Third person's POV
As instructed, Jade waited, counting the seconds before making her way downstairs. Her heart raced as she crept down the stairs, careful not to make a sound. The house was quiet, with only the faint murmur of the television in the living room breaking the silence.
She paused at the bottom of the stairs, listening intently for any sign that she had been noticed. Hearing nothing, she slipped out the side door and into the garage.
The fluorescent lights flickered to life as Jade entered, casting harsh shadows across the cluttered space.
Her mother was already there, pacing nervously between Raymond's car and a stack of dusty boxes. But Jade's breath caught in her throat when she saw that Selena wasn't alone.
Marcus leaned against the workbench, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips.
"Mom? What is going on?" Jade's voice wavered, betraying her anxiety.
