Chapter 4 - The Visitor in the Gray Suit
My heart hammered against my ribs, but I forced my hand to steady before unlocking the deadbolt and pulling the door open just a few inches. Mark blocked the opening with his shoulder, peering past me into the apartment.
"Daniel, buddy! Good morning," Mark said, his voice dripping with an oily, forced warmth. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"What are you doing here, Mark?" I asked, keeping my body planted firmly in the doorway. "I thought you were staying home while Melissa was away."
"Well, business meetings got shifted around. I have a client brunch nearby," Mark replied smoothly, his gaze darting past me toward the kitchen. "Thought I’d pop in, say hello to my favorite niece, and save you the trouble of babysitting her full-time. Melissa mentioned she might be a bit... difficult."
"She’s not difficult. She’s fine," I said sharply. "And she’s staying with me until Melissa gets back."
Mark’s smile tightened, the corners of his mouth twitching with irritation. "Now, Daniel, let's not be difficult. Melissa has a lot on her plate, and frankly, you don't really know how to handle kids. Let me take her home. I’ve got her schedule right here."
From the kitchen, I heard the faint scraping of a chair. Lily had crept to the edge of the hallway, her wide eyes locked onto Mark through the crack in the door. The moment she saw him, she let out a tiny, involuntary whimper.
Mark heard it. His eyes narrowed, flashing with a sudden, ugly menace that he quickly tried to mask with another fake laugh.
"See? She misses home. Come on, Lily-bug, let's go," Mark called out, taking a step forward to push the door open.
I slammed my palm against the doorframe, blocking his path. The casual friendliness vanished from my face entirely.
"You aren't touching her, Mark," I said, my voice dropping an octave into a low, dangerous growl. "Step away from my door, or I call the police right now."
Mark stared at me, sizing me up. For a second, a dark, threatening aura leaked through his polished facade. But as he heard the faint wail of a distant siren rolling down the street—perfect timing from Claire's network—he clenched his jaw.
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"You're making a massive mistake, Daniel," Mark hissed, leaning in close so only I could hear. "You think you're a hero? When Melissa gets back, you won't even be allowed to look at this kid again."
He spun on his heel, adjusting his suit jacket, and strode down the hallway without looking back.
