Daniel felt his stomach tighten.

“That’s impossible.”

“No,” Marcus said.

“It’s deliberate.”

Someone had accessed the security system.

Someone inside Daniel’s own house.

Then another camera caught something.

A service corridor.

Timestamp: 8:47 p.m.

A man moved quickly toward the rear exit.

Black tuxedo.

Black gloves.

His face was partially hidden.

Marcus enlarged the image.

Daniel stared.

The man wasn’t Charles.

Evelyn whispered, “That’s not your brother.”

“No.”

Daniel’s voice became dangerously calm.

“But he’s wearing Charles’s cuff link.”

A setup.

Someone wanted Daniel to blame his brother.

Someone had pushed Evelyn.

Someone had endangered Lily.

And someone had deleted the evidence.

Then Sophie appeared in the doorway.

She was crying.

“Daddy.”

Daniel turned immediately.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know who he is.”

Marcus closed the door behind her.

Daniel crouched.

“Who?”

Sophie reached into the pocket of her dress.

She pulled out a black smartphone.

“I found this under the stairs.”

Daniel stared at it.

“Did you touch anything?”

Sophie shook her head.

“The screen was already on.”

Daniel took the phone.

One message remained visible.

PHASE ONE FAILED. MOVE TO PHASE TWO.

Daniel’s blood ran cold.

A second message appeared.

THE GIRL SAW HIM.

Everyone looked at Sophie.

Then the lights went out.

Evelyn screamed.

Daniel grabbed Sophie and pulled her against him.

“Marcus!”

Emergency lights flickered red along the walls.

Security alarms began howling throughout the mansion.

A gunshot cracked somewhere upstairs.

Guests screamed.

“Get down!”

Daniel pushed Sophie behind the security desk.

Marcus drew his weapon and opened the door.

Another shot.

Then silence.

Daniel looked at Evelyn.

“Stay with Sophie.”

“Where are you going?”

“To end this.”

“No.”

Evelyn grabbed his arm.

“That’s exactly what they want.”

Daniel stopped.

She was right.

Someone wanted him angry.

Someone wanted him moving without thinking.

Just as he had downstairs.

Daniel looked at the phone again.

“Phase two.”

He suddenly understood.

“The hospital.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

“Lily.”

Daniel called Dr. Hart.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

On the third attempt, someone answered.

But it wasn’t the doctor.

A distorted male voice spoke.

“Mr. Cross.”

Daniel went completely still.

“Where is my daughter?”

“She’s safe.”

“If you touch her—”

“You’re still making threats when you should be asking questions.”

Daniel clenched the phone.

“What do you want?”

“The truth.”

“About what?”

A pause.

Then:

“Ask your wife what happened seven years ago.”

Daniel looked at Evelyn.

The color disappeared from her face.

The call ended.

Daniel lowered the phone.

“What happened seven years ago?”

Evelyn backed away.

“Daniel…”

“What happened?”

Her eyes filled with tears.

Seven years ago was when Sophie had been born.