Chapter 1: The Frame on the Screen
The mansion went silent after Victor Parker asked the question.
“Who tried to kill my child?”
No one answered.
Emily stood beside him in the security room, one hand pressed against her stomach. The baby moved faintly beneath her palm, as if reminding her she was still alive.
On the monitor, the frozen image remained unchanged.
A hand.
A pale hand.
A woman’s hand.
Just inches from Emily’s back.
Claire Parker stood near the doorway in her emerald silk dress, her face calm, but her fingers were locked tightly around her clutch.
Victor turned slowly toward her.
“Claire,” he said.
She blinked. “Why are you looking at me?”
The Security Chief zoomed in on the footage. The hand was partly hidden by the staircase shadow, but a gold bracelet flashed on the wrist.
Emily’s breath caught.
Claire was wearing that same bracelet.
Victor saw it too.
For the first time in her life, Claire Parker looked afraid.
“That proves nothing,” she whispered.
Then Emily noticed something worse.
The bracelet on the screen had a small missing emerald.
Claire’s bracelet had one missing emerald too.
Victor stepped closer.
“Tell me the truth.”
Claire’s lips trembled.
Then she smiled.
Coldly.
“You want the truth?” she asked. “Fine.”
May you like
She looked at Emily’s stomach.
“That baby was never supposed to inherit anything.”
