Chapter 5 - The Velvet Trap
By the second week, Evelyn was beginning to grow visibly nervous.
She sat at the breakfast table, watching Isabella eat a hearty, nutritious breakfast with an appetite she hadn't possessed in months. Evelyn’s fingers tapped nervously against her coffee cup, her eyes darting back and forth across the table.
"Isabella, darling," Evelyn said, her voice tight with forced cheer. "You look... remarkably energetic today. Are you sure you're following my regimen?"
Isabella looked up, blinking innocently. "I feel wonderful, Mom. Vincent found a wonderful new specialist who adjusted my nutritional supplements. Honestly, I haven't felt this strong since before Luca was born."
Evelyn froze. Her coffee cup slipped slightly, splashing a dark ring across the white linen tablecloth. "A specialist? Vincent, you didn't consult me about a specialist."
"I don't consult subordinates about my household, Evelyn," I said smoothly, cutting a piece of toast without looking up from my plate. "I make decisions. And my wife’s health is my sole priority."
Evelyn forced an awkward, brittle laugh. "Of course, dear. I just... I only want what’s best for her."
"We know, Evelyn," I replied, my voice dripping with subtext that only I understood. "Soon, everyone will know just how much you cared."
Later that afternoon, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Marcus calling from the field office.
May you like
"Boss, we hit paydirt," Marcus reported, his voice vibrating with excitement. "We traced the source of the toxins Evelyn was using. It matches a purchase made through a burner credit card linked directly to a safety deposit box at a downtown bank registered under Evelyn’s maiden name. Inside that box, we found forged medical documents, stolen identity papers, and a signed contingency will naming Evelyn as the sole beneficiary of Isabella’s trust fund in the event of her untimely death."
"Lock it down," I ordered, a cold smile touching the corners of my lips. "Get the federal warrant signed by Judge Henderson. We close the net tomorrow morning."
