Chapter 1: The Sirens at Blackwood Manor
Chapter 1: The Sirens at Blackwood Manor
The silence lasted less than three minutes.
Then the sound of police sirens shattered the peaceful morning.
The blonde woman's tears stopped for only a fraction of a second.
"What...?" she whispered.
Before she could finish, three patrol cars and an unmarked detective vehicle pulled into the circular driveway of Blackwood Manor.
The elderly caretaker frowned.
"Why would the police come here?"
The front doors burst open.
Several officers entered first, followed by Detective Daniel Ruiz.
His expression never changed.
His eyes went straight to the pregnant woman still lying at the bottom of the staircase.
"Emily Carter," he said calmly. "Are you able to speak?"
Emily nodded weakly.
"I recorded everything."
The blonde's face turned white.
"What are you talking about?"
Ruiz slowly looked toward her.
"Miss Vanessa Brooks..."
"...you're under investigation for attempted murder."
The room exploded.
"What?"
"That's insane!"
"I never touched her!"
Vanessa pointed wildly toward Emily.
"She's lying!"
Emily said nothing.
Instead, she handed Detective Ruiz the phone that had remained hidden inside her coat.
Ruiz pressed play.
Everyone heard it.
Vanessa's own voice echoed through the mansion.
"You think this baby will make him choose you?"
"You should never have come back."
Then—
A violent shove.
Emily's scream.
The sound of her body crashing down every wooden step.
Vanessa staggered backward.
"No..."
"No..."
"I didn't know it was recording..."
Ruiz looked at her without emotion.
"You didn't know because you never noticed the emergency recording feature had already been activated."
One officer stepped forward.
Another gently helped Emily onto a stretcher.
Vanessa suddenly screamed.
"She planned this!"
Emily finally looked directly at her.
"No."
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"You planned the crime."
"I simply made sure the truth survived."
