Chapter 3 - Eyes in the Dark
By the end of the first week, Thiago’s obsession with the camera feeds had begun to affect his work. During a critical merger meeting with international investors, he found himself under the boardroom table, his thumb frantically swiping through his live streams.
On screen, Clara was in the nursery. She had just finished changing Alice. The baby was dressed in a soft pink onesie, her limp, unresponsive legs resting quietly on the changing table.
Thiago zoomed in. He watched Clara’s face closely. There, he thought. Now she will show her frustration. Now she will roll her eyes at the weight of lifting a child who cannot help herself.
Instead, the screen showed Clara leaning down and pressing her forehead gently against Alice’s. The thermal-imaging overlay on Thiago's custom security app showed the steady, calm rhythm of Clara’s breathing.
But then, Clara did something that made Thiago’s heart stop.
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She scanned the room. Her eyes lingered on the top shelf—directly at the plush teddy bear where the camera was hidden. She didn't smile. She didn't wave. Her expression hardened into a look of profound, knowing sadness. She knew she was being watched.
Yet, instead of leaving or confronting him, Clara simply reached out, took Alice gently into her arms, and carried her out of the nursery’s camera frame. Thiago felt a cold sweat break out across his neck. She knew. And she was hiding something.
