Chapter 2 - The Sound of Bare Feet
The creak of the guest bathroom door hung in the heavy air like a sharp blade slicing through silk. Richard froze, his sharp jawline tightening as his gaze tore away from Leo and locked onto the upper landing. Madison did not flinch. She slowly reached up, brushing Leo’s small hand off the expensive shoulder of her burgundy suit with an almost chilling gentleness, her blue eyes devoid of any warmth.
"Leo, darling, you are letting your imagination run wild again," Madison said, her voice smooth and sweet, completely masking the venom beneath. "Stress does strange things to a child’s mind."
"I saw her!" Leo shrieked, his voice cracking as he lunged forward again, only for Richard to catch him by the upper arm, pulling him back.
"Leo, stop," Richard commanded, his tone dropping into a dangerous register. He looked up at the dark hallway. "Who is up there?"
A figure stepped out from the shadows of the upper landing. It was not Elena, and it was certainly not the injured woman lying unconscious on the cold bathroom tile. It was Sarah, Madison’s personal assistant, holding a thick, leather-bound ledger against her chest like a shield. Her dark hair was pulled back into a severe bun, and her expression was completely blank.
"Mr. Vance," Sarah said, her voice echoing down the stairwell. "You shouldn't have come home early. The cleaning schedule was meant to be finished by five."
Richard’s eyes narrowed. He released Leo’s arm and took two long strides toward the stairs, his fists clenched at his sides. The grey fabric of his suit strained across his broad shoulders.
"Sarah? What are you doing in this house? Elena hates you being here when I'm away," Richard demanded, his voice echoing off the marble. "And where is my wife? I heard a scream from this exact hallway less than three minutes ago."
Madison glided gracefully to the foot of the stairs, joining Richard. She placed a manicured hand lightly on his forearm, a gesture meant to soothe, but Richard flinched away from her touch as if burned.
"Richard, calm down. Elena has been unstable lately. You know the doctors said her episodes are getting worse," Madison whispered, leaning in close. "Sarah was just helping me organize the charity gala binders upstairs. We heard a commotion and came out to help."
Down on the floor, Maria the maid gave a sharp, suppressed gasp, her head dropping even lower until her forehead nearly touched the blood-stained tile.
Leo watched them with wide, terrified eyes. He slowly reached into the pocket of his light blue T-shirt, his fingers brushing against something metallic and cold. It was the mini voice recorder he had swiped from his mother's desk that morning.
"You're lying," Leo whispered, his voice trembling as he pressed record. "You didn't come from the office. You came from the master bedroom."
May you like
Sarah stopped dead on the stairs. Her eyes locked onto the small black device in Leo's palm, and a slow, terrifying smile spread across her face.
---
