Chapter 2 - THE HOUSE
The ambulance arrived six minutes later.
To Emily, it felt like six years.
Paramedics placed an oxygen mask over her face while another technician checked the baby’s heartbeat.
Noah refused to leave her side.
“Is my baby okay?” Emily whispered.
The paramedic listened carefully.
“There’s a heartbeat. Strong right now.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Daniel stood beside the stretcher, soaked from head to toe.
He reached for her hand.
She pulled it away.
That hurt him more than anything Vivian could have said.
“Emily…”
“Don’t.”
“Please.”
“You brought her here.”
Daniel looked toward Vivian.
She was still standing by the pool.
Still wearing white.
Still acting like she belonged there.
Emily followed his eyes.
“How long?”
Daniel said nothing.
Her heart dropped.
“How long have you been sleeping with her?”
Noah looked between them.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Not here.”
“That means long enough.”
“Emily, the baby—”
“Don’t use my baby to silence me.”
The paramedics exchanged an uncomfortable look.
As they rolled Emily toward the ambulance, Noah climbed in beside her.
Daniel tried to follow.
Emily stopped him.
“You stay.”
He stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because apparently you and your girlfriend have property paperwork to discuss.”
The ambulance doors closed.
Daniel stood alone in the driveway.
Then he turned around.
Vivian had gone inside.
He found her in the living room pouring herself sparkling water.
“You tried to kill my wife.”
Vivian didn’t look up.
“Oh, stop being dramatic.”
“She’s pregnant.”
“She came at me.”
“She was underwater.”
“She slipped after she grabbed me.”
“Noah saw you push her.”
Vivian finally smiled.
“Noah is seven.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“He is old enough to know what he saw.”
“And you’re old enough to know what you signed.”
Vivian set the glass down.
Daniel froze.
She walked toward a black leather folder on the kitchen island.
“You remember three months ago when your company needed emergency liquidity?”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You said your investment group was helping.”
“We did.”
“What does that have to do with this house?”
Vivian opened the folder.
She removed a document.
Daniel scanned the first page.
Then the second.
His face drained of color.
“This isn’t possible.”
“Oh, it’s very possible.”
“You told me these were bridge-loan documents.”
“They were part of the bridge package.”
“You transferred title?”
“You transferred title.”
Daniel stared at his own signature.
It was there.
His initials were there.
Everything looked legal.
Vivian leaned against the counter.
“This villa belongs to an entity controlled by me.”
Daniel looked up slowly.
“You set me up.”
“I protected my investment.”
“You slept with me.”
“I did that too.”
“You destroyed my family.”
Vivian’s smile disappeared.
“No, Daniel. You did that all by yourself.”
At the hospital, Emily lay in a private room connected to fetal monitors.
Noah sat beside her, holding her fingers.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, baby?”
He looked frightened.
“I heard the white lady talking before she pushed you.”
Emily’s pulse changed.
“What did she say?”
Noah looked toward the door.
Then whispered.
May you like
“She said Daddy wasn’t supposed to come home until after you were dead.”
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