When Michael returned home early from a business trip, he expected a warm family reunion, not an empty house and eerie silence.

His wife was missing, only to be found locked in the cellar, with a shocking story that pointed to a betrayal he never saw coming.

It was supposed to be a regular business trip, but I managed to wrap things up early. I couldn’t wait to get home to my wife and kids. I imagined the look on their faces when they saw me walk through the door, two days ahead of schedule.

The thought made me smile as I drove up our quiet street.I’m 32, and my wife, Emma, is 27. We’ve been married for seven years, and we have two kids—Liam, who’s 8, and Sophie, who just turned 5.

Emma stays home with them, handling the endless list of chores and making sure the house runs smoothly.

I work long hours, so these surprise homecomings are my way of showing them I’m still around, still present in our family life.