My hands are shaking—not from fear, but from the quiet, electric thrill of control. I just hung up after telling Mrs. Chen that if she wants Charlie to walk through school without tripping over his own shoelaces again, she’ll follow my instructions—exactly, immediately, and without question. I don’t care that she’s his mother. I don’t care that she cried on the phone. What matters is that she *listened*. And now? She’s already sent the first photo. Not because she wants to—but because she believes there’s no way out. But here’s what she doesn’t know yet: every time she complies, the line blurs a little more—not just for her, but for me. And the scariest part? Neither of us is sure who’s really holding the leash anymore.