Chapter 3: The Audio of Truth
Vanessa stiffened. A flicker of doubt crossed her face. "Don't listen to her, Marcus. She’s manipulative, just like her mother was!"
Lily ignored her. She held the small, sleek device in the palm of her hand. With a trembling thumb, she pressed Play.
The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.
At first, there was only static. Then, the clear, undeniable voice of Vanessa filled the room. It was the same voice that had been so sweet, so kind, so loving just minutes ago. But now, it was filled with vitriol.
"I don't give a damn about these brats," the recording played, the audio crisp and unforgiving. "Once the trust fund is liquidated and the house is in my name, I’ll find a way to get rid of them. Marcus is an idiot. He’s so blinded by his own desire to be 'happy' that he can’t see I’m gutting his entire legacy."
The recording continued, capturing the sound of Vanessa hitting Lily, the sound of the table shattering, and then, the chilling laughter that followed.
Marcus stopped breathing. His hands, which had been gripping Vanessa’s shoulders to comfort her, slowly fell to his sides. He looked at the device, then at his wife—the woman he had trusted with his home and his children.
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Vanessa’s face drained of all color. The mask shattered completely. She didn't try to cry anymore. She just stared at the device, her eyes wide with animalistic panic. "That’s... that’s a fake. She used AI! It’s a deepfake, Marcus! Don't you dare believe her!"
"I don't need a computer to tell me what I’m hearing," Marcus said, his voice terrifyingly quiet. "That’s your voice, Vanessa. Those are your words. And that is your laugh."
