The soft morning light filtered through the kitchen curtains as Sarah wiped her two-year-old son Max’s sticky hands. He giggled, oblivious to the tension growing in her chest. Her phone buzzed on the counter, the familiar chime of a message that Sarah had come to dread. She picked it up, bracing herself for disappointment.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to continue working with your family. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Sarah stared at the screen, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. It was Megan, the babysitter she had hired just yesterday. The third babysitter in a row to quit after only one day.
She glanced at Max, who was toddling around the living room, laughing at his wobbly steps, while five-year-old Lily was engrossed with her toy tea set. The kids were happy, well-behaved even. So why did every sitter leave so abruptly?
Sarah’s best friend Julie arrived for their usual coffee chat, her warm presence a small comfort. After pouring their drinks, Sarah set the mug down harder than she intended. “Three babysitters, Julie. Three! All quitting after just one day. What am I doing wrong?”
Julie raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure it’s you or the kids? Could it be… something else?”
Sarah blinked. “Something else? Like what?”
Julie hesitated before speaking. “What about Dave? Could he be… I don’t know, making it uncomfortable for them?”
“Dave?” Sarah frowned, shaking her head. “He’s been supportive of me going back to work. Why would he do anything like that?”
Julie shrugged but didn’t press the issue. Her words, however, lingered in Sarah’s mind long after she left.
By midnight, Sarah’s frustration had reached a boiling point. She couldn’t let this continue. Determined to uncover the truth, she dug through a box in the closet until she found the old nanny cam. The next morning, while Dave was at work, she set it up in the living room, discreetly hidden among the bookshelves.
That afternoon, Sarah hired another babysitter. Rachel, a college student with a bright smile, seemed eager and kind. Sarah introduced her to the kids, gave a quick rundown of the routine, and left the house—except she didn’t go far. She parked down the street, phone in hand, watching the live feed from the nanny cam.
