Chapter 2

Chloe froze, holding a plate of freshly sliced watermelon.

Toby stood on the porch, clutching a rusty tin box.

The box was filled with glass marbles.

Red, blue, green.

In my past life, these marbles rolled all over the floor.

When the police searched his bag, those marbles rolled out from under the coffee table, bumping against my feet.

Only then did I realize he hadn't come to play with me.

He was using me as an excuse to get close to Chloe.

Chloe set the plate down and came over to pull me back.

"Stella, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

"Doesn't Toby always come over to play with you?"

My lips trembled, and my entire body shook.

"I don't want to play with him."

"I don't want him inside our house."

Toby lowered his head, his shoulders slumping.

He was very short, and his face looked incredibly young.

Everyone in our townhouse complex was used to calling him "little Toby."

His voice was barely a whisper. "Chloe, maybe I should just go."

"It seems like Stella doesn't like me."

He made a move to leave, but his feet remained glued to the porch.

I stood firm, blocking the doorway.

A look of conflict flashed across Chloe's face.

Waves of summer heat rolled into the house.

In the end, she let out a sigh.

"Stella, don't be so rude."

"He lives right next door. What's wrong with him hanging out for a bit?"

I screamed, "No!"

Chloe frowned.

She rarely showed me a cold face.

But our parents had gone out of town to the city hospital for Grandma's surgery, leaving just the two of us at home. She was already exhausted.

She thought I was just throwing a tantrum because Mom and Dad weren't home.

She picked me up and set me aside.

Just like that, Toby stepped inside.

Chloe closed the front door behind him.

An icy chill ran down my spine.

Toby placed his tin box on the coffee table and sat meekly on the edge of the sofa.

He sneaked a quick glance at Chloe.

His eyes traveled from Chloe's face down to her neck, which was damp with sweat. Then he quickly looked away.

If I hadn't lived through this once before, I probably would have thought it was just my imagination.

Chloe turned to go to the kitchen to wash her hands.

Toby immediately stood up.

"Chloe, let me help you carry the watermelon."

"No, it's fine. Just sit down."

"It's okay, I want to help."

He started walking toward the kitchen.

I wriggled out of Chloe's grasp, rushed over, and blocked the kitchen doorway.

"You're not allowed in here!"

Toby stopped in his tracks.

For a split second, the timid look on his face vanished, replaced by a cold, dark glare.

The next second, he put on a pitiful smile again.

"Stella, I just wanted to help Chloe."

I grabbed the tin box of marbles from the coffee table and slammed it onto the floor.

The colorful marbles scattered everywhere.

Chloe walked out of the kitchen, her face darkening.

"Stella!"

My eyes blurred with tears.

"I hate him."

"I just hate him!"

Toby knelt down, picking them up one by one.

His voice was just loud enough for Chloe to hear. "It's okay, Chloe."

"It's normal for kids not to like me."

Sure enough, Chloe's heart softened.

She knelt down to help him pick them up.

"She's usually not like this."

"Maybe she's just anxious because our parents aren't home."

Toby paused his hands.

He looked up, acting as if he had just heard the news.

"Are Mr. and Mrs. Miller still not back?"

Chloe replied casually, "Grandma got a fever after her surgery, so they have to stay at the hospital for another two days."

"It's just me and Stella at home."

I lunged forward, covering Chloe's mouth.

"Don't tell him!"

Chloe froze.

Toby looked at me, slowly curving his lips into a smile.

"Stella is so protective of Chloe."

My chest tightened.

He already knew, but he just loved hearing Chloe confirm it herself.

To confirm there were no adults in the house.

To confirm that his prey was left with only a six-year-old child.