He felt relieved to finally be home, but at the same time, uneasiness crept over him.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong between his daughter and Jessica. But he tried to push those thoughts away. Entering the house, he took off his jacket and walked into the living room, where he saw Emily sitting on the couch with a book.

She looked up and ran toward him. “Daddy, I missed you so much!” the little girl exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

Michael pulled her into his arms, feeling her warmth and genuine joy.
“I missed you too, sweetheart,” he said, gently stroking her hair. “Where’s Jessica?”

Emily rolled her eyes and sighed tiredly. “She’s probably still sleeping.”
She said it with clear irritation in her voice. “Perfect,” he said, leaning toward his daughter with a smile. “Then we have time to talk, just the two of us.”

He took her hand, and they headed toward her bedroom. As always, Michael was ready to support his daughter, to talk to her, to find out what was troubling her.

When they reached her room, Michael closed the door and, with a smile, pulled a small box from his pocket.

“This is for you,” he said, handing it to her. Emily took the box with curiosity, and when she opened it, she saw a beautiful bracelet with shimmering stones. She sighed in awe.

“I picked the prettiest one just for you,” Michael said, enjoying her reaction.

“Daddy, thank you!” the little girl hugged him, nearly jumping with joy. “It’s so beautiful!” Michael felt his heart swell with warmth at his daughter’s happiness.

He watched as she tried on the bracelet, lifting her hands to see how it sparkled in the light. But then something in her expression changed. Emily suddenly became more serious.

Michael felt that the conversation he had been preparing for was finally here. He sat on the bed and motioned for his daughter to sit beside him.

“Emily,” he began, raising an eyebrow, “why haven’t you gone to school all these days? We agreed that you would keep learning. You know how important it is!”

Emily lowered her head, her face suddenly looking sad. She nervously played with the bracelet on her wrist.
“I don’t like it when you leave and Jessica takes me,” she admitted, barely holding back tears. “I want you to be with me!”

Michael felt a sharp pang in his chest. He knew Emily struggled with his frequent trips, but he hadn’t realized how much it was affecting her.

“But you understand that this is my job, and it can’t be any other way,” he tried to find the right words, pausing for a moment. “You understand that, don’t you, sweetheart?”

Emily nodded slowly without lifting her eyes. “I understand,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible. “I promise I won’t do that again.”

Michael felt relieved, but doubts still gnawed at him. He pulled his daughter into his arms.
“Good girl,” he said, hugging her close. “Because in a few days, I’ll have to leave again. But you’ll be strong, right?”

“Again?” Emily said in disappointment, lowering her head once more.

“Yes,” he answered with a deep sigh. “I know it’s hard, but you’re strong. You’ll be okay.”

Emily was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned to her father and whispered, “Daddy, when you leave, my new mom will give me the medicine again. Save me.”

Michael froze. Those words hit him like a lightning bolt. He stood motionless for a few seconds, unable to believe his ears.

“What did you say?” His voice suddenly turned serious and tense.

Emily withdrew and lowered her head again as if she regretted saying anything. “Nothing,” she whispered, avoiding his gaze.

But Michael already knew that wasn’t true. In his mind, the puzzle pieces of what was happening in his home began to fall into place. He didn’t know exactly what had happened between his wife and his daughter, but now that she had said those words, he knew he had to uncover the whole truth.

Determined to investigate, the man froze in horror when he saw…

Michael went completely still, pressing himself against the hallway wall. He had quietly opened Emily’s bedroom door late that night, remembering her words about the “medicine.” Jessica had come into Emily’s room, holding a small spoon and a dark bottle. Emily was half-asleep, but she was still conscious enough to squirm and try to avoid whatever Jessica was giving her.

The eerie glow from the hallway nightlight made the scene feel even more unsettling. Michael watched from the narrow gap in the door, heart pounding against his ribs. Jessica leaned in and whispered, “Take this, or I’ll tell your dad you’ve been lying. I’m not going to ask nicely again.” She lifted Emily’s chin gently, but there was a hardness in her eyes that Michael had never noticed before.

Emily forced the liquid down, coughed, and then whimpered softly. Jessica stroked her hair but in a mechanical, detached way that made Michael’s stomach turn. Once Emily swallowed the “medicine,” Jessica left the room as if nothing unusual had happened.

After Jessica disappeared down the corridor, Michael slipped inside and rushed to Emily’s side. She looked at him groggily, her eyelids drooping. “Daddy…” she mumbled, half-conscious. He could see the fear and confusion in her eyes. His blood boiled. How could he have missed all these signs?

He stayed with her until she fell fully asleep, determined to figure out what Jessica was really giving Emily. He thought back to little moments—Emily mentioning a bitter taste, Emily insisting she felt dizzy on the nights Jessica tucked her in. Regret and anger welled up in his chest. He was supposed to protect his daughter, yet here he was, only just discovering something was terribly wrong.

The next morning, Michael waited until Jessica got up. She behaved like it was a normal day, greeting him in the kitchen with a half-smile. She poured herself coffee and sat at the kitchen table.

“Morning,” she said casually, as if the night before had been perfectly ordinary.