Chapter 2
Dr. Cooper, the trauma physician on duty, stepped between Edric and the beds.
He was an older man with calm eyes and a voice that never needed to rise to be heard.
He gently pulled the blanket down just enough to examine Chloe’s arm.
Then Faye’s.
His jaw tightened.
The bruises were almost identical.
Same placement.
Same size.
Same pattern along the wrists, upper arms, and legs.
Not random.
Not from a fall.
Not from two girls tumbling down stairs in the exact same way.
Dr. Cooper looked down at Faye’s wristband.
Then at Chloe’s.
For a moment, something changed in his face.
It was small.
But Faye saw it.
So did Edric.
Dr. Cooper turned slowly.
“Both girls fell the exact same way?”
Edric opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
For the first time since they arrived, he was quiet.
Earlier that night, Faye had heard Chloe scream from the second floor.
Not loud.
Not long.
Just one sharp cry that stopped too quickly.
Faye ran from the laundry room, her socks sliding on the hardwood.
At the bottom of the staircase, Edric stood with one hand on the railing.
Chloe was on the floor.
Their mother was standing in the hallway, shaking so badly she looked sick.
“What happened?” Faye screamed.
Edric turned toward her.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
“Your sister forgot how to listen.”
Faye rushed toward Chloe, but Edric grabbed her arm.
His fingers dug in exactly where he always grabbed.
High enough to hide under sleeves.
Hard enough to leave proof.
Faye tried to pull away.
“Let me call 911.”
Edric laughed.
May you like
“You think they’ll believe you?”
👉 That question had haunted the twins for years — because Edric had built their whole house on fear.
