My Family Heard My Murderous Thoughts, So the Fake Heiress Called 911 Chapter 03

My Family Heard My Murderous Thoughts, So the Fake Heiress Called 911 Chapter 03

The next morning, Nolan was already in the living room when I came downstairs.

He was frowning at his phone. When he saw me, he flipped it face-down on the table and stood up. “Breakfast’s on the table.”

I caught him watching me.

I was watching him too.

[He must’ve taken the second half of the night shift. The rounds changed to every twenty minutes. They’re running shifts now.]

[This one’s sharp. He’s the hardest one in this house to deal with.]

[With him guarding the adopted heiress, it’s hard to do anything. I’ll have to deal with him first.]

[Safer to deal with him while he’s asleep.]

I saw Nolan’s expression change, but he didn’t say a word.

I raised an eyebrow. Something was off. But I didn’t push it.

After breakfast, I went out to the rear garden.

Catherine looked like she wanted to follow, but she stopped at the door and backed off.

The rear garden was bright with sunlight, and the roses were in full bloom.

I followed the flagstone path to the farthest corner, tested the soil with my shoe, and sized up the wall.

Then Hailey’s voice came from behind me. She’d changed into a dress, her hair down, looking harmless.

“Do you like the rose garden too, Sloane?”

Hailey walked up beside me and reached out to touch a rose.

“I planted all of these. Pretty, aren’t they? Mom and Dad put me in charge of this whole section.”

Then she lowered her voice. Her smile stayed in place, but her tone changed completely.

“See those over there? When I planted them, I already knew this was the most secluded spot. If I ever needed to hide something here, no one would find it.”

She turned to me, her eyes openly threatening.

“So take my advice and get out while you still can. This family is mine. You’re not taking it away from me.”

I looked at her.

Was she threatening me?

[She’s practiced at making threats. Definitely not her first time.]

[People like this usually escalate to action once they become openly hostile. Need a contingency plan.]

[Like provoking a confrontation the next time she threatens me, fighting back, and claiming self-defense.]

“What are you two talking about?”

Catherine’s voice cut in. I hadn’t noticed her enter the garden. Her face had gone pale as she hurried over and grabbed Hailey’s wrist.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

Hailey’s voice immediately turned soft and weak again.

“I was just showing Sloane the roses… I planted all of these myself.”

“What did you just say to her?”

Catherine’s voice shook. “What did you just say to her?”

A flash of panic crossed Hailey’s eyes before she forced her smile back. “Mom, I think you’re misunderstanding something…”

[That persona switch was fast. She’s a natural-born con artist.]

[But con artists are usually pretty smart. Someone who relies entirely on playing the victim can only fool the family members closest to her.]

Catherine stared at her. There was fear in her eyes, but even more than that, the unfamiliar look of someone seeing her daughter for the first time.

I turned away from them and went back inside.

That afternoon, something else happened.

I was walking along the second-floor hallway. Hailey was standing at the top of the stairs.

When she saw me, she took a step back, suddenly screamed, and deliberately threw herself toward the stairs.

She’d done it on purpose, but as she fell, she shouted, “Sloane, why did you push me—!”

Except she never made it down the stairs.

Because Nolan was standing at the other end of the second-floor hallway.