Chapter 2: Every Camera Was Watching
The front doors opened.
Detective Ruiz walked in with two officers behind him.
The room went still.
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
"What is this?" she said.
"Why are the police here?"
No one answered her.
Elena opened her eyes slowly.
She pressed one hand to the floor and pushed herself upright.
Her breathing was steady.
Her face was calm.
"She's conscious," someone whispered.
Mrs.
Howard stepped back.
"Elena...
you were awake this whole time?"
"Every second," Elena said quietly.
Vanessa's voice turned sharp.
"This is a setup.
She planned this.
Don't you see what she's doing?"
Detective Ruiz looked at Vanessa without expression.
"Ma'am, we'll need you to stay where you are."
"You can't be serious." Vanessa laughed, but the sound came out wrong.
"She fell.
I was standing right there.
Everyone saw it."
"We did see it," said a voice from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
An older man stood near the door.
The mansion's head of security.
He was holding a tablet.
"Every camera in this house recorded tonight," he said.
"Every room.
Every staircase."
Vanessa's face changed.
And then her eyes moved to Elena.
For the first time, real fear replaced the calculation.
May you like
Because Elena was already looking at her.
And she was almost smiling.
