2. 3 A.M. — The Sound of Water
That night, I woke to the faint sound of running water. It was past three in the morning.
“Why would Daniel be showering now?” I wondered.
But the sound wasn’t steady — it came in bursts, mixed with muffled sobs. My heart thudded as I walked closer and peeked through the crack in the bathroom door.
What I saw made my knees weak.
Olivia stood trembling, rinsing bruises on her arms and shoulders. Daniel stood beside her, expression blank, a towel hanging from his hand.
“You think I didn’t hear you talking earlier?” he said.
“No… it was just Mom. I asked if she wanted something to eat.”
“Liar!” SLAP!
The sound echoed off the tiles. Olivia crumpled to the floor, soaked and crying.
I covered my mouth to stop my scream. My son — the boy I once held and protected — had become the very man his father once was.
