Chapter 4 - A Web of LiesClaire backed away until her spine hit the edge of the heavy oak desk. Her heart raced so fast she feared it would burst through her chest.
"Detective Vance?" Claire breathed, her eyes darting between the older woman and the law enforcement officer. "You... you're working with her?"
Vance chuckled, stepping into the room and closing the door with a dull thud. He holstered his weapon, though his eyes remained hard and calculating. "Working with her, Miss Vance? Oh, no. Eleanor and I are old business partners. The police badge is just a very convenient accessory."
Eleanor stepped forward, her heels clicking rhythmically against the floorboards. She reached out, her manicured fingers tracing the edge of the desk where Claire had been standing.
"You were always too clever for your own good, Claire," Eleanor said, her tone almost maternal, which made it all the more chilling. "Coming back to the estate, digging through Arthur’s old office, thinking you could expose us and reclaim the Sterling fortune. Did you really think Ethan would choose you over his inheritance?"
Claire’s eyes widened. "Ethan... Ethan doesn't know about this. He couldn't!"
"Oh, sweet, naive Claire," Eleanor laughed softly, a bitter, hollow sound. "Who do you think set up the wire transfers? Who do you think orchestrated your little 'accident' on the staircase?"
Before Claire could process the words, the door banged open again.
Ethan stood in the frame, breathing heavily. But there was no panic in his eyes now. The frightened, desperate man who had jumped into the pool was gone. In his place stood a cold, calculating stranger who mirrored Eleanor’s exact expression.
"You took your sweet time, step-son," Vance remarked, checking his watch.
Claire stared at Ethan, feeling the floor drop out from beneath her. "Ethan... tell me she’s lying. Tell me you didn't..."
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Ethan walked slowly toward her, his gaze devoid of any warmth or love they had shared over the past two years. He stopped just inches away from her, his voice chillingly flat.
"I never loved you, Claire," Ethan said softly. "You were just a pawn to keep the board clear while we liquidated the assets. And now... your time on the board is up."
