When I walked into my mansion that afternoon, I expected to hear my twin boys laughing.

When I returned to the Alpine mansion that evening, I played my part to perfection.

I walked through the door dragging my feet, letting my shoulders slump, exaggerating the tremor in my right hand as I set my car keys on the marble foyer table.

Caroline was waiting in the living room, dressed in an elegant blue silk gown, sipping a glass of wine.

"Julian!" she exclaimed, rushing over with an expression of intense, fraudulent concern. "Where have you been all day? I was sick with worry! I called your office and they said you canceled all your appointments."

"I... I needed to get away," I stammered, slurring my words just enough to sound exhausted and confused. "My head is pounding, Caroline. I couldn't drive properly. I had to pull over and rest in a parking lot for hours."

Caroline’s eyes lit up with hidden satisfaction. She wrapped her arm around my waist, guiding me toward the plush sofa. "Oh, my poor darling. You're overworking yourself. You sit right here. I'll make you your special chamomile tea."

"Thank you, sweetie," I murmured, leaning back and closing my eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You don't have to worry about a thing," she purred, turning toward the kitchen.

As soon as her back was turned, I opened my eyes.

I watched her through the tinted glass panels of the kitchen door. She pulled a small eyedropper bottle from her pocket, squeezing five clear drops into the steamy porcelain mug. She stirred it thoroughly, wiped the spoon, and put the bottle back into her apron.

She walked back into the living room, holding the mug out to me with a warm, angelic smile. "Drink it all, darling. It will help you sleep."

I took the mug with my trembling right hand, bringing it close to my lips.

Caroline stood over me, her eyes fixed on the liquid, holding her breath. She was waiting for the trap to spring.

"Oh," I suddenly said, stopping an inch from the rim. "I forgot—I left the boys' bedtime storybooks in the trunk of the car. Let me go grab them first."

"Julian, no, sit down, I'll get them—"

Before she could stop me, I clumsily stumbled toward the front door, turning my back to her. In one swift, practiced motion, I tipped the mug into a small, plastic ziplock bag lined with absorbent cotton that I had hidden inside my heavy coat pocket, leaving only a tiny residue at the bottom of the cup.

I opened the front door, pretended to search the coat rack, and walked back into the living room, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand as if I had just finished gulping down the hot liquid.

I handed her the empty mug. "Mmm. That really hit the spot."

Caroline looked at the empty cup, her smile widening into pure, triumphant malice. "Good boy," she whispered softly under her breath. "Now why don't you go upstairs and lay down? You have a big night ahead of you on Friday."

"Yes..." I mumbled, swaying slightly as I walked toward the stairs. "A very big night."

Upstairs in the boys' bedroom, I found Noah and Santiago sitting on their bed, reading a comic book. When they saw me enter, Noah immediately looked at my hands.

I gave them both a wide, bright smile, forming a secret 'thumbs-up' sign with my right hand—the code we had established that morning.

Noah let out a huge sigh of relief, jumping up to hug my waist. "You're okay, Daddy!"

"I'm more than okay, wild man," I whispered, kissing both of their heads. "We're almost at the finish line. Just two more days, and then we're going on a long vacation. Just you, me, Santiago... and Uncle David."