A tall man dressed entirely in black was walking down the hallway.
His polished shoes clicked against the marble floor.
In one hand, he carried a baseball bat.
To Noah, the scene looked terrifying.
His injured mother lay helpless on the floor.
A stranger carrying a weapon was approaching.
The conclusion seemed obvious.
This had to be the attacker.
Fear consumed him instantly.
Without thinking, Noah moved in front of his mother.
His entire body trembled.
But he refused to move aside.
The man continued walking.
Step by step.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Until he finally stopped.
The baseball bat hung at his side.
Noah couldn't stop crying.
"Please! Leave her alone!"
The words echoed throughout the mansion.
For a few seconds, neither moved.
Then the stranger looked beyond Noah and directly at Grace.
The reaction was immediate.
The man's expression changed completely.
Shock flooded his face.
His eyes widened.
His grip on the bat loosened.
Whatever he had expected to find inside the mansion, this wasn't it.
And what happened next would reveal a truth Noah never saw coming.