Chapter 3 - The Art of Deception
The grandfather clock in the penthouse foyer struck twelve with a deep, resonant chime that vibrated through the floorboards.
Victoria stood before the massive walk-in closet in her master suite, staring blankly at rows of designer dresses, silk blouses, and tailored trousers. Her reflection in the three-way mirror showed a woman who looked entirely different from the one who had woken up that morning. The pale pink silk robe was gone, replaced by a sharp, structured charcoal-grey dress. Her hair was pulled back into a severe, flawless chignon, and her makeup was applied with such precision that it masked the exhaustion and terror raging beneath her skin.
She had exactly three hours since discovering the video to pull the shattered pieces of her mind together.
Three hours to learn how to lie to a man who had planned to murder his own flesh and blood.
Clack-clack.
The sound of expensive leather shoes echoed from the private elevator foyer. The security system chimed softly as the biometric scanner recognized the master code.
Richard Vance was home.
Victoria took a deep, steadying breath, closed her eyes for a single second to banish the bile rising in her throat, and stepped out of the master suite into the expansive living room just as Richard walked through the double doors.
He looked immaculate, as always. His custom-tailored navy suit fit his athletic frame to perfection, his silver-streaked hair was combed back with expensive pomade, and a charming, brilliant smile lit up his handsome face as he tossed his briefcase onto the entryway console.
“Vicky, my love!” Richard called out, tossing his keys onto the silver tray with a cheerful clatter. “You won't believe the morning I’ve had. The acquisition deal with the Pacific group is finally moving forward. We’re going to be completely secure, darling—all the financial pressure from this year is finally lifting!”
Victoria walked down the grand staircase, her movements slow, deliberate, and entirely graceful. She forced the corners of her mouth upward into a smile—a smile that felt as brittle as dry autumn leaves, but one that Richard, in his self-absorbed arrogance, completely failed to read.
“Is that right, Richard?” Victoria asked smoothly, descending the final step and walking toward him. She stopped just two feet away, inhaling the familiar scent of his sandalwood cologne—a scent that now made her stomach churn with revulsion. “That’s wonderful news. You look... relieved.”
Richard pulled her into a brief, practiced embrace, kissing her cheek with calculated warmth. “Relieved doesn't even begin to cover it, sweetheart. It’s been a brutal quarter. Where’s Maria? I need a coffee before my 2:00 PM conference call.”
“Maria is in the kitchen cleaning up,” Victoria replied, keeping her voice light and steady, locking her eyes directly onto Richard’s. “She’s... well, she’s doing her job. Though we had a bit of a domestic incident this morning.”
Richard’s eyes flickered—just for a fraction of a second, a microscopic twitch of his left eyebrow that 99 people out of 100 would have missed. But Victoria didn't miss it. Every fiber of her being was tuned to his micro-expressions now.
“Oh?” Richard asked, stepping back and loosening his silk tie with studied casualness. “What kind of incident? Did she break something expensive?”
“Worse,” Victoria said, letting a convincing sigh of irritation escape her lips. “She dropped the baby’s morning bottle. Smashed it right on the kitchen tiles. I was furious with her—yelled at her, even slapped her across the face. Honestly, Richard, sometimes I wonder if we should let her go. She’s clumsy, and lately, she’s been acting... I don't know, paranoid. Constantly hovering around the nursery like she owns the place.”
Richard let out a soft, dismissive chuckle, walking toward the wet bar to pour himself a glass of sparkling water. His posture visibly relaxed, the microscopic tension melting away from his shoulders.
“Well, darling, domestic help is always hard to find these days,” Richard said, taking a sip from the crystal glass. His back was turned to her. “If she’s becoming a nuisance, we can pay her severance and replace her by the end of the week. No need to keep incompetent people around, especially with Leo in the house. We have to protect our family at all costs, don't we?”
Protect our family.
The words tasted like ash in Victoria’s mouth. She stared at the back of her husband’s head, feeling a cold, calculating fury ignite deep within her chest. He thought he had won. He thought the evidence was destroyed, the maid was cowed by a slap, and his wife was too blind by luxury to see the knife he was holding behind his back.
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“Yes, Richard,” Victoria whispered, stepping up behind him and resting her hand lightly on his shoulder. Her skin crawled beneath his fabric, but she didn't flinch. “We always protect our family. No matter what it takes.”
Richard turned around, smiling warmly, completely unaware that the trap had just been locked from the other side.
