Chapter 49 Playing Normal
CAITLYN'S POV
I was walking to the kitchen for breakfast when I noticed the new camera in the hallway. It looked like a smoke detector but I had lived in this house long enough to know there had never been a smoke detector in that exact spot before.
I kept walking and tried not to stare at it. In the kitchen, Mrs Chen was making coffee, and she looked at me with sad eyes like she always did now. Like she knew something terrible was happening but could not say anything.
"Good morning Mrs Hayes," she said quietly.
"Morning," I said and sat down at the table.
I looked around the kitchen and noticed another camera. This one was hidden in the light fixture above the stove. How many cameras had Collin installed while I was sleeping? How many rooms were being watched right now?
My phone buzzed with a text from Collin. "Stay home today. I have meetings all day but I want you where I can reach you."
I typed back. "Okay."
That was it, no argument or questions. Because arguing would make him more suspicious and I could not afford that right now.
I ate breakfast slowly even though I was not hungry. The baby kicked hard and I put my hand on my stomach. Five months pregnant now and showing enough that I cannot hide it anymore. This baby who had caused all of this. This baby was the only reason I was still fighting.
After breakfast, I went to my room to get my phone. The secure phone that Rourke gave me, but when I looked in the hiding spot, it was gone.
My heart started racing. I checked again, moved all the sweaters. I looked under everything. The phone was not there. Collin had found it.
I sat on the floor of my closet trying not to panic. If he found the phone then he knew. He knew I was talking to Rourke. He knew I was the one giving information. He knew everything.
I needed to get out of this house. I needed to run right now. But where would I go? Collin had guards everywhere, and if I ran, it would just confirm his suspicions.
I forced myself to stand up and walk to the window. Outside I could see two guards by the front gate. Two more were walking the perimeter; they were more than usual, way more than usual.
My phone buzzed again. The regular phone that Collin monitored. It was a text from an unknown number. "Saw your husband double security. Be ready to move fast when I say."
It was Rourke. He must have gotten a new burner phone to contact me. But how was I supposed to respond when Collin was watching everything?
I deleted the text and went to the bathroom. Another camera is hidden in the ceiling vent. I could see the small lens if I looked hard enough.
There was no safe private place. Collin was watching and listening to everything I did.
I went back to the bedroom and lay down. The baby kicked again and I closed my eyes. "I am so sorry," I whispered. "I am so sorry I brought you into this mess."
The door opened and I sat up fast. It was just Mrs Chen with fresh towels.
"I did not mean to startle you," she said.
"It is okay," I said.
She put the towels in the bathroom and came back out. Then she did something strange. She came close to me and whispered so quietly I almost could not hear her.
"He is listening. All the time now, be very careful Mrs Hayes."
Then she left before I could respond. So she knew about the cameras, too; everyone knew. Everyone was just pretending everything was normal while Collin watched us like prisoners.
I spent the rest of the day in my room. I read a book about pregnancy even though I could not focus on the words. I folded baby clothes even though they were already folded. I did everything to look normal and calm.
But inside I was screaming. Inside I was terrified. Because I knew what was coming. I knew Collin was planning something. And I had no way to warn Rourke or Jason or anyone.
That night at dinner Collin watched me the whole time. Not in a loving way, in a calculating way. Like he was studying me and trying to figure out my next move.
"You seem nervous," he said.
"Just tired," I lied. "The pregnancy makes me tired."
"You should rest more," he said. "Stay in bed tomorrow. I will have Mrs Chen bring your meals to your room."
That was not a suggestion. That was an order, he was going to keep me locked in my room now.
"I would rather move around," I said carefully. "The doctor said exercise is good for the baby."
"The doctor also said you need rest," Collin said. "And I think rest is more important right now."
I nodded and looked down at my plate. "Okay."
After dinner, I went to my room as he expected. I changed into pajamas and got into bed. Then I waited.
Around midnight I heard footsteps in the hallway. They stopped outside my door. I held my breath and pretended to be asleep.
The doorknob turned slowly. Someone was checking to see if I was really in bed. After a minute the footsteps walked away.
I was being monitored even while I slept. There was no escape, no privacy. No way out.
I touched my stomach where the baby was sleeping. "We are going to get out of this," I whispered so quietly the cameras could not pick it up. "I promise. Rourke and Jason are coming. We just have to hold on a little longer."
But I did not know if I believed that anymore. It felt like the walls were closing in, like time was running out. Like Collin was going to do something terrible before anyone could save me.
I finally fell asleep but had nightmares about cameras and guards and Collin standing over me with that cold expression. When I woke up in the morning, I was sweating, and my heart was pounding.
My phone buzzed, it was a text from Collin. "Stay in your room today, Doctor's orders."
I did not respond. What was the point? He was going to do whatever he wanted regardless of what I said.
Mrs Chen brought breakfast on a tray. She set it down without making eye contact and left quickly. I picked at the food but could not eat much.
The hours crawled by. I stared at the ceiling, counted the baby's kicks. Tried not to think about what Collin was planning.
Around lunch time my phone buzzed again. Unknown number. "Tonight. 2am. Be ready by your bedroom window. Bring nothing but the baby bag."
I read it three times before deleting it. Rourke was coming tonight. I just had to survive until 2am.
I spent the afternoon packing a small bag with baby supplies, diapers, bottles, and a blanket. I hid it in the back of my closet where the cameras could not see.
At one forty-five in the mid
Night, I heard the motorcycles in the distance. Soft at first then getting louder. Jason was coming.