Leo lay there, small and fragile, curled in on himself like a wounded animal. His sobs were quieter now, but Clara could still hear the tremors in his breathing. She approached slowly, not wanting to startle him, and gently placed a hand on his back.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” she whispered.
“I’m here.”
Leo turned toward her, his eyes wide and pleading. “Mrs.
Clara, please… it hurts.”
She nodded, reassuring him with a soft smile. “Let’s see what’s hurting you, okay?”
With careful hands, she lifted Leo’s head slightly and pulled the pillow out from under him.
It was heavier than it should have been, and as she unzipped the silk cover, she discovered why.
Inside, buried beneath the plush surface, was a network of small electronic devices and wires. Clara’s heart dropped as realization washed over her. Someone had planted these beneath the pillow—a high-tech nightmare hidden in the guise of luxury.
Her flashlight gleamed off tiny metal edges, and she could see faint red marks on Leo’s skin where he had pressed against them.
“This isn’t right,” she muttered, more to herself than to Leo. “Wh-what is it?” Leo asked, his voice trembling.
What happened next changed everything…
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