Chapter 2 – The Truth Behind the Smiles
Chapter 2 – The Truth Behind the Smiles
That night Daniel refused to let Lily wash another plate.
Instead, he made her sit beside him while he cleaned the kitchen himself.
She cried quietly.
"I didn't want you to fight with your family."
Daniel smiled sadly.
"You weren't the one causing the fight."
The next morning he woke up earlier than everyone else.
Before leaving for work, he checked the home's security cameras.
Months earlier he had installed them after several packages had disappeared.
He had almost forgotten they covered the kitchen.
During lunch he opened the recordings.
Hour after hour...
The truth unfolded.
His mother watched Lily struggle to carry laundry baskets.
His sister deliberately left dirty dishes in the sink after midnight.
His uncle even joked that "pregnant women need exercise."
Each time Lily smiled politely.
Each time she said nothing.
May you like
Daniel's hands shook with anger.
He finally understood why the woman he loved had become quieter every single week.
