Chapter 2 - THE 47 SECONDS THAT DISAPPEARED

The security room was buried beneath the east wing of the mansion.

A place where nobody went unless something went wrong.

Tonight, something had gone very wrong.

Daniel stood behind the security manager, his arms crossed.

“Play it.”

The manager nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

The screen showed the staircase.

The timestamp appeared.

7:43 PM.

Noah was walking down the stairs.

Alone.

Daniel leaned closer.

His son looked small on the huge staircase.

Too small.

Then Lauren appeared.

She walked behind him.

The room became silent.

Nobody blinked.

Nobody breathed.

The footage continued.

Noah turned around.

Lauren said something.

But the audio was unclear.

Then suddenly…

The video jumped.

The screen flickered.

And forty-seven seconds disappeared.

“What happened?” Daniel asked.

The security manager looked confused.

“I don’t know.”

“Fix it.”

“I’m trying.”

Daniel’s voice became colder.

“Try harder.”

The man typed quickly.

Then shook his head.

“Someone deleted this section.”

Lauren immediately stepped forward.

“That proves nothing.”

Everyone looked at her.

She forced a nervous smile.

“Maybe the system malfunctioned.”

Daniel stared at her.

“You know a lot about what proves something.”

Lauren’s expression hardened.

“Are you accusing me?”

Nobody answered.

Because the answer was already sitting in the room.

Maya watched the screen carefully.

“There’s something else.”

Daniel looked at her.

“What?”

She pointed.

“Before the video cuts.”

The manager paused the footage.

A dark figure appeared at the edge of the hallway.

A man.

Tall.

Wearing a black jacket.

Everyone stared.

“Who is that?” Daniel asked.

The security manager checked the records.

His face slowly changed.

“That’s impossible.”

“What?”

“He wasn’t registered.”

Daniel frowned.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning the system shows nobody entered the house at that time.”

Lauren suddenly spoke.

“Maybe he’s a delivery worker.”

Daniel looked at her.

“The mansion has private security. Nobody walks in without being recorded.”

The room went quiet again.

Then Noah, who had been sitting with a doctor in the doorway, suddenly spoke.

“That’s him.”

Everyone turned.

Daniel walked toward his son.

“What did you say?”

Noah pointed at the screen.

“That man.”

His small voice trembled.

“I know him.”

Daniel knelt down.

“Buddy, think carefully.”

Noah shook his head.

“I remember him.”

Maya gently touched his shoulder.

“Where did you see him?”

Noah looked scared.

Then he whispered:

“The night Mom died.”

Daniel froze.

The air disappeared from the room.

Nobody moved.

Because Noah’s mother, Emily Ashford, had died three years earlier.

A tragic car accident.

That was the story everyone believed.

Daniel slowly stood.

“Noah…”

His voice cracked.

“What did you mean?”

The boy looked at him.

“He was there.”

Daniel felt his heart drop.

“Who was there?”

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Noah looked back at the screen.

“The man who made Mommy disappear.”