Part Three: The Second Attempt
Part Three: The Second Attempt
Rain pounded against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Carter mansion.
Lightning flashed across the Hudson River, illuminating the empty halls for only a heartbeat before plunging everything back into darkness.
Sophia sat motionless in the nursery.
One hand rested protectively on her swollen belly.
The other clutched the letter her father had left behind.
Ten billion dollars.
That was the price of her unborn child's life.
She slowly folded the letter.
Then whispered,
"I'm so sorry...
I married a monster."
Maria quietly entered the room.
She carried two cups of tea.
Neither woman touched them.
Instead...
Maria locked the nursery door.
"We don't have much time."
Sophia looked up.
"What do we do?"
Maria hesitated.
Then said the words neither of them wanted to hear.
"We have to disappear."
Sophia immediately shook her head.
"No."
Maria frowned.
"He'll kill you."
"He already tried."
"I know."
Sophia slowly stood.
Her eyes no longer held fear.
Only determination.
"If I run...
he'll keep hunting us forever."
Maria remained silent.
Sophia looked toward the storm outside.
"No."
"It's time...
he becomes the one who's afraid."
Across town...
Daniel Carter poured himself a glass of twenty-five-year-old Scotch.
His phone vibrated.
"The driver is ready."
Daniel smiled.
"No mistakes this time."
The voice answered,
"There won't be."
Daniel looked out over Manhattan.
"By sunrise...
I'll own everything."
He ended the call.
Completely unaware...
Someone had recorded every word.
Earlier that afternoon...
Before returning home...
Sophia had secretly slipped a voice recorder into Daniel's office.
It was no larger than a key fob.
Hidden beneath the antique desk.
Maria now pressed play.
Daniel's voice filled the nursery.
"The driver is ready."
"No mistakes this time."
"By sunrise...
I'll own everything."
Sophia stared at Maria.
"It's enough."
Maria slowly shook her head.
"No."
"It proves intent."
"Not murder."
Sophia's shoulders fell.
"So what do we need?"
Maria whispered,
"We need him to confess."
Downstairs...
Daniel entered the mansion carrying flowers.
White lilies.
Sophia's favorite.
Or so he pretended.
His smile was flawless.
"Sweetheart?"
"I'm home."
Sophia took one deep breath.
Then smiled back.
"Welcome home."
Maria watched from the kitchen.
Every instinct screamed at her to keep Sophia away.
Instead...
They had agreed to something much more dangerous.
They would let Daniel believe...
He was winning.
Dinner felt surreal.
Crystal glasses.
Silver candles.
Soft classical music.
A husband trying to poison his wife.
A wife pretending she trusted him.
A housemaid pretending she knew nothing.
Daniel poured Sophia a glass of sparkling water.
His smile never faded.
"You should drink."
Sophia reached for the glass.
Maria suddenly dropped an entire serving tray.
It crashed loudly onto the marble floor.
Everyone jumped.
"Oh!
I'm so sorry!"
Daniel looked furious.
While he glanced toward the kitchen...
Maria quickly switched Sophia's glass with another identical one.
No one noticed.
Except Sophia.
An hour later...
Daniel waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Twenty.
Sophia should have collapsed by now.
Instead...
She walked calmly into the living room.
Daniel's heartbeat skipped.
Impossible.
Sophia smiled sweetly.
"I'm feeling tired."
Daniel forced himself to smile.
"Of course."
"You should get some rest."
His mind raced.
The poison should have worked.
Someone had ruined his plan.
His eyes slowly drifted toward Maria.
She calmly folded laundry.
Without looking at him.
Daniel knew.
The old woman had interfered again.
That night...
At exactly 1:17 a.m.
Maria heard footsteps.
She quietly opened her bedroom door.
Daniel.
Dressed in black.
Holding something metallic.
He wasn't walking toward his bedroom.
He was walking toward the nursery.
Maria's heart nearly stopped.
She immediately texted Sophia.
He's coming.
Inside the nursery...
Sophia hid behind the door.
Her hands trembled.
But not from fear.
From adrenaline.
Hidden beneath the crib...
A tiny camera blinked silently.
In the hallway...
Another camera.
In the bedroom...
A third.
Every movement.
Every word.
Every second...
Was being recorded.
Daniel slowly opened the nursery door.
The room was dark.
He whispered,
"Sophia?"
No answer.
He stepped inside.
Closed the door.
Then reached into his pocket.
He removed a syringe.
Filled with a clear liquid.
Sophia felt her blood freeze.
Daniel whispered to himself,
"No pain...
No suffering...
Just sleep forever."
He took another step.
Then another.
Until—
The lights exploded on.
Daniel froze.
Sophia stepped out from behind the door.
Maria emerged from the closet.
And standing beside them...
Were two detectives.
Daniel's face drained of color.
One detective calmly spoke.
"Daniel Carter...
drop the syringe."
Silence.
Then...
Daniel laughed.
Not nervously.
Not desperately.
He laughed because he believed...
He still had one final move.
He slowly raised both hands.
The syringe fell harmlessly to the floor.
Then he smiled at Sophia.
"You think you've won?"
Sophia didn't answer.
Daniel's smile widened.
"You still don't know the truth."
The detective frowned.
"What truth?"
Daniel looked directly at Sophia.
"The baby..."
"...isn't mine."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Sophia stared at him in disbelief.
May you like
Daniel smiled.
"And I can prove it."
