Chapter 2 - The House of Secrets
Sarah stood completely frozen as the doorbell rang a second time.
Panic surged through her veins like freezing water.
She looked at Thomas, whose face had turned incredibly pale at the sound.
She quickly ushered both children into the hallway closet and locked it from the outside.
She smoothed her clothes and forced herself to walk calmly toward the heavy oak door.
She pulled it open, greeting her sister with a forced, trembling smile.
Victoria stepped into the foyer without waiting for an invitation.
The overwhelming scent of expensive rose perfume immediately filled the air.
Victoria asked casually why Sarah was not answering her text messages.
Sarah lied, claiming she had been asleep because of a terrible headache.
Victoria’s sharp green eyes scanned the living room with intense suspicion.
She noticed the three empty soup bowls resting on the coffee table.
Victoria asked why there were so many dishes if David was out of town.
Sarah quickly claimed that Emily had invited some friends over from school earlier.
Victoria smiled, but the expression did not reach her cold, calculating eyes.
She stepped closer to Sarah, reaching out to adjust her sister's collar.
Victoria whispered that Sarah needed to be very careful, because the neighborhood was getting dangerous.
She mentioned that a homeless child had recently gone missing from the downtown shelter.
Sarah’s heart hammered violently against her ribs.
Victoria knew exactly what had happened on that wet pavement earlier today.
Sarah maintained her composure, agreeing that they should all lock their doors at night.
Victoria finally turned around and walked out to her waiting luxury car.
Sarah locked the door and sprinted back to the closet to release the children.
She knew they could not stay in this house for another second.
She grabbed a duffel bag and began packing cash, passports, and warm clothes.
She needed hard evidence to prove Victoria had stolen her child eight years ago.
She remembered Doctor Evans, the pediatrician who had signed the fake death certificate.
Sarah loaded the kids into her car and drove directly to his private clinic across town.
She left the children hidden in the back seat and stormed into the medical building.
She bypassed the receptionist and marched straight into the doctor's private office.
Doctor Evans looked up from his paperwork, his face instantly draining of color.
Sarah slammed her hands on his desk and demanded the absolute truth about her son.
The doctor stood up, his hands shaking as he reached for the telephone.
He whispered that he had no choice, because they had threatened his family.
Sarah asked him who exactly had threatened him into faking the death.
The doctor looked at the door and then stared directly into Sarah's eyes.
He confessed that Victoria did not act alone.
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He revealed that Sarah's own husband, David, had orchestrated the entire kidnapping.
Suddenly, the heavy office door slammed shut, and the lock clicked from the outside.
