“Pathetic,” Cindy sneered.
Clutching her burning cheek, she slowly pushed herself off the floor, lips curling into a twisted grin.
“Find Vivian? Please. She left the country ages ago. Didn’t any of you notice the background during that last call? That was an international
terminal.”
She looked them over–three fools drowning in regret–and let out a cold, mocking laugh.
“So what if she’s your real daughter? I still ran her off like a stray dog. No, wait-”
She pointed, one by one, at Emory, Catherine, and Andrew.
“It was all of us. Dear old Dad. Sweet, loving Mom. And you, Andrew. The dream team. Aren’t you proud?”
“Shut up, you lunatic!”
Something snapped in Andrew. His last thread of denial ripped clean.
Eyes bloodshot, veins pulsing at his temple–he lunged.
But Cindy moved fast, ducking behind Catherine.
Unprepared, Catherine took the full hit as Andrew barreled forward. She lost her balance, crashing headfirst into the sharp edge of the marble coffee table.
No scream. Just a sickening crack.
She dropped, limp, blood spreading fast.
Emory’s scream tore through the room. “Catherine!”
He staggered forward, but halfway there, his chest seized. His knees buckled, and everything went black.
“Murder… it’s murder!”
The words rang out from somewhere in the room.
Andrew stood frozen. Shocked. Terrified.
Catherine’s body. Emory on the ground. Blood. So much blood.
He backed away, hands shaking. “No… it wasn’t me…”
Cindy laughed.
“Oh, I saw everything. You did it. You killed them. Want me to keep quiet? Then marry me. Say yes, and I’ll call it an accident.”
But it was already over. The cops had arrived.
They were both arrested on the spot.
I got the call while sunbathing on a beach in Haviana.
The officer’s voice was heavy. “Ms. Vallance, we regret to inform you that while we’ve arrested the suspects, your mother was pronounced dead. Your father passed from a heart attack before medics could stabilize him. But rest assured–both Andrew Todd and Cindy Vallance will face full legal consequences.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
I matched his tone. Calm. Steady.
After I hung up, I didn’t cry. Not a single tear.
They loved Cindy so much, after all.
Why would they ever be mad at her?
