Chapter 2: The Husband Behind the Locked Door
The sound of the lock still echoed through the living room.
Click.
A small sound.
But to Valeria, it felt louder than an explosion.
She stared at Daniel.
The man she had loved.
The man who had promised to protect her.
The man who had placed his hand on her belly just weeks ago and whispered that he couldn’t wait to meet their child.
Now he stood in front of her with a cold expression.
Like she was a problem that needed to disappear.
“Daniel…”
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Tell me this isn’t true.”
For several seconds, he said nothing.
His eyes moved toward her pregnant belly.
Not with love.
Not with concern.
With calculation.
That look broke something inside her.
“Please,” Valeria said.
“Say something.”
Daniel slowly walked toward the table.
He picked up the second glass of milk.
“You should have finished the first one.”
The words made Valeria’s blood run cold.
Rosa immediately stepped closer.
“Stay away from her.”
Daniel looked at the old nanny.
A small smile appeared.
“You still think you can protect everyone, Rosa?”
The old woman’s hands tightened.
“I protected you once.”
Daniel’s expression changed slightly.
“You protected a child.”
Rosa shook her head.
“No.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“I protected the person you used to be.”
Teresa walked toward them.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor.
“Enough.”
Her voice was calm.
Almost bored.
“She knows too much.”
Valeria looked at her.
“You really did this?”
Teresa didn’t answer.
Instead, she adjusted the sleeve of her expensive dress.
“Do you know what happens when someone threatens everything you built?”
Valeria felt her stomach tighten.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel looked away.
Teresa continued.
“When my husband created this company, he made one promise.”
She pointed toward Valeria’s belly.
“The first child born into the family would inherit the largest share.”
Valeria froze.
The words slowly sank in.
“No…”
Teresa smiled.
“Yes.”
She walked closer.
“Your baby is not just a child.”
“He is an obstacle.”
Daniel looked uncomfortable for a moment.
But he didn’t deny it.
Valeria felt tears forming.
“You were going to kill your own child?”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t make this harder than it already is.”
“HARDER?”
Valeria’s voice broke.
“You poisoned me.”
“You tried to kill our baby.”
“And you’re saying I’m making this difficult?”
Daniel looked down.
For a moment, he almost looked guilty.
Almost.
Then Teresa spoke.
“You need to understand something, Valeria.”
“This family survived because we made difficult decisions.”
Valeria stepped backward.
“You mean cruel decisions.”
Teresa’s eyes became cold.
“You were never supposed to become part of this family.”
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Mother…”
Teresa ignored him.
“You were supposed to give Daniel a child.”
“Nothing more.”
Valeria placed both hands protectively over her stomach.
The betrayal hurt more than fear.
Because she finally understood.
The people closest to her had planned her death.
Rosa moved closer.
“I heard them.”
Everyone looked at her.
Teresa’s face changed.
“What did you say?”
Rosa stood straight.
“I heard everything.”
The room became silent.
“Last night.”
Rosa continued.
“I was walking past Daniel’s office.”
“I heard you talking.”
She looked at Daniel.
“You told your mother the first dose might not work.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“And?”
Rosa continued.
“You said if Valeria survived, you would use another method.”
Valeria looked at Daniel.
“Another method?”
Daniel said nothing.
Rosa’s voice became louder.
“You planned everything.”
“The milk.”
“The hospital.”
“The doctors.”
“You even prepared an excuse.”
Teresa laughed softly.
“An old woman’s imagination.”
But Rosa shook her head.
“No.”
She reached into her pocket.
And pulled out her phone.
“I recorded part of the conversation.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
Teresa’s smile disappeared.
“You wouldn’t.”
Rosa looked at her.
“I would.”
The old nanny pressed the screen.
For a moment, everyone waited.
But then—
Nothing happened.
The phone screen was black.
Teresa smiled.
“Did you really think you could fight us?”
She stepped closer.
“You worked here for thirty years.”
“You know this house belongs to us.”
Rosa looked down.
Her phone had been damaged.
But she wasn’t afraid.
Because she had one more secret.
“I didn’t say I only recorded it on this phone.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“What?”
Rosa looked toward the ceiling.
“There are cameras in this house.”
Teresa froze.
Rosa continued.
“Your father installed them years ago.”
“Every hallway.”
“Every room.”
“Every conversation.”
Valeria looked around the mansion.
Suddenly, the beautiful house felt like a prison.
Daniel walked toward Rosa.
“Where is the recording?”
Rosa smiled.
“Somewhere you can’t reach.”
Teresa became furious.
“You stupid old woman.”
She grabbed a decorative object from the table.
Valeria screamed.
“Stop!”
But Rosa didn’t move.
She looked at Daniel.
“I raised you.”
“I held you when your father abandoned you.”
“I protected you from your mother’s anger.”
“And this is what you became?”
Daniel’s hand tightened.
For the first time…
A crack appeared in his cold expression.
A memory.
A little boy crying.
A young Rosa comforting him.
But Teresa immediately interrupted.
“Don’t listen to her.”
“She is manipulating you.”
Daniel looked between them.
His mother.
And the woman who raised him.
Then he made his choice.
He slowly removed his jacket.
Valeria’s breathing stopped.
“Daniel…”
He reached inside his jacket.
And pulled something out.
A knife.
Rosa stepped in front of Valeria.
“No.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
But his voice had no emotion.
Teresa watched calmly.
Then she gave the order.
“Kill the maid first.”
Valeria’s eyes widened.
“Daniel, please.”
But he continued walking.
The man she married was gone.
Only a stranger remained.
Rosa grabbed a heavy candle holder from the table.
Her hands were shaking.
She was old.
She was tired.
But she refused to move.
“You will have to go through me.”
Daniel lifted the knife.
Teresa smiled.
“Finally.”
“End this.”
The blade reflected under the sunlight.
Valeria held her belly.
And whispered:
“Please…”
“Don’t hurt my baby.”
Daniel stepped forward.
And the mansion that once represented wealth and power…
May you like
Was about to become the scene of a deadly betrayal.
To be continued…
