Chapter 11
I kept listening.
Vanessa said,
“That woman was already fed up with Eric.”
“Once their daughters died, she totally lost it.”
“This time, even if Eric doesn’t want a divorce, he’s got no choice. Ha…”
I couldn’t hear any more.
“Eric, this is your perfect angel?
She wanted your money and murdered our daughters!”
“If you liked being with Vanessa so much, why didn’t you just ask for a divorce?”
Our girls didn’t deserve to die like that.
I had to make her pay.
But before that, there was something I needed to do.
I pulled out my phone and called Eric.
He picked up right away.
“Emily, I’m not going to-”
I cut him off.
“Starbucks on Main in thirty minutes.”
Then I hung up.
I got there first.
He showed up right after–and brought Vanessa with him.
The second I saw her, my fists clenched on instinct.
Vanessa tilted her chin, gave me that smug little smile, and looked me up and down like I was nothing.
I sneered inside.
Still cocky, huh?
22-12
Chapter 11
Fine. I’ll deal with Eric first. You’re next.
Eric thought I was upset seeing him with Vanessa.
He rushed to explain.
“Emily, it’s not what you think.”
“I wasn’t feeling well and Vanessa came to check on me.”
“She got worried, so she came along.”
I turned away from Vanessa and stared at Eric.
“I’m not here for that.”
“I came because there’s something you need to hear.”
“What is it?” he asked, totally confused.
I motioned for him to sit down, then pulled out the voice recorder.
Eric looked even more puzzled.
“Emily, what’s going on?”
“I just hope you don’t lose your mind,” I said.
Then I hit play.
“Vanessa…”
The second he heard her name, Eric snapped his head toward her.
Vanessa’s face went white.
She lunged for the recorder.
“That’s not me! Emily, you faked this!”
I shoved her hard.
She crashed to the floor, knocking the chair over too.
“…I’ll pay you back seventy grand extra…”
Vanessa scrambled back to her feet.
“Eric, don’t listen! It’s all fake!”
She rushed me again.
22:12
Chapter 11
Eric stood up and blocked her.
“Vanessa, one more move and you’re out of here!”
She froze, and the audio kept playing.
“I’ll get Eric to agree to the divorce in three days….”
Eric started shaking, his whole body tense.
I didn’t look at him.
I was focused on Vanessa, making sure she didn’t bolt.
“…I hired someone to run over their twin daughters…”
Eric exploded.
“Sophia and Natalie… YOU killed them?!”
“No! No! That’s not me!”
“The audio’s fake–Eric, you have to believe me!”
“I’m gonna kill you!”
He shoved Vanessa down again, climbed on top of her, and started slamming her head against the floor.
“You lied to me!”
“We grew up together!”
“You wanted money? I would’ve given it to you!”
“But you killed them–my little girls!”
“You monster! You’ll pay for what you did to them!”
22:12
