Chapter 1: The House Full of Lies
Chapter 1: The House Full of Lies
The sound of sirens shattered the silence outside the estate.
The blonde woman—Vanessa—lifted her head just enough to smile through her tears.
"They're finally here," she whispered, believing help had arrived for her.
Instead, six detectives entered the mansion.
Not paramedics.
Not local patrol officers.
Detectives.
Leading them was Detective Gabriel Ruiz.
His expression never once turned toward Vanessa.
He walked directly to the pregnant woman still lying on the floor.
"Mrs. Harper," he said quietly.
"Can you hear me?"
She nodded once.
"I can."
Ruiz knelt beside her.
"The ambulance is thirty seconds away."
Only then did he stand.
His eyes settled on Vanessa.
"Miss Vanessa Brooks..."
"You are being detained while we investigate an attempted homicide."
The tears instantly disappeared.
"What?"
The housekeeper gasped.
"There has to be some mistake!"
Vanessa pointed wildly.
"She attacked me! Everyone saw it!"
Ruiz remained calm.
"No."
"Everyone saw what you wanted them to see."
He raised one hand.
Another detective entered carrying three evidence boxes.
The first contained printed photographs.
The second held financial records.
The third held several hard drives.
Vanessa's face slowly lost all color.
Ruiz opened the first folder.
"For the past five months..."
"...Mrs. Harper has been working with our department."
The room froze.
"The reason?"
"We received anonymous reports that someone was attempting to murder her before the birth of her child."
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"That's ridiculous."
Ruiz ignored her.
"The first brake failure."
"The poisoned prenatal vitamins."
"The gas leak."
"The loose balcony railing."
"None of them were accidents."
The elderly housekeeper looked horrified.
"I... I thought she was simply unlucky..."
Ruiz looked toward her kindly.
"That was exactly what someone wanted everyone to believe."
Then he turned another page.
"And every road led to one person."
Vanessa's breathing became uneven.
"You can't prove anything."
Ruiz smiled.
May you like
"Actually..."
"We already have."
