Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Cradle
Ingrid Vance was arrested the following morning.
The news exploded across the city.
Nobody could believe it.
A respected socialite.
A wealthy widow.
A woman who chaired children's charities.
Accused of poisoning her own granddaughter.
But the biggest shock came later.
During police questioning.
At first Ingrid refused to speak.
Then detectives showed her the lab results.
The video.
The witness statements.
One by one, her defenses collapsed.
Finally, she broke.
And what she revealed stunned everyone.
Including Arthur.
Especially Arthur.
"She isn't my granddaughter."
The words echoed through the interrogation room.
Detectives exchanged confused glances.
Arthur froze.
"What did you say?"
Ingrid looked at him.
For the first time, there was no arrogance left.
Only bitterness.
Only obsession.
"I found out six months ago."
Arthur's face turned white.
"Found out what?"
Ingrid laughed weakly.
A broken sound.
"The baby isn't yours."
The room exploded.
Arthur staggered backward.
"No."
Ingrid nodded.
"I hired a private investigator."
My entire body went cold.
Arthur looked at me.
Horrified.
Confused.
Heartbroken.
But before he could speak, Ingrid continued.
"The investigator lied."
Everyone froze.
"What?"
Fresh tears streamed down her face.
"He lied."
Detectives stared.
Arthur stared.
I stared.
"The report was fake."
The room fell silent.
Ingrid covered her face.
"I believed him."
Her shoulders shook violently.
"I believed that child wasn't my granddaughter."
And suddenly the truth emerged.
A lie.
One lie.
A lie that had poisoned an entire family.
But the question remained.
Who paid the investigator?
And why?
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Because somebody had wanted Ingrid to believe that story.
Somebody had wanted the family destroyed.
