Chapter 1: The Sirens Arrive
The house, once filled with shallow cries and staged concern, fell into a suffocating silence.
Then came the sirens.
Sharp. Urgent. Unforgiving.
The blonde woman stiffened, her sobs faltering as red and blue lights flickered through the tall windows. The caretaker stepped back, confused, her arms slowly slipping away from the woman she had just been comforting.
Footsteps thundered through the entrance.
“Police! Nobody move!”
Detective Ruiz entered with calculated calm, his sharp eyes scanning the staircase before landing on the pregnant woman.
Still on the floor.
Still silent.
But no longer weak.
“Help her!” the caretaker cried suddenly, guilt creeping into her voice.
Ruiz didn’t move immediately.
Instead, he looked up.
At the blonde woman.
“Ma’am,” he said quietly, “you might want to start telling the truth.”
Her face drained of color.
“I—I was attacked,” she stammered.
But her voice lacked conviction now.
May you like
Because the woman on the floor… was smiling.
Faintly.
