Chapter 2 — The House of Lies Begins to Collapse
Victoria noticed the phone.
"You think you're recording me?"
"I know I am."
She lunged forward.
I stepped back.
The movement startled the twins.
Both babies began crying at once.
Emily instinctively tried to comfort them despite being tied down.
Even now...
She thought about them before herself.
I immediately untied the harness holding my children against her chest.
The twins reached for Emily instead of their own mother.
Victoria noticed.
Her face hardened.
"They've become attached to the help."
"No," I answered.
"They've become attached to the only adult who ever made them feel safe."
Victoria slapped me.
Hard.
The sound echoed across the nursery.
She had never struck me before.
She looked almost surprised she'd done it.
Then she whispered,
"You've chosen a nanny over your wife."
"No."
"I chose decency over cruelty."
She threw the wineglass.
It exploded against the wall.
Red wine ran down the nursery wallpaper like blood.
"I built this family!"
"No."
I lifted one of the twins into my arms.
"Emily protected it."
Security rushed upstairs after hearing the glass shatter.
They froze.
Emily was still bleeding.
The babies were crying.
Victoria stood surrounded by broken glass.
No one needed an explanation.
"Call the police," I said quietly.
Victoria laughed.
"You wouldn't dare."
One of the guards answered first.
"Already done, sir."
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For the first time all day...
Victoria looked afraid.
