-Maya’s POV-


    The silence in the room was a heavy thing, pressing down on me like a thick nket. Sleep, the sce I craved, remained


    stubbornly out of reach. Every time I drifted off, my eyelids fluttering closed, the image of the open window would sh behind them, sharp and clear. Ivy


    out the window.”


    They were safe now, nestled together in my bed, their small bodies radiating aforting warmth. I couldn’t bear the thought of them sleeping in that roo


    Ivan hadn’te to bed. The empty space beside me felt vast and cold, a physical manifestation of the distance that had grown between us. Part of me


    The events of the night reyed themselves on a loop in my mind. The frozen image on theputer screen, a constant reminder that someone had be


    As dawn painted the sky a pale grey, exhaustion finally started to win its battle with my anxieties.


    Just as I drifted off into a restless sleep, the sound of movement downstairs jolted me awake. The security team, Ivan had mentioned calling in some pe


    The morning arrived, the bright sunshine an unwee contrast to the dark thoughts that clouded my mind. Taking the twins to Natalia’s had been a diff


    away into concern. There would be a reckoningter, a conversation I wasn’t looking forward to, but right now, I had bigger problems.


    Natalia’s house, usually a haven ofughter and spilled toys, felt strangely still this morning. The twins, bewildered by the change in routine, clung to me


    Back at the house, the security team was already hard at work. Men and women in crisp uniforms moved through the rooms with a practiced efficiency, t


    After what felt like hours, a man with a no–nonsense haircut and a serious demeanor approached us. He was


    as the one Ivan had spoken to on the phone the night before, the leader of this small army that had invaded our home. His gaze flicked between me and


    The man, who introduced himself as Mr. Evans, stopped in front of us, his gaze flitting between Ivan and me. His face was a mask


    of professional neutrality, giving away nothing of his thoughts. He cleared his throat and began to speak.


    “We’ve finished our initial sweep of the house. Unfortunately, we haven’t found any signs of forced entry or hidden cameras.” He paused, letting his word


    Disappointment washed over


    me, a cold wave that threatened to drown the flicker of hope that had ignited within me at the sight of the security team. “But that’s impossible,” I blurted


    MON,


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Ivan ced a hand on my arm, his touch a grounding force in the storm of emotions raging inside me. “Amaya, let him finish,” he said calmly. his voice a


    Mr. Evans nodded in appreciation. “Thank you, Mr. McCall. As Mrs. McCall mentioned, there was an image disyed on aputer screen of the twins


    mine. “As for the open window, atch malfunction or a strong gust of wind could be the culprit.”


    His words felt like a bucket of cold water thrown over my burgeoning


    hope. Was he right? Was I overreacting? Doubt gnawed at me, fueled by theck of concrete evidence. But a part of me, a fierce maternal instinct, refus


    “No. You’re not listening! There was someone watching us! Someone got into the housel And how is there


    footage if you took the camera out in the first ce. Someone put another in their room.“I looked back to the man, “Check again for the camera. Someon


    Ivan squeezed my arm gently. “Amaya, calm down. Let’s hear them out, okay?” He turned to Mr. Evans, his voice firm but respectful. “Have you consider


    compromised? Perhaps the intruder bypassed it somehow?”


    Mr. Evans raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing


    his face. “That’s a possibility, of course. Our team is running advanced diagnostics on the system as we speak. However, based on our initial findings, it


    “But you can’t rule it out entirely, can you?” I pressed, my voice gaining strength. “There has to be


    another exnation! We can’t just dismiss this as nothing.”


    The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Mr. Evans exchanged a look with his colleagues, a silent conversation passing between the


    “I understand your concern,” he muttered, his voice softening slightly. “The safety of your children is paramount. We will continue our investigation, of co


    “But what about now?” I demanded, my voiceced with desperation, “We can’t just sit here and wait for something else to happen! We need


    to do something!”


    Ivan stepped forward, cing a calming hand on my shoulder. “Amaya, I know this is difficult, but we need to trust the professionals. They are the best in


    Mr. Evans returned his gaze, a wry smile ying on his lips. “That’s what we strive for, Mr. McCall. Now, why don’t we all take a


    break? We’ve been at it for hours, and a fresh perspective could be helpful.”


    He gestured towards the doorway, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before turning away. The rest of the team followed suit, leaving a heavy silenc


    “Let’s go get some coffee. We need to talk.”


    I stood there for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Doubt and fear battled with a fierce resolve to protect my children. Taking a


    He let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping. He met my gaze and for a moment, all I saw was naked pain in his eyes. “Amaya,


    I know this is a terrible time to do this, and I’ll probablye across like a giant asshole, but…” He shook his head, frustration creasing his brow. “I can’t


    lity I’d n


    I didn’t reply, just stared at him, a cold dread settling in my stomach. There was a tremor in his voice, a vulnerability


    I never seen before,