Chapter 2: The Perfectly Planned Accusation
Richard watched the footage three times.
Each time, Ethan stood beside him, arms crossed, wearing the expression of a son who believed he had finally exposed a terrible secret.
The video showed a woman in a pale robe walking along the upstairs hallway at 10:43 p.m.
She paused outside the guest bedroom.
Then she opened the door and disappeared inside.
A few seconds later, a man entered the frame.
He followed her into the room.
The timestamp continued.
Margaret stood behind Richard, gripping the back of a dining chair.
"That's not me," she said quietly.
Ethan sighed.
"Please. We can all see it.""
Richard paused the video.
The woman was facing away from the camera. Her hair was similar to Margaret's. She was wearing a robe that looked remarkably like the one in the photograph.
But something bothered Richard.
"Why is the hallway light on?"" he asked.
Ethan shrugged.
"Maybe she forgot to turn it off.""
"That light is connected to the motion sensor. It switches on automatically.""
"So?""
Richard leaned closer to the screen.
"Nothing. Keep playing.""
The man entered the room.
The door closed.
Then the footage ended.
Ethan smiled slightly.
"Well?""
Richard turned toward Margaret.
"Do you have an explanation?""
She looked at him as though he had just asked whether she remembered her own name.
"Yes. Someone is pretending to be me.""
Ethan laughed.
"That's convenient.""
Margaret pointed at the monitor.
"Look at the woman's left hand.""
Richard paused the video.
"What about it?""
"Look at the wrist.""
He zoomed in.
A silver bracelet was visible.
Margaret lifted her own wrist.
Her bracelet was gold, with a small engraved charm.
"I haven't worn silver jewelry in years.""
Ethan quickly leaned forward.
"That proves nothing.""
"It proves that person isn't wearing my jewelry.""
"You could have changed it.""
Margaret stared at him.
"Why would I change jewelry before secretly meeting someone?""
Ethan didn't answer.
Instead, he reached for the mouse.
"You're both getting distracted. The important thing is that somebody was in that room.""
Richard stopped him.
"Don't touch the computer.""
For the first time, Ethan looked uncomfortable.
"Why?""
"Because I want a copy of the original recording. Not a clip you downloaded onto your phone.""
Ethan's expression hardened.
"I already sent you the video.""
"I want the original file.""
"Fine.""
He pushed away from the desk.
"Do whatever you want. I'm the one who found all this.""
He walked out.
Richard waited until the bedroom door closed.
Then he turned toward Margaret.
"Tell me everything about last night.""
She took a deep breath.
"I went to bed around nine-thirty. You were downstairs watching television. I read for twenty minutes and fell asleep.""
"And you didn't enter the guest room?""
"No.""
"Did you have anyone over?""
"No, Richard.""
He nodded slowly.
Margaret approached him.
"There's something you should know.""
"What?""
"Yesterday afternoon, I found Ethan in your study.""
Richard frowned.
"Doing what?""
"He was standing beside your desk. When I walked in, he quickly closed something on the computer.""
"Did he say why he was there?""
"He told me he was looking for an old photograph of his mother.""
Richard looked down.
"That doesn't sound unusual.""
"Perhaps not. But he asked me whether the cameras were working.""
Richard's head lifted.
"What?""
"He asked whether the footage was stored automatically or whether someone could delete it.""
Richard went very still.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?""
"Because I didn't think anything of it.""
Richard walked to the window.
Outside, Ethan was standing near the garage, speaking on his phone.
His voice was too low to hear.
Richard returned to the desk.
"There's another thing I want to check.""
He opened the camera management software.
The system showed several devices connected to the home's security network.
One camera covered the front entrance.
Another covered the back door.
A third monitored the upstairs hallway.
But the fourth camera, installed near the guest room, showed a warning.
<escape>DEVICE OFFLINE.</escape>
Richard frowned.
"That's strange.""
Margaret came closer.
"What?""
"The guest-room camera hasn't uploaded anything since yesterday morning.""
"Was it working yesterday?""
"Yes. I checked the system on Friday.""
He opened the technical history.
A manual disconnection had been recorded at 8:16 p.m.
Richard looked toward the door.
"Who has access to the security controls?""
"Just you," Margaret said.
Richard shook his head.
"No. Ethan has the administrator password too. I gave it to him when we installed the system.""
Margaret felt a chill.
"Could he have switched it off?""
Richard didn't answer.
He checked the system log.
There it was.
A user account labeled ETHAN-C.
The account had disabled the camera.
Richard stared at the screen.
"Why would he do that?""
Before Margaret could respond, a voice came from behind them.
"Because that camera was malfunctioning.""
They turned.
Ethan stood in the doorway.
His phone was in his hand.
Richard pointed at the monitor.
"You disabled the guest-room camera?""
"Yes. It kept disconnecting.""
"When did you discover that?""
"Yesterday.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Ethan shrugged.
"I forgot.""
Richard turned back to the screen.
"The system says it was disabled manually.""
"That's what I just told you.""
"Why was it disabled at 8:16?""
Ethan gave a dismissive laugh.
"Are we seriously interrogating me now?""
Richard's voice grew colder.
"I'm asking a simple question.""
"I already answered it.""
Margaret watched Ethan carefully.
He was no longer smiling.
His eyes kept moving toward the monitor.
Richard closed the system log.
"Fine. We'll have a technician inspect the entire system tomorrow.""
Ethan's face tightened.
"Why waste money on that?""
"Because I want to know what's happening in my house.""
Ethan took a step forward.
"You're making a mistake, Dad.""
Richard looked at him.
"What mistake?""
"Choosing her over your own son.""
Margaret closed her eyes briefly.
There it was again.
The same accusation Ethan had been making since the day she married Richard.
Richard walked toward him.
"This isn't about choosing anyone. It's about finding out whether your accusations are true.""
Ethan gave his father a bitter look.
"Then ask her why she keeps the guest room locked.""
Margaret opened her eyes.
"What?""
Ethan pointed toward the upstairs staircase.
"She has a key. She goes in there when you're away. I saw her.""
Richard looked at Margaret.
She shook her head.
"I haven't locked that room in months.""
Ethan pulled a small brass key from his pocket.
"Then what is this?""
Margaret recognized it immediately.
It was the old key to the cabinet in the guest room.
A cabinet that contained family photographs, spare blankets, and several boxes of Richard's late wife's belongings.
Margaret had never kept anything inappropriate in there.
She had, however, once asked Ethan to stop leaving his gym equipment inside it.
"Give me that key," Richard said.
Ethan slipped it back into his pocket.
"Why? So she can hide whatever she's been doing?""
Richard's expression darkened.
"Give me the key.""
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Ethan tossed it onto the desk.
"Have fun searching.""
He turned and walked away.
Richard picked up the key.
Margaret watched him.
"Richard, I need you to understand something.""
He looked at her.
"I have never entered that room to do anything behind your back. I only went in last month to organize the boxes after you asked me to.""
Richard nodded.
"I know.""
But his eyes were troubled.
They went upstairs together.
The guest-room door opened with a soft click.
Inside, everything appeared normal.
A neatly made bed. Cream-colored curtains. A small writing desk. Two framed family photographs.
Richard unlocked the cabinet.
The first shelf contained old albums.
The second held folded blankets.
The third contained a cardboard box with a handwritten label.
*Ethan — Personal Belongings.*
Margaret frowned.
"I've never seen that box before.""
Richard opened it.
Inside were several old photographs, a wristwatch, and a collection of envelopes.
Then he found a small black notebook.
He opened it.
The first few pages contained handwritten dates.
Some were accompanied by short notes.
Friday — Margaret home alone.
Saturday — Dad at golf club.
Sunday — camera access.
Richard's face changed.
Margaret leaned over his shoulder.
"What is that?""
Richard turned another page.
A sentence had been written in capital letters.
THE STORY HAS TO LOOK LIKE SHE STARTED IT.
Margaret stepped backward.
The room seemed to tilt.
Richard stared at the words.
Then he looked toward the hallway.
"Ethan!""
His voice echoed through the house.
But Ethan was already gone.
And when Richard checked the notebook again, he noticed something even more disturbing.
The last page contained a handwritten list of items.
A black lace garment.
A handwritten note.
May you like
A photograph.
And beside each item was a small check mark.
