Chapter 2: The Man in the Hallway
The bank records showed $23,000 missing over four months.
Small withdrawals.
Transfers to an account I didn't recognize.
Restaurant charges, hotel stays, weekend trips — all while I was overseas and she was posting about how much she missed me.
I sat with those statements for a long time.
Then I booked my flight home.
I didn't tell Marcus.
I didn't tell Emily.
I didn't tell anyone.
I landed at 6 a.m., took a cab, and walked up to my own front door with my key in my hand.
The driveway had an unfamiliar car in it.
I went in anyway.
Natalie was in the kitchen.
She turned around and the coffee mug nearly slipped from her hand.
"You're — you're not supposed to be home."
"I know," I said.
She started talking fast.
Explaining.
Saying it wasn't what it looked like.
I didn't argue.
I just set the bank statements on the counter between us.
She went quiet.
Then a door opened down the hallway.
Footsteps.
And Emily appeared in the doorway — school bag on her shoulder, eyes wide, looking between me and her mother.
"Dad," she whispered.
"You came back."
"I did," I said.
May you like
Then I heard a second set of footsteps.
Someone else was still in my house.
