Chapter 3 - The Return to the Den
Megan didn't go to the police. The police in their town were thick with the Collins family; Ryan’s father held a seat on the town council. She went to the house, but she didn't walk in the front door. She crept through the woods, entering the property from the rear, slipping through the shed where they kept the garden tools.
She had to know. She had to see the truth before she destroyed it.
She crawled into the master closet through a panel behind the heavy winter coats. It was a crawlspace, meticulously organized. There was a sleeping bag, a laptop, a stack of photos of Megan—candid shots of her sleeping, of her showering, of her weeping into her pillow at night. He had been documenting her slow breakdown.
She found a diary. It was Ryan’s handwriting.
Day 42: She’s cracking. The gaslighting is working. Lily is the only variable, but she’s young enough to be molded. Once she believes the house is haunted by ‘Daddy,’ she’ll never let Megan stay here alone. Then, the transfer of guardianship begins.
Megan felt a surge of adrenaline so potent it made her vision blur. She didn't need to scream; she needed to record. She pulled out her phone and started documenting the evidence.
May you like
As she worked, she heard the front door open.
"I know you’re here, Megan," Ryan’s voice boomed. It wasn't the voice of the man she had loved. It was cold, clinical, devoid of warmth. "The neighbor said they saw your car. You can’t hide. This is my house. You’re just a guest who overstayed her welcome."
