Chapter 3
One day, I got a message from headquarters. I was being sent to Singana for a week on business.
This was an important project, and there was no way I could turn it down.
Before I left, my biggest concern was Anna.
"Grace, I'm counting on you to look after Anna while I'm away," I said.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Lane," Grace replied, holding Anna close. "I'll make sure she's well taken care of."
Seeing Anna curled up in her arms, as gentle as a kitten, really put my mind at ease.
David drove me to the airport. "With Grace at home, you really don't have to worry. She's way better at taking care of Anna than either of us."
I nodded.
The plane took off.
As I watched the city get smaller and smaller outside the window, for some reason, I felt uneasy inside.
It felt like something was about to spiral out of control.
*****
The project in Singana went smoothly, and our business partners were thoroughly impressed with our proposal.
What was supposed to take a week was wrapped up in only four days.
I immediately changed my flight from Saturday night to Friday afternoon.
I wanted to surprise David and Anna.
I didn't tell anyone I was coming back early.
When the plane landed, it was six in the evening, and the city was just lighting up for the night.
I turned down the company's car and took a cab home instead.
Leaning back in the taxi, I watched the scenery rush by outside the window. I couldn't wait to get home.
I hadn't seen Anna in a week. I wondered if she missed me.
Was David holed up in his study again, so caught up in work that he'd forgotten the time?
Was Grace's cooking still as good as ever?
When I thought about all this, a smile crept onto my lips.
The taxi pulled up at the entrance to our apartment complex.
I paid the driver, grabbed my suitcase, and hurried toward our building.
It was already dark outside, and the streetlights cast a soft, golden glow on the ground.
The autumn wind carried a faint chill. It felt gentle and pleasant against the skin.
Everything was quiet and peaceful, like always.
When I got to the building, I instinctively glanced up at our window.
On the 15th floor, the living room light was on.
Warm yellow light spilled through the cracks in the curtains, making the whole apartment feel cozy.
That was my home, the place where I was surrounded by the people I loved, and those who loved me.
I took a deep breath, pushed open the building door, and walked into the elevator.
I was alone in the elevator.
My smiling face was mirrored in the cold metal walls.
The numbers on the elevator panel flashed—10, 11, 12...
My heart started racing.
The elevator reached the 15th floor, and the doors slid open.
My door was right in front of the elevator—reddish-brown and heavy.
I took my keys out of my bag.
I didn't wanna spoil the surprise, so I decided to open the door myself.
I walked as quietly as I could, barely making a sound.
I slid the key into the lock and turned it slowly.
There was a barely audible click as the lock released.
I held the doorknob and was about to push the door open.
Suddenly, I heard a faint rustling sound coming from inside.
It was so soft, like something brushing against something else.
I froze.
Was Grace cleaning up?
No. At this moment, she should be in the kitchen, getting dinner ready.
The kitchen opened right into the living room.
If Grace was in the living room, I'd probably hear the TV or Anna running around.
But right now, the room was dead silent, except for that strange rustling sound.
Something I couldn't quite name started creeping up inside me.
I held my breath and gently pushed the door open just a crack.
It was only wide enough for me to peek through with one eye.
The entryway was dark, but the living room light spilled in at an angle, stretching a long band of light across the floor.
The rustling sound was coming from the kitchen.
The kitchen door was closed.
It was a frosted glass sliding door.
I could see someone moving around inside, but it was too blurry to tell who it was.
For some reason, my heart was in my throat.
Where were David and Anna? Were they not home?
I quietly slipped off my shoes, leaving my suitcase by the door.
Silent as a cat, I crept toward the kitchen.
I tiptoed, careful with every step, afraid to make even the slightest sound.
The closer I got to the kitchen, the clearer the figure inside became.
It was Grace.
She stood with her back to me, her head bowed, doing something I couldn't quite see.
I watched as she reached up behind her ear, as if she was untying something.
Then she brought her hand down, pinching a piece of white fabric between her fingers.
It was the mask. She actually took it off, for the first time in three years.