Chapter 2 — The Recording That Destroyed a Family
No one moved.
The recorder continued to play.
Juliette's voice echoed through the mansion with terrifying clarity.
"Push her under long enough... everyone will think she slipped into the lake."
Emma buried her face against Christopher's chest.
Christopher's hands trembled—not with fear, but with rage.
His father, Richard Pierce, slowly lowered himself into a chair as the color drained from his face.
His mother covered her mouth.
"No..." she whispered. "Please tell me that's not real."
The elderly housekeeper looked at them with exhausted eyes.
"I recorded it yesterday," she said quietly. "I knew she was planning something."
Juliette struggled against the guards.
"She edited it! She's framing me!"
But then another voice filled the room.
Juliette again.
Laughing.
"That little orphan is the only thing standing between me and the Pierce fortune."
Silence.
The sentence shattered every remaining lie.
Christopher turned toward the family lawyer.
"Freeze every account under Juliette's name."
Then he looked at the guards.
"Call the police."
Juliette screamed as they tightened their grip.
"You can't do this!"
May you like
Christopher's voice was ice cold.
"I already did."
