Chapter 1
The muffled bass of the string quartet downstairs vibrated through the floorboards of the sprawling mansion, a stark contrast to the suffocating silence of the upstairs hallway. Rhea’s fingers, adorned with a heavy, glittering diamond engagement ring, dug mercilessly into Perrin’s fragile shoulder. The four-year-old boy whimpered, his filthy, torn T-shirt offering no protection against her manicured claws. He clutched a worn, threadbare stuffed dog to his chest—his only shield against the monster wearing an elegant silk party dress.
With a sudden, violent shove, Rhea forcefully threw Perrin through the narrow opening of a hidden room concealed behind the oak wainscoting. The boy flew backward into the darkness, landing hard on both knees against the unforgiving concrete floor. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and his stuffed dog flew from his small hands, skittering into the shadows. Perrin scrambled backward, curling his small, bruised body against the damp, cold wall in absolute terror.
Rhea loomed in the narrow doorway, the hallway light casting a demonic silhouette. She smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle from her designer dress and smiled viciously.
"Disappear," Rhea whispered, her voice dripping with poison. "Your father will never find you."
She gripped the brass edge of the heavy wall panel and shoved it. It slid on its hidden tracks and slammed into place with a deep, echoing thud, plunging the boy into pitch blackness.
Down the hall, the elevator doors chimed and parted. Kiernan stepped out, exhausted but possessing the undeniable, commanding presence of a movie star. Dressed in a crisp business shirt and tailored trousers, his leather travel bag slung over one shoulder, he had returned from his overseas trip three days early. He froze in the middle of the hallway. Beneath the faint hum of the mansion's air conditioning, his sharp ears caught a sound that made his blood run cold: a faint, muffled crying coming from behind the wall.
Dropping his heavy travel bag, Kiernan sprinted to the oak paneling. He didn't search for a hidden lever. Fueled by primal adrenaline, he dug his fingers into the microscopic seam of the wood, his expensive wristwatch catching the light as his muscles strained. With a guttural roar, Kiernan tore the concealed panel open with both hands. The heavy wood broke loose from its tracks with a violent snap, crashing onto the marble floor.
Inside the dusty, claustrophobic darkness, Perrin was curled into a tight ball beside an empty water bottle. Kiernan dropped to his knees, his heart shattering, and reached out.
He lifted the trembling boy into his arms. Perrin immediately wrapped his thin, bruised arms around his father’s neck, clinging for dear life. The boy buried his tear-streaked face in Kiernan’s collar, his small hand pointing tremblingly down the hall toward where Rhea stood, her face drained of color.
"Dad..." Perrin sobbed, his voice breaking violently. "Is it... is it really you?"
"I've got you, buddy. I'm here," Kiernan choked out, before his eyes locked onto Rhea.
Without a word, Kiernan marched down the hall, shielding his son with one arm. Rhea backed away, stumbling into the extravagant dessert staging room. Kiernan lunged. He forcefully shoved Rhea backward into the massive dessert table. Her back slammed into the edge, the wooden legs buckling instantly. The table collapsed beneath her, sending a towering, tiered cake smashing across her elegant dress. Champagne glasses tumbled and shattered into a thousand glittering shards as she crashed heavily onto the floor, covered in frosting and broken glass.
Rhea glared up at him, her chest heaving, her pristine image destroyed. She spat a mouthful of ruined cake from her lips. "Touch me again, and I’ll destroy you," she hissed, furious and humiliated.
Before Kiernan could respond, Perrin sobbed through his tears, grabbing his father’s muscular arm. The boy looked directly into Kiernan's eyes, his bottom lip trembling.
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“Dad..." Perrin cried out, his voice echoing in the ruined room. "Mom never died. She hid her.”
Kiernan’s breath caught in his throat. His face went entirely blank with stunned disbelief, staring down at his weeping son. Slowly, the shock melted away, replaced by a dark, terrifying, and volcanic anger.
