After hanging up, I couldn’t shake the fear. Our neighborhood had recently experienced a series of break-ins with eerily similar methods—chemicals to weaken locks and meticulous clean-up of evidence. A chilling thought crossed my mind: my house was next on the list.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Kai asked, noticing my unease.

“Everything’s fine,” I reassured him, though my smile felt forced. “Let’s have dinner.”

Just as we started eating, there was a knock on the door. I tensed, but relief washed over me when I saw Leona through the peephole.

“Kids, stay here and finish dinner,” I said before stepping outside to speak with her. I explained everything to Leona—Ravi’s note, his strange behavior, and what I found in the trash. She listened carefully, her eyes scanning the street.

“You did the right thing by calling me,” she said. “I’ll take a look at what you found and get it analyzed. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you increase your security. We’ll patrol the area all night.”

That night, sleep was impossible. I spent hours researching security systems, jumping at every little sound. By morning, I was jittery from lack of sleep and too much caffeine. At 8 a.m. sharp, I called a security company.

“I need cameras installed around my house. Today.”

“Ma’am, our earliest slot is next week—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice breaking. “Someone’s planning to break into my home. I need those cameras now.”

The urgency in my tone must have struck a chord because the receptionist softened her voice. “Let me see what I can do. Can you hold for a moment?” After what felt like an eternity, she returned with good news. “We had a cancellation. Our team can be there in two hours.”

The security team arrived, and I paced the house as they installed cameras. Every passing car, every dog walker suddenly seemed suspicious. Just as they were finishing, Leona pulled into my driveway, her expression grim.

“Nora, we need to talk inside,” she said. I sent the kids to their rooms before sitting down with her.

“The lab results are in,” she said. “That liquid you found? It’s a powerful corrosive, often used to weaken locks.”

My heart sank. “So, it’s true. They were planning to break in.”

“It appears so,” Leona confirmed. “But you’ve taken the right steps. We’re increasing patrols, and your security system is in place.”

At that moment, I spotted Ravi arriving at a neighbor’s house.

“He’s here,” I said, moving to the window.

“Talk to him, but be careful,” Leona advised. “We’re not sure if he’s involved or just a concerned bystander.”

I approached Ravi as he was about to leave. He looked tense, but I needed answers.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,”