CHAPTER 2 – The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
The entire mansion fell silent.
Not the uncomfortable silence from before.
Not the silence of shock.
This was something different.
The silence that comes when a secret, buried for years, suddenly claws its way back into the light.
On the screen above the fireplace, the security footage continued playing.
Vanessa stood frozen.
Her face had lost every trace of confidence.
Every trace of the perfect mask she had worn for years.
Because she knew exactly who that man was.
The man standing beside her in the video.
The man everyone believed had died.
Thomas Vale.
Her former lover.
Her accomplice.
And according to official records...
A dead man.
The footage showed a dark corner of Howard Manor's west garden.
The date appeared clearly.
Three months earlier.
Vanessa looked younger.
More relaxed.
Less careful.
She stood beside Thomas, whispering urgently.
"We don't have much time."
Thomas glanced around.
"The old man still trusts you?"
Vanessa smiled.
"He trusts everyone who pretends to love him."
Thomas laughed quietly.
"Then your plan is working."
The video froze.
The entire room stared at Vanessa.
Mrs. Howard slowly turned toward her.
"Vanessa..."
Her voice cracked.
"What is this?"
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Her mind was racing.
How?
How was that camera still working?
How had Ruiz found it?
How much did he know?
Detective Ruiz stepped forward.
"Three months ago, my department received information about suspicious financial activity connected to Howard Industries."
He looked toward Vanessa.
"At first, we thought someone was simply stealing money."
He glanced at Elena, now being carefully lifted onto a stretcher.
"Then we discovered something much bigger."
The paramedics pushed Elena toward the door.
But before leaving...
Elena's eyes opened slightly.
Only for a second.
Her gaze met Ruiz's.
A tiny movement.
Almost invisible.
A signal.
Ruiz understood.
The plan was still alive.
Vanessa noticed.
And that scared her more than anything.
Because Elena wasn't supposed to wake up.
Not yet.
Not in front of everyone.
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Detective, I think you're making a mistake."
Ruiz raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"That video could be edited."
A few servants exchanged looks.
Vanessa immediately regained some confidence.
"This is a wealthy family. People want money. People want attention."
She pointed toward Elena.
"Maybe she planned this."
Everyone turned.
Even Mrs. Howard looked confused.
Vanessa continued.
"Think about it. She is the one who benefits."
Her voice became stronger.
"Elena married into this family less than two years ago. Suddenly she has access to billions. Suddenly she is pregnant with the Howard heir."
She lowered her voice.
"Who is really manipulating whom?"
It was a dangerous argument.
Because it sounded logical.
A lie wrapped in just enough truth.
But Ruiz didn't react.
Instead...
He smiled slightly.
"Interesting."
Vanessa frowned.
"What?"
"You just repeated the same statement you made three times during our investigation."
Her expression changed.
"What?"
Ruiz walked toward the television.
"Before we showed you the footage, before we accused anyone, before we mentioned money..."
He looked at her.
"You already knew the exact motive."
Nobody spoke.
Vanessa realized her mistake.
A small one.
But fatal.
In the ambulance outside...
Elena opened her eyes completely.
The paramedic beside her smiled.
"Nice acting."
Elena let out a painful breath.
"Don't compliment me yet."
The paramedic's smile disappeared.
"Why?"
Elena looked toward the mansion.
"Because Vanessa wasn't working alone."
The paramedic froze.
"What do you mean?"
Elena slowly reached into her cardigan pocket.
She pulled out a small device.
A recording transmitter.
"I knew Vanessa was planning something."
She looked at the blinking light.
"But I didn't know she would choose today."
The paramedic stared.
"Then why let her push you?"
Elena closed her eyes.
"Because I needed her to believe she won."
Inside Howard Manor...
Detective Ruiz continued his interrogation.
"Where is Thomas Vale?"
Vanessa remained silent.
"Mrs. Howard?"
Vanessa looked toward her.
"Do you know him?"
Mrs. Howard's face turned pale.
"No."
A pause.
Too long.
Ruiz noticed.
Everyone noticed.
Vanessa noticed too.
And suddenly...
She smiled.
Not a scared smile.
A dangerous one.
"You should ask her."
Mrs. Howard looked shocked.
"What?"
Vanessa turned toward the older woman.
"Tell them."
Mrs. Howard stepped backward.
"Vanessa, don't."
"Tell them who Thomas really was."
The room became colder.
Ruiz narrowed his eyes.
"Mrs. Howard?"
The elderly woman gripped the back of a chair.
Her hands shook.
"I..."
She couldn't finish.
Then the television changed.
The footage disappeared.
A new video appeared.
This one was older.
Much older.
A young Thomas Vale walking through Howard Manor.
But he wasn't alone.
Beside him...
Was a younger version of Mrs. Howard.
Holding hands.
Looking at him with love.
Everyone gasped.
Vanessa smiled.
"Now you understand."
Mrs. Howard's face drained of color.
"Where did you get that?"
Vanessa laughed softly.
"From the same place you hid all your secrets."
Detective Ruiz watched carefully.
The situation had changed.
He came here believing Vanessa was the mastermind.
But now...
There was another possibility.
A much darker one.
Vanessa wasn't destroying the Howard family.
She was exposing it.
Or pretending to.
At the hospital...
Elena sat up slowly on the examination bed.
The doctor looked confused.
"Your injuries are serious, but luckily nothing appears permanently damaged."
Elena nodded.
"Thank you."
The doctor left.
A moment later...
Her phone vibrated.
One message.
From Ruiz.
"The trap worked. But we found something unexpected."
Another message arrived.
"Thomas Vale is alive."
Elena stared at the screen.
Her face changed.
Because she knew something Detective Ruiz didn't.
Something that made the entire case far more dangerous.
She whispered:
"No..."
Another message appeared.
This time from an unknown number.
Only six words.
"You were never his target, Elena."
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
Then another message appeared.
"You were his bait."
Elena stopped breathing.
Because suddenly...
She realized the fall down the staircase wasn't the beginning of the plan.
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It was only the moment when everyone else finally entered the game.
End of Chapter 2
