The tension coiled tightly around Alex, a storm of determination and dread battling within him. Every move he made felt heavier, slower—as if time itself was closing in.
The police were closing the gap.
Clues led to more clues, each one tightening the noose around him. Their investigation was relentless, precise… and dangerously close to uncovering the truth.
Meanwhile, panic clawed at Alex's chest.
William's lifeless body lay hidden in the trunk of his car—a ticking time bomb he could no longer ignore. He had planned everything… or so he thought. But the increased police presence had shattered his escape plan, leaving him trapped with no clear way out.
And then came the worst realization of all.
His phone had been tapped.
The moment it hit him, rage surged through his veins. The mother—she had done this. She had turned the police against him.
"They're using her to find me…" he muttered, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Time was no longer on his side.
He had to act. Fast.
At home, Sarah remained unaware of the storm heading straight for her.
She moved about the house, her children nearby, clinging to the comfort of normalcy—until a sudden knock shattered everything.
The police.
Their questions were sharp. Direct. Unforgiving.
"Do you know where your husband is, ma'am?"
Sarah's heart skipped. Her hands trembled slightly as a cold wave of fear washed over her.
Something was terribly wrong.
The news spread quickly.
William was dead.
And soon enough, the truth began knocking at Sarah's door.
Her hands shook as she dialed Alex's number.
"What happened, Alex?" her voice cracked. "The police are here… asking about you. What's going on?"
There was a pause.
Too long.
"It's nothing, honey," Alex replied, forcing calm into his voice. "Just a misunderstanding. I'll be home soon."
But Sarah wasn't convinced.
She could hear it.
The fear. The hesitation.
The lie.
By the time Alex stepped into the house, the air had already changed.
Heavy. Suffocating.
Their son watched silently from the corner, his small body tense, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
"Tell me the truth," Sarah said, her voice low but shaking. "Now."
Alex froze.
"You're a liar, Alex!" she suddenly screamed, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes. "You killed William, didn't you?!"
Silence.
A deadly, confirming silence.
Alex's face drained of color.
"Sarah… please, you have to understand—"
"Understand?!" she cried. "You're a murderer!"
Her grief twisted into fury, her instincts screaming one thing—protect her child.
Protect herself.
From him.
The argument spiraled out of control.
Voices rose. Accusations flew.
And in the corner, Rowan trembled.
He didn't understand the words.
But he understood the fear.
Something was broken.
Something that could never be fixed.