PART 2 — JULIAN ASKED ONE QUESTION, AND THE MAID’S ANSWER CHANGED EVERYTHING. 🥀

Nobody moved.

Julian stared at Leo.

“Say that again, son.”

Leo looked at the maid.

Then at his father.

“Don’t make her leave.”

Julian crouched down.

“Why?”

The little boy’s lip trembled.

“She helps us.”

Victoria immediately interrupted.

“Julian, he’s confused.”

But Julian didn’t look at her.

He looked at the maid.

“What does he mean?”

The young woman lowered her eyes.

“I never tried to replace anyone.”

“Then what have you been doing?”

She hesitated.

“Taking care of them.”

Victoria laughed bitterly.

“I take care of my own children.”

The maid finally looked up.

“Then why were they afraid to sleep alone?”

Victoria went silent.

Julian’s expression changed.

“What did you say?”

The maid swallowed.

“When I started working here, I found them awake almost every night.”

She looked at the twins.

“They were terrified of the dark.”

Julian’s jaw тιԍнтened.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

Victoria answered quickly.

“They’re traumatized. The doctors said this could happen.”

The maid shook her head.

“They weren’t just afraid of the dark.”

Julian stared at her.

“What were they afraid of?”

She hesitated.

Then whispered:

“Someone was coming into their room.”

The room went completely silent.

Victoria’s face lost its color.

Julian slowly stood.

“Who?”

The maid looked toward the hallway.

“I don’t know.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small object.

A broken baby monitor.

“I found this hidden behind their dresser.”

Julian took it.

His fingers тιԍнтened around it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I was afraid.”

“Of who?”

The maid looked directly at Victoria.

“I didn’t know who I could trust.”

Victoria stepped forward.

“You’re lying!”

Leo suddenly screamed.

“No!”

Everyone froze.

The little boy grabbed Julian’s hand.

Then, with tears running down his cheeks, he whispered:

“Mommy said Daddy would be angry if we told.”

Julian slowly turned toward his wife.

Victoria couldn’t speak.

Julian’s voice was barely audible.

“Told me what?”

Leo pointed toward the upstairs hallway.

“The night…”

He stopped, trembling.

“The night we got hurt.”

Julian’s heart began pounding.

That night had been the one subject his sons had never been able to talk about.

He had always believed their silence came from trauma.

But now his son was trying to tell him something.

Something someone had desperately tried to keep hidden.

Julian looked at the maid.

“Take me to the boys’ room.”

She nodded.

As they walked upstairs, Julian noticed something carved into the wooden frame beneath the twins’ bed.

Three small words.

DON’T TRUST MOM.

Julian stopped breathing.

And behind him…

Victoria quietly locked the penthouse door.