CHAPTER 4: THE HOUSE REMEMBERS
The next morning, Vanessa sat in the mansion living room with her lawyer.
She had changed clothes.
She had fixed her makeup.
She was smiling again.
Until Detective Ruiz played the recording.
Vanessa’s own voice filled the room.
“You ruined my life!”
Then the sound of the shove.
Then Elena’s body hitting the stairs.
Mrs. Howard began crying silently.
Vanessa’s lawyer lowered his eyes.
Adrian stood across the room, unable to look at his sister the same way again.
Vanessa tried to laugh.
“That proves nothing. She provoked me.”
Ruiz played another recording.
Vanessa’s voice again.
“If she loses that baby, everyone will finally see she was never meant to be part of this family.”
The room went cold.
Adrian stepped forward.
“You were going to let my wife die.”
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“She took you from me!”
“I’m your brother,” Adrian said. “Not your possession.”
For one second, Vanessa looked like the mask might crack.
Then the officers moved in.
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When they placed handcuffs around her wrists, Vanessa screamed that Elena had set her up.
But nobody believed the woman who cried first anymore.
