CHAPTER 2 – THE WOMAN WHO PLANNED EVERYTHING
The wine cellar fell into complete silence.
Adrian didn't look at the gun on Marissa's phone.
He looked at Lena.
The young housekeeper stood frozen beside the shattered crystal, tears sliding silently down her face.
"You knew I'd come home," Adrian said calmly.
Marissa smiled.
"Of course I did."
She folded her arms.
"You never call when your flights are canceled. You always think surprises are romantic."
She tilted her phone.
"I needed you here."
Adrian's lawyer answered.
"Mr. Vale?"
"I need you at the house immediately," Adrian said. "Bring Detective Harris and our insurance investigator."
Marissa laughed.
"They'll arrest you first."
She tapped her screen.
The video showed Adrian standing inside his study only two nights earlier.
He opened the wall safe.
Seconds later the recording jumped.
The camera angle changed.
Then came the image of a handgun lying inside the safe.
Marissa looked victorious.
"You touched the weapon."
Adrian remained perfectly still.
"No."
Her smile weakened.
"I touched my safe."
He slowly removed another phone from his jacket.
"The security archive records every second."
He pressed play.
The complete footage appeared.
It showed Adrian opening the safe.
Inside were only documents.
He removed a folder.
Closed the safe.
Walked away.
Three hours later...
The study door opened again.
Marissa entered alone.
She wore black gloves.
She unlocked the safe using Adrian's birthday.
She placed the handgun inside.
Then carefully positioned a hidden camera on the bookshelf.
She smiled directly into its lens before leaving.
Lena gasped.
Marissa's face lost all color.
"Impossible..."
Adrian answered quietly.
"You forgot about the backup cameras."
Her breathing became uneven.
"No..."
"I had them installed after the insurance company questioned your missing emerald necklace."
For the first time that evening...
Marissa looked afraid.
Upstairs, the front door opened.
Within minutes, Adrian's attorney arrived with Detective Harris, two officers, and the insurance investigator already assigned to the necklace claim.
The investigator looked first at the broken crystal.
Then at the recording Adrian handed him.
Finally...
He looked at Marissa.
"Mrs. Vale..."
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"You've just committed insurance fraud in front of four witnesses."
The smile disappeared from her face.
