Chapter 4: The House of Falling Cards
The arrival of the authorities was clinical and quiet. There was no shouting, no dramatic struggle. Vanessa stood paralyzed on the balcony, watching as officers in suits—not the local police she had threatened to call—walked toward her with binders full of her own digital correspondence.
Abigail didn't gloat. She watched with a haunting detachment as Vanessa was led away. The stepmother screamed, her rage finally boiling over, accusing Abigail of being a devil in disguise. But Abigail only turned back to the sea.
Chloe remained on the balcony, trembling. She was young, and while she had been complicit in the lifestyle, she hadn't been the architect of the crime. She looked at Abigail, expecting to be cast out.
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"Where will I go?" Chloe whispered.
Abigail looked at her stepsister. "You have a choice, Chloe. You can go with your mother, or you can cooperate with the forensic accountants. My father’s estate was never just about money. It was about cleaning up the mess that lived under his roof."
