Chapter 1 - THE LIGHTER IN HER HAND
Vanessa held a metal lighter beneath the terrified maid’s face.
The twenty-two-year-old woman was tied to a marble column, her wrists bound so tightly that her fingers had turned pale. Tears ran down her cheeks as she tried to pull herself free.
“This will teach you your place,” Vanessa whispered.
The lighter clicked.
Before the flame appeared, the front door slammed open.
David stood in the entrance with a rolling suitcase in one hand. He had returned from a business trip a full day earlier than expected.
“Vanessa! What are you doing?”
Vanessa spun around.
The lighter slipped slightly in her trembling fingers.
“David… you’re home?”
“You weren’t supposed to be back today,” she said quickly.
The maid lifted her tear-stained face.
“Mr. David, I didn’t steal anything. I swear! I didn’t take the necklace!”
Vanessa turned toward her with furious eyes.
“She’s lying. She stole from us, and now she’s trying to manipulate you.”
David stared at the ropes around the young woman’s wrists.
Then he looked at the lighter.
“What were you planning to do with that?”
Vanessa raised her chin.
“She needs to learn that actions have consequences.”
“You tied her to a column.”
“She attacked me!”
The maid shook her head desperately.
“No, sir! I never touched her. Mrs. Blackwood dragged me here.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Are you going to believe a thief over your own wife?”
David said nothing.
He reached inside his tuxedo jacket and pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up his face.
“What are you doing?” Vanessa demanded.
“I’m checking the cloud backup of the security cameras.”
The room went silent.
Vanessa’s expression changed.
For the first time, fear replaced anger.
David tapped the screen.
A video began to load.
Then he pressed play.
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And the first image showed Vanessa walking into the study with the missing necklace in her hand.
CLIFFHANGER: David slowly lifted his eyes from the screen. “Tell me why you planted it in her room.”
