Chapter 5
Clara ended the call without saying goodbye. The phone felt heavy in her hand, vibrating with the urgency of a collapsing world. She stood up from the desk, her mind racing through emergency scenarios. Running was no longer an option; fleeing without her passport and liquid assets would leave her destitute, but staying meant facing a husband armed with undeniable video evidence and a caregiver acting as state’s witness.
She needed a new strategy. If Maya had the cloud backups, Clara had to discredit Maya before David saw the footage. It was a desperate gambit, but desperation was where Clara thrived.
She hurried upstairs to the master bedroom, pulling a heavy leather suitcase down from the top shelf of the walk-in closet. She began tossing clothes inside with frantic energy, but instead of packing for an escape, she was staging a scene. She pulled out several of her own expensive designer blouses, tore the silk at the seams, and threw them onto the floor. She knocked over a bottle of expensive perfume on the vanity, letting the heavy floral scent saturate the carpeting.
Next, she went into the bathroom and retrieved a small silver jewelry box containing costume pieces she didn't care about. She scattered the faux pearls and glass gems across the hallway floor leading to the stairs, creating the visual impression of a violent struggle.
When she heard tires crunching on the gravel driveway downstairs, Clara paused. The car door slammed. Heavy footsteps echoed on the front porch. David had returned much sooner than she anticipated, and he was not alone. Muffled voices drifted through the front door—a male voice and a female voice. Police officers. Maya must have called local law enforcement to meet David at the safe house and escort them back.
Clara rushed to the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face to redden her eyes, and let out a few calculated breaths to hyperventilate slightly. She wanted to look like a battered, terrified victim who had just survived an assault by her own household staff.
The front door unlocked with a sharp click. “Clara!” David’s voice bellowed through the house, carrying an edge of panic and determination. “Clara, where are you?”
Clara stepped out onto the second-floor landing, looking down into the entryway where David stood flanked by two uniformed police officers and Maya holding a manila envelope.
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“David,” Clara cried out, her voice cracking with theatrical perfection as she clutched the collar of her emerald blouse. “Thank God you’re back. Maya went completely unhinged. She attacked me, ransacked the bedroom, and took Mother away. She has a knife—she threatened to kill me if I told anyone!”
The two police officers instantly placed their hands on the utility belts at their waists, their eyes locking onto the woman standing at the top of the stairs.
