Chapter 6 - The Dinner Party
The revelation that Vanessa was my doctor's daughter changed absolutely everything.
It meant Grant hadn't just found a pretty assistant to sleep with in the office.
This was a highly coordinated, long-term infiltration of my entire personal and professional life.
I returned to my lakefront house at exactly six o'clock that evening.
The mouth-watering scent of expensive catering filled the grand hallway.
Darlene was hosting a lavish dinner party right in my own dining room.
She had audaciously invited Chicago's most elite socialites to officially introduce Vanessa to high society.
They were treating my home like I was already legally dead and buried.
I walked upstairs, put on my most stunning black velvet dress, and applied perfectly red lipstick.
If they wanted a crazy woman, I was going to give them an unforgettable performance.
I walked slowly down the stairs and gracefully entered the crowded dining room.
The polite chatter stopped instantly as twenty wealthy guests turned and stared at me.
Grant stood up quickly from the head of the table, his face tight with controlled anger.
"Evelyn, you are supposed to be resting quietly in your room."
"Nonsense," I said with a dazzling, wide smile.
"I wouldn't miss a chance to celebrate our lovely new houseguest."
I pulled out the only empty seat, which happened to be directly across from Vanessa.
Vanessa looked beautiful in a flowing maternity dress, glowing perfectly under the crystal chandelier.
"Evelyn," Darlene warned through tightly gritted teeth.
"Please don't ruin this beautiful evening for everyone."
"I am just here to eat dinner," I replied innocently.
Maria, my loyal housekeeper, nervously began serving the first course to the guests.
It was a rich, steaming bowl of lobster bisque.
I knew for an absolute fact that Vanessa claimed to have a severe, deadly allergy to all shellfish.
She had made a massive, dramatic scene about it at a company retreat last year just to get Grant's attention.
Vanessa smiled sweetly at the guests and picked up her heavy silver spoon.
She took a delicate, eager sip of the creamy soup.
Grant watched her from across the table with obvious, sickening adoration.
I waited patiently for her throat to aggressively close up.
I waited for the dramatic gasp for air and the frantic search for a life-saving EpiPen.
But absolutely nothing happened.
Vanessa happily ate three more spoonfuls of the lobster bisque while laughing at a guest's joke.
She wasn't allergic to shellfish at all.
She had faked the deadly allergy to manipulate Grant into becoming her heroic protector.
"The soup is absolutely delicious, Maria," Vanessa complimented politely.
I stood up slowly from my velvet chair and tapped my crystal water glass with a spoon.
The sharp ringing sound silenced the entire room once again.
"I want to propose a toast," I announced loudly.
Grant took a threatening step toward me.
"Sit down right now, Evelyn."
"To Vanessa," I continued, raising my glass high in the air.
"A brilliant woman of many incredible talents and mysterious medical miracles."
Vanessa stopped chewing, her wide eyes instantly locking onto mine.
"It is truly a medical miracle that she can suddenly enjoy lobster bisque without dying."
Grant frowned deeply and looked down at Vanessa's empty bowl in confusion.
"Vanessa, you are highly allergic," he said in a panicked, high-pitched voice.
"Spit it out right now before you stop breathing."
Vanessa's face flushed a deep, panicked red as she realized her massive, undeniable mistake.
"I... I must have miraculously grown out of the allergy," she stammered nervously.
I leaned aggressively across the table until I was mere inches from her sweating face.
"Tell me the truth, Vanessa."
"Did you also miraculously grow out of the fact that you aren't actually pregnant?"
Vanessa gasped loudly and knocked her crystal wine glass completely over.
The dark red liquid spilled rapidly across the white tablecloth like fresh blood.
But the loud gasp hadn't come from my shocking accusation.
It came from the grand front doorway of the dining room.
Everyone at the table turned rapidly to look.
Two uniformed police officers were standing silently in the archway.
"Evelyn Mercer?" the taller officer asked with a grim expression.
May you like
"Yes, that is me."
"You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Dr. Robert Evans."
