,” he said casually, avoiding her eyes.
“You said you had no plans today.”
Mark hesitated, just for a second. “Something came up.”
Lydia’s gut twisted.
The moment the door closed behind him, she moved. Heart pounding, she rushed to his office, flipped open his laptop, and pulled up his emails.
Her breath caught in her throat.
A message from Kara:
Hey, I reviewed the footage before deleting it. There’s something you need to see. It’s about Lydia and Ellie. Come by today before I erase it.
Lydia’s hands shook.
She grabbed her keys and bolted out the door.
Lydia didn’t knock. She stormed into Kara’s house, her heart racing.
Mark stood frozen in front of the couch, staring at Kara’s laptop. His face was pale.
Kara smirked. “Oh, Lydia,” she cooed, “glad you could join us.”
Lydia clenched her fists. “What’s this?”
Mark slowly turned the screen toward her. The video played.
Ellie, sitting cross-legged on a bed, her voice soft:
“Sometimes I don’t like being at home. Mom is always mad. It’s better here.”
Lydia’s stomach dropped. “That’s not true.”
Kara folded her arms. “Well, that’s your daughter saying it.”
Tears burned in Lydia’s eyes. Ellie wouldn’t say that. Not unless—
A small voice interrupted. “That’s not real.”
They all turned. Emma, Kara’s daughter, stood in the doorway, clutching her stuffed bear.
Mark frowned. “What do you mean?”
Emma hesitated, glancing at her mother before whispering, “Mom told us to play a game. She made Ellie say it.”
Silence.
Kara stiffened. “Emma, go to your room.”
Mark’s face darkened. He took a slow step toward Kara. “You set this up?”
Kara’s mask cracked. “She is not good enough for you, Mark!” she spat, her voice rising. “I am better! I’ve always been better!”
Lydia felt something snap inside her. The last sliver of doubt vanished.
Mark turned away from Kara and toward Lydia, his face full of realization.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Lydia didn’t look back.
As they walked out, she squeezed Ellie’s hand, anchoring them both to something real.
The drive home was quiet. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving only exhaustion.
Mark exhaled. “I’m sorry.”
Lydia glanced at him, then reached over and gripped his hand.
She squeezed.
“Me too.”
For the first time in a long time, they stood together.
