Chapter 14
Vanessa testified.
Her lawyer must have begged her not to.
But Vanessa loved control too much to stay silent.
She claimed Laura bullied her.
Claimed Laura threatened to destroy her life.
Claimed she only wanted Daniel to see that Laura was not perfect.
The prosecutor asked, “Did you place the allergen in Laura’s dessert?”
“No.”
“Did you tamper with her EpiPens?”
“No.”
“Did you search how long anaphylaxis takes to become fatal?”
“I was writing a medical thriller.”
Someone in the gallery gasped.
The prosecutor paused.
“A medical thriller?”
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“Yes.”
He played the fake pregnancy video.
Her own voice filled the courtroom.
Once Daniel marries me, I won’t need the pregnancy anymore.
The prosecutor said, “You lied about one life to steal a family. Why should this jury believe you did not take another?”
Her face twisted.
“Because Laura had everything.”
Silence.
The prosecutor stepped closer.
“And you wanted it.”
Vanessa realized too late what she had said.
Noah was not in court.
But one day he would read the transcript.
I hated that.
May you like
I loved that the truth was there for him.
Both feelings lived together.
