Chapter 2 - The Intruder
My heart stopped completely as sheer panic flooded my veins.
I dropped the bronze bookend and sprinted back down the hallway as fast as my legs could carry me.
I burst into the living room, ready to tear the man apart with my bare hands.
The room was completely empty.
The man was gone, and the front door was standing wide open, letting the cold night wind sweep inside.
Lily was clutching Tommy tightly, her eyes wide with absolute terror.
"He told us not to scream," she whispered, her voice shaking violently.
I scooped both of my children into my arms, realizing the house was no longer safe.
I had to get them to my car and drive straight to the police station.
I rushed out the front door, running across the driveway toward my sedan.
I froze when I saw the vehicle under the pale glow of the streetlamp.
All four tires had been violently slashed, and the engine hood was smashed entirely inward.
My phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket, shattering the dead silence of the neighborhood.
I pulled it out and saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.
I answered the call, my breathing heavy and ragged.
"If you try to leave the property, Mark, I will order my men to shoot," a cold, robotic voice warned.
I spun around, scanning the dark trees lining our suburban street.
"Who are you, and where is my wife?" I screamed into the phone.
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The man on the other end let out a dark, chilling laugh.
"Your wife is the one who paid us to eliminate you," he replied.
