Her son took one step back.

“Protecting me from what?”

His mother’s face lost all color.

“Please.

Just go.”

The intimidating man gave a cold smile.

“You should listen to her.”

“Don’t speak to me,” the boy snapped.

“What have you done to her?”

The man reached inside his coat.

His mother immediately grabbed his wrist.

“No,” she whispered.

“That wasn’t our agreement.”

Her son noticed a brown envelope in the man’s hand.

His name was written across it.

“What’s in there?”

“Nothing you need to see,” his mother said, moving toward the door.

“Go home and lock everything.

Don’t answer your phone.”

“This is my home!”

“Not tonight.”

The man placed the envelope on the table.

A photograph slid halfway out.

It showed the boy leaving school that afternoon—but it had been taken from across the street.

His anger turned to fear.

“Why does he have that?”

His mother began crying.

“Because I made a mistake years ago, and now he wants you to pay for it.”

The man’s smile disappeared.

“Careful.

One more word, and the boy learns why his father never came home.”

Her son stared at her.

“Mom…

what is he talking about?”

Before she could answer, someone knocked three times at the front door.

The man went rigid.

Then a voice outside called the mother’s name—and she whispered, “He found us.”

Who was outside, and what secret was hidden in the envelope?

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