From the first day, his attention settled on Emily Carter, a young housekeeper who had worked there for six months. She wasn’t flashy or overly polite. Her smile was quiet, genuine.
She spoke gently to Lucas, read him stories with silly voices, and held him without hesitation when he scraped his knee or woke from a bad dream. Still, Charles watched carefully. Kindness could be rehearsed.
One afternoon, while Charles trimmed rose bushes, Lucas kicked his soccer ball too hard. It rolled toward the pool, flashing blue in the sunlight. Laughing, the boy chased after it, unaware of the slick edge beneath his feet. Charles’s chest tightened—but he stayed still.
Emily noticed instantly. Dropping the laundry she carried, she ran.
Before anyone could react, a deep, furious bark exploded through the air. A massive Rottweiler burst through a gap in the fence, teeth bared, eyes wild. The dog charged straight toward Lucas.
The boy froze, terror locking his small body in place. Charles nearly broke his disguise, ready to sprint—when Emily reached them first.