Chapter 4

Willow stood behind Naomi and Katherine, looking at me with the same innocent expression, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

No matter what I said, Naomi and Katherine refused to believe Willow could have unlatched Caleb's harness. Watching them defend her so completely left me drained.

A thought took hold and wouldn't let go.

What if everything from my last life had something to do with how much we had indulged her? What if we had pushed her into this without realizing it?

The next day, I insisted on taking Willow to see a psychologist, but the results were nothing like what I expected.

Willow's evaluation came back perfectly normal. Ironically, it was my questionnaire that raised red flags for severe anxiety.

I stared at the results in disbelief.

Willow was fine? How was that even possible?

Naomi came over and patted my shoulder. "You believe it now, right? There's nothing wrong with Willow. You've just been too tense lately. You're anxious, so you keep assuming the worst. Try to relax. Once Willow finishes the SAT, we'll take a trip as a family."

Katherine set a glass of water down for Willow, then walked over as well.

"Exactly. The results are right there. Stop making a fuss. If you mess with her state of mind before the exam, you'll be kicking yourself afterward. I don't care how she scores. She'll always be my granddaughter."

Their words settled in. For the first time, I found myself wavering.

Maybe I really was too anxious about the SAT. Maybe everything I thought I had experienced, the murders, the fire, even coming back… Maybe it was all just something my mind had made up.

I shook it off and looked at Willow.

She smiled at me, her lips curling into a smug, devilish grin.

My chest tightened.

I called Naomi and Katherine over, telling them to look. When I turned back, Willow was already sipping her water, calm and composed.

She noticed me staring and tilted her head. "Dad? What's wrong? Do you want some water?"

I blinked, unsure of what I had just seen, but Naomi and Katherine didn't hesitate. "You're overthinking this because of the SAT. That's all it is."

With them repeating it, again and again, I finally forced myself to accept it. Maybe this really was my problem.

That night, after we got home, Katherine made a healthy snack for Willow. Caleb joked around at the table like always.

Everything looked normal and warm, exactly the way it had been for years. Watching them, watching Willow sit there quiet and obedient, I started to believe it.

Maybe none of it had been real. Maybe my last life had only existed in my head.

My daughter was kind and thoughtful. There was no way she could be capable of something like that.

I kept telling myself that. It did ease something in me, but the unease never fully went away.

Before bed, almost without thinking, I opened the camera feed in Willow's room.

The moment I saw it, the blood in my veins seemed to turn cold.