The next morning, Daniel pretended everything was completely normal and calm.
He told Rachel he had an urgent two-day business trip in neighboring city.
Rachel smiled warmly, her tone switching back to her pleasant interview voice.
Rachel: Don't worry about a thing, Daniel. Sophie is in great hands.
Daniel: I expect her to be well cared for while I am gone.
Rachel: Of course. I will treat her just like my own daughter.
Daniel left the house at eight in the morning with his briefcase.
Instead of driving to the highway, he parked two streets away.
The day before, he had hidden three motion-activated cameras in the house.
One was hidden inside the living room bookshelf behind decorative books.
Another was placed high near the kitchen cabinets, viewing the open space.
The third camera was installed inside the hallway leading to the bedrooms.
Daniel pulled out his smartphone and connected to the live camera feeds.
He sat in his car, watching the screen with a heavy heart.
For the first hour, everything seemed peaceful inside the quiet house.
Sophie was sitting at the dining table, neatly coloring in a book.
Rachel was wiping down the kitchen counters with a white cloth.
Then, around ten in the morning, Sophie accidentally spilled her juice glass.
The red liquid pooled across the light wooden surface of the table.
On the phone screen, Daniel saw Rachel's entire composure change instantly.
Her warm smile vanished, replaced by an expression of pure, cold malice.
She marched over to the dining table and snatched the crayons away.
Rachel: Look at what you did, you stupid, clumsy little girl!
Sophie pulled her arms back in terror, curling up into a ball.
Sophie: I'm sorry, Rachel! It was an accident! I'll clean it!
Rachel: You ruin everything in this house every single day!
Rachel grabbed Sophie forcefully by the sleeve of her blue dress.
She pulled the crying child off the chair onto the wooden floor.
Daniel's heart stopped as he watched the horrifying live video feed.
He started his car engine immediately, slamming his foot on the gas.
His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white.
He was only two minutes away, but every second felt like eternity.
He dialed the local police emergency number on his hands-free speaker.
Daniel: I need police at 742 Elm Street right now! My nanny is abusing my daughter!
Dispatcher: Units are dispatched and on their way, sir. Stay on the line.