Chapter 6
Chapter 6: The Watcher in the Nursery
The Mendoza estate was supposed to be an impenetrable fortress. Daniel had spent half a million dollars upgrading the security systems—biometric locks, 24/7 armed patrols, and an entirely isolated, encrypted local network.
But terror doesn't care about walls.
Clara stood by the crib, softly rocking three-month-old Alejandro. The baby was sleeping peacefully, his tiny fists balled up against his cheeks. The nursery was quiet, illuminated only by the soft glow of a cloud-shaped nightlight. Suddenly, the smart-home monitor on the wall flickered. The soft blue light turned a harsh, static, bloody red.
A voice, electronically distorted, deep, and chillingly calm, drifted through the speaker.
"A beautiful boy. He looks just like his mother. A shame he has his father's liabilities. He won't survive the winter in this house, Clara."
Clara froze. Her blood turned to ice. She tightly clutched Alejandro to her chest, covering his tiny ears, her back slamming against the wall. "Who is this? How are you doing this?! Security!"
"Security is an illusion we afford to the rich," the voice mocked. "We gave you a purpose, Clara. We paid for your life. Don't let the Mendoza boy make you forget who you truly belong to. The contract is still binding."
The door burst open with a heavy thud. Daniel rushed in, a Glock 19 raised in his hand, his eyes wild. Two armed security guards followed, their flashlights cutting through the dim room. He saw Clara trembling in the corner, tears streaming down her face, holding the baby so tight he was starting to whimper.
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"They were in the monitor, Daniel," she choked out, her voice cracking into a sob. "They know his name. They know my name. From before. From the dark."
Daniel held his wife and child close, his chest heaving, but his eyes were fixed on the camera lens of the monitor. The red light slowly blinked off, leaving them in the suffocating dark.
