Chapter 13 - VANESSA’S LAST MOVE
Vanessa escaped during a hospital transfer.
She had complained of severe abdominal pain.
Doctors found nothing wrong.
During transport back to jail, the vehicle was struck by another car.
One guard was injured.
Vanessa disappeared.
Marcus refused to cooperate.
But police believed Vanessa had planned her escape before his arrest.
Nathan wanted Emily and Rosa moved immediately.
Emily agreed this time.
Vanessa had nothing left to lose.
That made her more dangerous.
For thirty-six hours, nothing happened.
Then Emily received a package.
No return address.
Inside was Vanessa’s black dress.
The same dress she had worn the night she planted the necklace.
Wrapped inside it was the diamond necklace.
And a note.
WE FINISH WHERE WE STARTED.
Emily knew immediately.
The mansion.
Police surrounded the property.
Nathan insisted on going inside.
Emily stopped him.
“She wants me.”
“That’s exactly why you’re not going.”
“She’ll disappear if I don’t.”
“This isn’t a movie.”
“No.”
Emily looked at him.
“In movies, the police arrive before someone gets slapped.”
Nathan almost smiled.
Almost.
Detective Collins approved a controlled entry.
Emily wore a wire.
The mansion was empty.
The damaged east wing smelled of smoke.
Emily entered the living room.
The same handbag sat in the center of the floor.
Her handbag.
Vanessa stepped from the shadows.
She looked exhausted.
Her hair was messy.
Her expensive clothes were gone.
She wore jeans and a gray sweater.
“You came.”
Emily looked at the bag.
“What do you want?”
Vanessa laughed.
“What do I want?”
She walked closer.
“I want my life back.”
“You destroyed your life.”
“No.”
Vanessa’s expression twisted.
“You did.”
Emily stared at her.
“You put the necklace in my bag.”
“You should have kept your mouth shut.”
“You hit me.”
“You humiliated me.”
Emily almost laughed.
“You framed me in front of twenty people.”
“And nobody cared until that camera turned on.”
Emily said nothing.
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“That’s what you don’t understand.”
“What?”
“I spent my entire life getting into rooms like this.”
She looked around the mansion.
“Do you know what people like Richard Caldwell see when they look at someone like me?”
Emily waited.
“Someone temporary.”
Vanessa touched her chest.
“Pretty enough to invite.”
“Useful enough to marry.”
“But never one of them.”
Emily’s voice softened.
“So you became worse than them?”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“I became smarter.”
“No.”
Emily shook her head.
“You became Marcus.”
That landed.
Vanessa slapped her.
Again.
Emily’s head snapped sideways.
But this time she didn’t cry.
She slowly looked back at Vanessa.
“You really need a new move.”
Vanessa screamed and reached into the handbag.
Emily saw the gun.
She moved.
A shot shattered the chandelier.
Police stormed the room.
Vanessa ran upstairs.
Emily followed before anyone could stop her.
They reached Richard’s burned office.
Vanessa stood near the broken window.
“Stay back!”
Emily stopped.
Police approached behind her.
Vanessa pointed the gun at Emily.
“You took everything.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
“You did!”
“You lost everything the moment you decided someone else had to be destroyed for you to win.”
Vanessa’s hand trembled.
Emily continued.
“You could have walked away.”
“Shut up.”
“You could have told the truth.”
“Shut up!”
“You could have chosen not to become Marcus.”
Vanessa screamed.
Then the floor beneath her collapsed.
The fire-damaged wood gave way.
Vanessa fell.
Emily lunged forward.
She caught Vanessa’s wrist.
Vanessa dangled above the floor below.
For one second, both women stared at each other.
Vanessa whispered, “Why?”
Emily strained to hold her.
“Why what?”
“Why are you saving me?”
Emily looked directly into her eyes.
“Because I’m not you.”
Police pulled Vanessa to safety.
She was handcuffed.
This time, she didn’t fight.
As officers led her away, she looked back at Emily.
The hatred was gone.
Only emptiness remained.
The woman who had once stood confidently in a flawless black dress now walked through the same mansion in handcuffs.
And Emily watched without satisfaction.
Because justice felt different from revenge.
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Revenge wanted Vanessa to suffer.
Justice only required that she finally answer for what she had done.
