Chapter 2: The Recording That Changed Everything
The living room became so quiet that I could hear the refrigerator humming in the kitchen.
My father held his phone in both hands.
Melissa stood beside him, her fingers trembling as she tried to straighten the torn fabric of her dress.
"Daniel, please turn that off," she whispered.
He didn't respond.
On the screen, the security footage showed Melissa standing alone in the living room.
She checked the staircase.
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out a small black object.
My father enlarged the image.
It was a tiny recording device.
"What is that?"" he asked.
Melissa swallowed.
"I don't know.""
Daniel turned toward her.
"You don't know?""
"I mean, it's probably something from work.""
"Why would something from work be in your handbag?""
She looked away.
On the recording, Melissa placed the device underneath the sofa cushion.
Then she stood up, checked her reflection in the television screen, and waited.
Seconds later, I appeared.
My father pressed pause.
He looked at me.
"Did you know about this?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Have you ever seen that thing before?""
"No, Dad. I've never seen it.""
Melissa stepped forward.
"Daniel, you're misunderstanding everything.""
He raised one hand.
"Not now.""
She immediately stopped.
He pressed play again.
The footage continued.
The camera captured Melissa blocking my path, speaking to me, and eventually tearing her own dress.
Then came the moment when she threw herself onto the floor.
My father's face tightened.
He watched himself running downstairs.
He watched himself accuse me.
And then he watched himself slap his own son.
The sound of the slap came through the phone's tiny speaker.
I lowered my eyes.
I didn't want to watch it again.
I didn't want to see my father's hand hitting me.
I didn't want to remember how quickly he had chosen to believe her.
"Turn it off," I whispered.
Daniel looked at me.
For the first time, his expression seemed uncertain.
"Jaylen...""
"Please.""
He stopped the video.
Melissa quickly moved toward him.
"See? That's exactly what I was trying to explain. The camera doesn't show everything.
I was frightened, Daniel. I didn't know what else to do.""
My father stared at the frozen image.
"Frightened?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you smile?""
Melissa blinked.
"What?""
"After I came downstairs. The camera shows you smiling at Jaylen while I was standing in front of you.""
She shook her head.
"I wasn't smiling.""
"I just watched it.""
"Maybe I was relieved.""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Melissa, you told me he attacked you.""
"He was threatening me!""
"I didn't touch her!"" I shouted.
My father looked at me.
I immediately regretted raising my voice.
But I was tired.
Tired of defending myself against something I hadn't done.
Melissa wiped her cheeks.
"Daniel, I understand that you're upset, but your son has been hostile toward me for months. You know that.""
My father didn't answer.
She continued.
"He doesn't want me here. He resents our marriage. Maybe he thought if he scared me enough, you would finally choose him over me.""
I stared at her.
"That's not true.""
"See?"" she said, turning toward my father.
"He's doing it again.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
For a moment, I thought he might finally tell her to stop.
Instead, he said, "Both of you need to calm down.""
I almost laughed.
Both of us?
She had deliberately destroyed her dress, planted a recording device, and falsely accused me of attacking her.
And somehow, we were both responsible.
"Can I go to my room?"" I asked.
Daniel nodded.
"Go.""
I pushed myself off the carpet.
My cheek hurt, and my knees felt weak.
As I passed Melissa, she leaned toward me.
Her voice was barely audible.
"You're making a very big mistake.""
I stopped.
She smiled sweetly.
"Watch your step, sweetheart.""
I hurried upstairs.
Inside my bedroom, I locked the door and sat on the edge of my bed.
My mother's photograph was on the nightstand.
She was smiling in it, holding me when I was about seven years old.
I picked it up.
"Mom," I whispered, "I don't know what to do.""
My phone vibrated.
It was a message from my best friend, Marcus.
*Marcus:* You coming to the basketball game tomorrow?
I stared at the screen.
Then I typed:
*Me:* Probably not. Something happened at home.
He replied almost immediately.
*Marcus:* You okay?
I looked at my reflection in the dark phone screen.
My cheek was red.
I typed:
*Me:* My dad hit me.
There was a long pause.
Then:
*Marcus:* WHAT? Why?
I didn't know how to explain everything.
Before I could respond, I heard voices downstairs.
Melissa was talking.
I couldn't make out the first few words, but then I heard my father's voice.
"Why was that device hidden under the sofa?""
A pause.
Then Melissa answered.
"Daniel, I already told you. I don't know.""
"Then why did you look so frightened when I saw it?""
"Because you were accusing me!""
"Where did you get it?""
Silence.
I moved closer to my bedroom door.
Then Melissa spoke again.
"You're making this much worse than it needs to be.""
My father lowered his voice.
"Was that device recording us?""
I heard a chair scrape against the floor.
Then Melissa said something that made my blood run cold.
"It wasn't meant for Jaylen.""
I froze.
What?
My father spoke again.
"Then who was it meant for?""
Melissa didn't answer immediately.
When she finally spoke, her voice sounded different.
Colder.
"Someone who needs to understand that this family belongs to me now.""
My heart began pounding.
I stepped away from the door.
A few seconds later, my father's phone rang downstairs.
He answered.
"Hello?""
I couldn't hear the person on the other end.
Then Daniel said, "What do you mean you found another one?""
Another one?
I moved back toward the door.
"Where?"" he asked.
A pause.
Then he said something that made my stomach drop.
"Under Jaylen's bed?""
I stopped breathing.
My bedroom door suddenly shook.
Someone was trying the handle.
"Jaylen," Melissa called softly.
I didn't answer.
"Open the door, sweetheart.""
I stepped backward.
She knocked again.
"Your father wants to talk to you.""
Then her voice changed.
"Unless, of course, you'd rather explain why you have something hidden under your bed.""
I stared at the floor.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
But when I heard the key turning in the lock, I realized she wasn't asking permission.
May you like
She was coming in.
And whatever had supposedly been found under my bed was about to become another weapon against me.
