Marcus pulled his expensive leather coat tightly around his shoulders inside the quiet airport terminal.
He checked his gold wristwatch and noticed that his flight was delayed by two hours.
His mind kept drifting back to his tiny three-year-old daughter named Lily.
Marcus had lost his beloved wife two years ago during a tragic medical emergency.
Since that painful day, Lily was the absolute center of his entire world.
Six months ago, Marcus married a woman named Victoria after a brief romance.
Victoria seemed kind, polished, and charming whenever Marcus was present in the house.
She promised to care for little Lily as if she were her own child.
Marcus believed her words because he desperately wanted Lily to have a mother figure.
However, Marcus often felt a strange knot of worry whenever he left town.
He picked up his phone and called his main house security supervisor named David.
Marcus: Is everything going smoothly at the estate tonight, David?
David: Everything seems quiet on the main perimeter gates, sir.
Marcus: Did you check the inner house monitoring feeds recently?
David: Mrs. Victoria asked us to disable the kitchen cameras for maintenance earlier.
Marcus: She asked you to disable the kitchen cameras?
David: Yes, sir, she said the lighting crew needed privacy for repairs.
Marcus felt a sharp wave of suspicion wash through his chest.
He had never authorized any electrical repairs inside his private modern kitchen.
Why would Victoria turn off internal security cameras while he was miles away?
Marcus: Turn off my flight ticket right now, David.
David: Are you coming back home immediately, Mr. Vance?
Marcus: Have my personal driver pull the car around right this second.
Marcus walked quickly toward the exit doors of the private jet terminal.
His heart beat rapidly against his ribs with a dark sense of dread.
He knew that something was deeply wrong inside his suburban home.
He got into the back seat of his sleek black sedan.
Marcus: Drive directly to the estate without making any stops.
Driver: Right away, Mr. Vance, we will be there in twenty minutes.
Marcus stared out the window as rain began to streak the dark glass.
He prayed that his bad feeling was just an overactive imagination working.
Yet deep down inside, a quiet voice told him to hurry home.