Paranoid.
That’s the word everyone kept throwing at me as if it explained everything.
But I’ve built my entire career on gut instinct — and my gut was practically screaming.
Women talking over lunch | Source: Pexels
So, I made a decision.
Two days later, without telling a soul, I had a top-tier security system installed — cameras with full audio, discreetly placed in sleek little frames around the living room, hallway, kitchen, and nursery. I even put one in the playroom tucked behind a shelf of stuffed animals.
No one noticed. Not even Molly. Especially not Patrick.
That night, I told him I had an emergency deposition in Sacramento and would be gone for two nights.
“Sacramento?” he frowned. “You didn’t mention—”
“It came up last minute. I’ll be back Thursday.”
He kissed me goodbye. Smiled and told me he’d hold down the fort.
I watched him close the front door behind me. I didn’t go far — just ten minutes down the road to a quiet little hotel with blackout curtains and room service.
