THE MASKED MAN

**Continuation…**

Thomas headed straight to the door, his mind heavy with the words he knew would eventually surface. But he hadn’t anticipated that today would be the day. Standing in front of him was Landon, his eldest son, with eyes filled with rage and tears. The confrontation he had feared for so long had finally arrived.

“SECRET? WHAT SECRET?!” Landon demanded, his voice quivering with anger. His fists were clenched, and he stood tall, though it was clear he was struggling to hold back his emotions.

Thomas’s heart pounded in his chest as he looked away from his son’s piercing gaze. “Landon, now’s not the time,” he murmured, turning on his heel to retreat to the safety of his room. But Landon wasn’t about to let his father escape that easily.

“No, Dad! What secret have you both been hiding from us?!” Landon’s voice cracked as he grabbed his father’s arm, pulling him back with a force that surprised even him.

Thomas froze, guilt and fear battling for dominance in his chest. This was the moment he had dreaded, the moment when everything might fall apart.

The commotion drew the attention of the rest of the family. Moments later, Sarah, Nicholas, Josh, and the twins, Cora and Clara, came running down the stairs, their faces a mixture of confusion and concern.

“What is going on down here?” Sarah, the first daughter, asked, her brows furrowed in bewilderment.

Nicholas, the first son, followed closely behind, his expression one of exasperation. “Landon? You again? What’s all this about?”

Josh, the middle child, who had always been more sensitive than his older siblings, looked around nervously. “What’s going on? I’m scared.”

“What’s happening, family? Mummy? Daddy?” chorused Cora and Clara, the twins, their innocent voices tinged with worry.

Landon, still clutching his father’s arm, took a step back, his breath coming in shallow gasps. “Thank God you’re all here! You all need to hear this—hear the big secret Mom and Dad have been hiding from us!”

“Secret?” Sarah echoed, her voice tight with suspicion as she exchanged glances with Nicholas, who focused his gaze on their father.

Seconds later, Grace hurried out of her room, her face pale with anxiety. “Children! Children! Please, everyone, calm down!” she pleaded, trying to ease the tension that had filled the room like a storm cloud.

“Mom, what secret have you and Dad been hiding from us?” Sarah asked, her voice trembling slightly, fearing the answer she was about to receive. She wasn’t sure she was ready for whatever truth was about to be revealed.

Grace hesitated, her eyes darting to Thomas, who shook his head almost imperceptibly. But it was too late. The seed of doubt had been planted, and it was growing rapidly within the minds of their children.

“Sweeties, fine… I’ll tell you all.” Grace inhaled deeply, bracing herself.

“Grace, no!” Thomas’s voice was sharp, his gaze intense as he stared at his wife, silently begging her to reconsider.

But the decision had already been made. Grace’s voice was steady, but her hands shook as she began. “The secret is…” She paused, her heart aching as she saw the anticipation and fear in her children’s eyes. They were too young for this, too innocent.

“We… are… going out for a family outing! To one of the greatest concerts in the world!” she suddenly exclaimed, her voice loud and enthusiastic, as if she could somehow mask the unease in the air with excitement.

The children stared at her in disbelief, the tension in the room hanging thickly.

“Seriously?” Landon’s voice was laced with disappointment and confusion.

“Yes, son. We wanted to keep it a secret until we could surprise you all at the dinner table. But someone,” Thomas said, his voice pointed as he glanced at Landon, “couldn’t wait and tried accusing us.”

Landon’s face flushed with embarrassment. He looked down at his shoes, feeling small and foolish. “Oh, I… I’m sorry. I thought you were hiding something from us,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” Grace said gently, though her heart was still racing. “Now, everyone! Get dressed because we have a long day ahead!” She tried to sound as cheerful as possible, though the words felt hollow.

“Please, Landon, don’t give us a heart attack next time,” Sarah said, trying to lighten the mood as she placed a reassuring hand on her brother’s shoulder.

“Yeah, and try to get along with Dad,” Nicholas added with a small smile. “I know you two aren’t on the best of terms, but he’s still your father. You’ve got this, man.”

Landon forced a weak smile in return. “Yeah… I guess you’re right,” he said, though his mind was still racing with unanswered questions. What could his parents possibly hide from them? He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more, something they weren’t telling them.

“Finally! Party!” Josh exclaimed, his earlier fear forgotten as he ran back to his room, excitement bubbling up within him.

“More fun for us! Come on, Landon, you don’t want to be late!” chorused the twins, skipping up the stairs to their rooms with giggles of joy.

Landon stood there for a moment, lost in thought. *I guess they’re right. What could our parents possibly hide from us? I guess I was just overthinking. But… why do I still have this feeling that there’s something more behind what they said?* He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought, but it lingered in the back of his mind.

---

The night had arrived, and the Smith family was on their way to the big concert, the anticipation buzzing in the air. Thomas, one of the top three global music artists in America and an insatiable global pop star, was going to be the co-host at the MAV Award Night, one of the most prestigious events in the music industry. His wife and children were his biggest trophies, his pride and joy. He had worked hard to give them a life of comfort and luxury, and tonight was supposed to be another celebration of that success.

But as they drove through the glittering streets of Las Vegas, the city lights reflecting off the sleek black car, there was an undercurrent of unease in the air. Everyone seemed cheerful—everyone except Landon, who sat silently, his gaze fixed on the passing buildings, streetlights, and people. The cool night breeze tousled his hair, but it did little to calm the storm brewing inside him.

“Landon! Hey! Listen!” Sarah called out, noticing how distant and quiet her brother had been during the drive.

“Yeah?” Landon replied, his voice devoid of emotion as he continued to stare out the window.

“You know it’s so boring seeing you sulking. A little fun won’t kill you, you know!” Sarah teased, trying to lighten the mood as she gently shook his arm.

“Yeah? I suppose you’re happy?” Landon asked, still not turning to look at her.

“Hell yeah!” she shouted, her voice filled with excitement.

“Why exactly?” Landon asked, finally glancing at her.

“Well, because we get to meet top pop stars and possibly find love!” Sarah giggled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Love, huh?” Landon muttered, his mind drifting to thoughts of Luna, the girl who had captured his heart but seemed so far out of reach.

“Yep! You could as well,” Sarah said with a grin.

Landon closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. *Luna…*

“Yeah, of course,” he finally replied, turning to face his sister.

“Cheer up, okay? I love you,” Sarah said, smiling warmly at him.

“Love you, sis. Always,” Landon said, managing a small smile in return.

Suddenly, the car came to an abrupt stop.

A loud bang echoed through the night, sending a jolt of fear through everyone in the car.

“Honey? W…what was that?” Grace asked, her voice trembling with panic as she clutched Thomas’s arm.

“Relax, honey. It’s probably just something that burst open,” Thomas said calmly, trying to reassure his wife as he patted her hand.

Another gunshot rang out, louder and closer this time.

Panic erupted inside the car as everyone began to scream in terror.

Landon froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he noticed something terrifying—a red dot, a laser sight, slowly moving across the car. His eyes widened in horror as he realised it was aimed directly at his father’s head.

“W…what the—” Landon whispered, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

Frantically, he looked around, searching for the source of the red dot. His heart raced as he scanned the darkness, his breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. And then, he saw it—a masked man standing just outside the car, a gun in his hand, the laser sight fixed on his father.

“Dad! No!” Landon screamed, his voice breaking as he lunged forward.

But it was too late. The masked man’s finger tightened on the trigger, and time seemed to slow down as Landon watched in horror, his heart shattering into a million pieces as the gun fired.

---

To be continued…