“I know what you did. And I’m watching.”

My blood ran cold, and I froze, staring at the receipt in my hand. My mind raced, trying to make sense of it. What could this mean? I hadn’t done anything that would warrant such a message, or at least nothing that I was aware of. I quickly scanned the receipt for any clues. It was from a local Chinese restaurant, but the name on the order was completely unfamiliar.

The sound of Noah’s laughter broke me from my thoughts. Ava was now covered in yogurt, her hands reaching out to touch anything in sight. I needed to stay calm. But I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that someone, somewhere, was keeping an eye on me.

After a few deep breaths, I set the receipt down and opened the takeout container. The food, surprisingly, was exactly what I liked—sweet and sour chicken, steamed rice, and spring rolls. It felt too specific, like someone knew me.

Then, just as I was about to dig in, my phone rang. Unknown number. I hesitated for a moment, then answered.

“I hope you enjoyed the meal, Mrs. Taylor.” The voice on the other end was calm, too calm. “It’s just the beginning.”