Chapter 8
Chapter 8: The Digital Truth
The younger man's breathing had become terrifyingly shallow.
Tiny, glistening beads of cold sweat had gathered along his hairline, despite the aggressively cooled, climate-controlled air pumping through the mansion's vents.
Daniel's panicked gaze darted wildly across the room. He wasn't looking at Grace anymore. He wasn't looking at his mother.
His eyes locked onto the side cabinet.
He stared directly at the baby monitor.
It was only for a fraction of a second. But Arthur saw it.
Daniel saw the blinking green light. He recognized what it meant. He knew the angle of the camera.
And suddenly, instantly...
The feigned, awkward guilt on Daniel's face was entirely replaced by absolute, unadulterated fear. The blood completely drained from his face, leaving him looking like a ghost.
The old butler had seen enough. He had made his decision.
Without saying a single word, Arthur removed the small remote from his pocket. He aimed it directly at the large, flat-screen smart television mounted above the marble fireplace.
He pressed the button.
A soft, electronic beep echoed sharply through the quiet room.
Everyone stopped. Evelyn turned her head. Grace paused mid-step. Daniel froze like a statue.
The massive television screen illuminated the dark room.
The baby monitor's live feed wasn't on the screen. It was the digital playback archive. Static flickered for a brief second.
Then, the recording from exactly 2:15 PM began to play in crystal-clear, high-definition color.
The timestamp glowed brightly in the bottom right corner.
The wide angle of the upstairs hallway came into perfect view.
Nobody spoke.
Grace stopped walking entirely, turning her body back toward the screen.
Lily wiped her tears, sniffing quietly, staring up at the bright lights of the television.
Evelyn frowned, deeply confused by the sudden technological interruption.
"Arthur? What is this?" she demanded, her tone dripping with impatience. "Turn that off!"
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Arthur didn't move. He answered calmly, his voice ringing with absolute authority.
"The truth, Madam."
