Chapter 1 - The Red Light
The fork hit the plate so hard Lily jumped.
"Put it back."
Six-year-old Lily stood beside Ethan's chair, holding one piece of roasted chicken between two fingers. Ethan looked down at his bowl of instant noodles and said nothing.
Amanda's plate was full. Lily's was full. Ethan's wasn't.
"He likes chicken," Lily said.
Amanda's jaw tightened. "I said put it back."
Lily placed the chicken on Ethan's napkin anyway.
Amanda snatched it up, dropped it onto her own plate, and pointed toward the hallway. "Go to your room."
Lily's eyes filled. "Why?"
"Because you don't listen. And because he is not your real brother."
Ethan finally looked up.
The words hurt more than hunger.
Lily shook her head hard. "Yes, he is."
"No. He's Daniel's son. You're my daughter. Stop pretending we're one big happy family."
For three months since Daniel Reed's funeral, Amanda had been changing little things. Ethan's bedroom moved downstairs. His allowance disappeared. His school lunches became cheaper. His father's photographs vanished from the living room.
Ethan had learned that complaining only made things worse.
Lily had not.
She turned toward him, tears running down her cheeks. "Show Mom what Daddy gave you before he left."
Amanda went still.
Ethan's stomach dropped.
"Lily," he whispered.
"Show her."
Amanda pushed back from the table. "Show me what?"
Ethan reached into the inside pocket of his old hoodie.
A small black device sat in his palm.
A red light blinked once.
Amanda's face lost all color.
"Where did you get that?"
Ethan closed his fingers around it.
"Dad gave it to me."
Amanda moved toward him.
Lily stepped between them.
May you like
And from the tiny speaker in Ethan's fist, Daniel Reed's recorded voice suddenly played.
"If Amanda ever asks you for this, Ethan... run."
