Just then, the doorbell rang.
Stacey got up and strolled casually to the door. “Who’s there?” she called out.
When she opened it, her face went stone-cold. There stood Bianca!
“What… What are you doing here?” Stacey blurted, guilt flashing across her face, though she tried to maintain her composure.
“I came to see you. Aren’t you going to let me in?” Bianca asked with a calm, friendly smile, showing no signs of recent troubles.
Stacey eyed Bianca warily, unable to shake the feeling that Bianca was up to something.
Despite her anxiousness, she decided to let her in. “Come on in.”
Stacey was curious to see what Bianca was planning.
Bianca walked in, taking in her surroundings and listening carefully.
There was no one else around. It was clear Stacey hadn’t brought Marisa’s son home, so she must have hidden him elsewhere.
“What brings you here today, Bianc?” Stacey asked, coming up behind her and trying to figure out Bianca’s intentions.
Bianca gave a faint smile and asked casually, “Stacey, did you hear about the fire in that fancy apartment a few days ago?”
Stacey’s eyes shifted. She looked away and said, “I think I saw something about it online, but I don’t remember much. Why do you ask?”
Bianca raised an eyebrow and continued, “There was also a car crash at the airport two days ago. A woman crashed into a car and died. Have you heard about that?”
Stacey’s face tightened, and her heart raced.
She stared at Bianca, realizing what her questions implied. Bianca seemed to be onto something.
But Stacey knew that without solid evidence, Bianca’s suspicions were useless. As long as she denied everything, Bianca couldn’t touch her.
Stacey relaxed her face and said, “I haven’t heard about any car accident. Why are you asking?”
Bianca, with a slight smile, walked over to the table, poured a glass of water, and took a sip. She then said, “I found out that the woman who died was Marisa Carson. She was behind the arson. She did it for her sick child, but nothing was stolen from the accident site. If she was that desperate, someone must have offered her a big reward-maybe cash. That person is the real culprit behind the fire. Right, Stacey?”
Stacey’s throat tightened, and her fingers went numb. She hadn’t expected Bianca to piece it all together so well.
“Why are you telling me this? I didn’t make her do any of that!” she said, gulping down her drink quickly.
Bianca watched Stacey’s panic and denial with a suppressed smile.
Bianca’s voice turned cold as she said, “If Marisa was so desperate to save her child, why would she suddenly kill herself? Unless someone promised to take care of her child in exchange for taking the blame and ending her life.”
Stacey’s anxiety grew. Her hand trembled as she held her glass, but she tried not to show any weakness.
Struggling to stay calm, she asked, “What are you implying?”
Bianca smiled softly and replied, “I could have figured this out myself, no need for the police. They’re already looking for the child, right? Find the child, and we find the real culprit. Stacey, have you ever wondered how long they might lock that person up?”
As she talked, Bianca laughed. “Maybe she’ll end up sharing a cell with Ashley. My sister won’t be lonely anymore.”
Stacey’s anger exploded as she slammed her glass onto the table, shattering it. The glass shards cut into her hand, and she winced in pain.
Bianca smirked and asked, “If you’re innocent, why are you acting so defensive? It’s almost like you’re guilty.”
“I… I’m not guilty of anything,” Stacey shot back, trying to hide her bleeding hand. Her voice shook, revealing her distress. She quickly changed the topic, saying, “Bianca, I’ve been thinking. Ashley made mistakes, but she’s young and regrets it. She’s your step-sister. Can’t you drop the lawsuit? For old times’ sake?”
Bianca’s tone was cold. “For old times’ sake? I have nothing but anger towards her. Like I said, Stacey, if you don’t want your actions exposed, don’t do them in the first place. There’s always a trail unless you fix the problem at its source!”
Her voice grew sharper as she mocked Stacey’s inability to solve the situation. Then she stormed out.
When the door closed, Stacey collapsed onto the sofa, trembling. ‘Was Bianca telling the truth? Had the police figured things out and were secretly searching for the child?’
Despite her careful planning, Stacey is scared she might be discovered.
Bianca’s words rang in her ears. Stacey thought she needed a new plan to fix the problem.
She knew she needed to cover her tracks and address the problem at its source.
That day, after Petter had gone to sleep, Stacey put on a black windbreaker and a sunhat and sneaked out to catch a taxi in the dark.
Meanwhile, a black car was parked quietly across the street, hidden in the shadows.
Inside that car, Bianca and Leonel watched. Their black vehicle followed Stacey’s taxi closely, making sure to stay out of sight.
After thirty minutes, they arrived at a run-down house on the outskirts.
Stacey got out of the taxi and went inside the building.
Bianca and Leonel parked their car in a hidden spot, then quietly approached the house.
Leonel was about to kick the door down, but Bianca noticed something was off and tried to stop him. Despite her efforts, Leonel had already kicked the door open.
“Stacey, you criminal! Where’s the kid?” Leonel shouted as he stormed in.
When Leonel stepped inside, he stopped in shock.
Bianca followed him, looking around in confusion.
The house was empty except for Stacey. There was no sign of any child.
“Bianca, what are you doing here at this hour?” Stacey sneered with a smug grin.
Bianca’s nerves kicked in as she realized Stacey had set them up.
Stacey knew Bianca was trying to lure her out, so she had intentionally set up this trap.
“Where’s the kid?” Bianca asked, trying to stay calm even though she was rattled. She knew she had to keep her cool to find Stacey’s weakness.
Stacey smirked and crossed her arms. “Kid? Are you talking about Marisa’s child? If someone wanted to move the kid, they wouldn’t do it themselves. They’d get rid of any loose ends. So, you might never see that child again.”
Bianca’s eyes burned with anger. She couldn’t believe Stacey would be capable of harming a child.
If the child were really gone, Bianca would lose the crucial evidence proving Stacey’s guilt, and her chance to avenge her mother would vanish.