Chapter 1

Veronica's POV]

That cold winter night seemed like it was never going to end. I just lost my sister and the anguish was tearing my heart apart. We were attending a modeling event that took place on a cruise ship. Being already a famous model, Victoria went on to maintain business relationships. However, I went for the exposure and to promote myself to the various modeling agencies that were in attendance. In the middle of the party, I noticed that I had a slight headache, due to drinking too much, so I went to the kitchen for a cup of tea. The next thing I knew, there was a small explosion after I had returned to the party. Everyone was rushing around and I couldn’t find my sister in the midst of the pandemonium. The authorities showed up and were guiding everyone to safety, when an officer pulled me aside and asked me to go with him to give my statement. I didn’t even find out what happened to my sister until I reached the station. Everyone was shouting that she was dead.

I sat in the interrogation room, waiting for the officer who was handling the case. The commotion outside the police station was not helping my headache. The reporters outside were trying their best to get the details on the biggest scoop of the year for their shitty news columns. With my head in my hands, I began to message my temples. I could just see the headlines now, “Veronica Knight Has Killed Her Sister Out of Jealousy!”

“Heh… or maybe they will get creative and suggest something along the lines of, ‘Veronica Knight, New Potential Supermodel Has Removed Her Main Rival from Her Path!’” I thought bitterly.

I sighed as I ran my shaking hand through my tangled hair. God my head ached. I was exhausted from all the frantic crying and pleading as explained over and over to everyone on the scene that I didn't kill Victoria. How could I kill my own flesh and blood? She’s my idol–was my idol–and would always be. My eyes started to water again. I couldn’t believe that my beloved sister was gone!

The metal handle of the interrogation room clacked loudly as the door opened. I immediately straightened my posture in the chair. Hearing the heavy footsteps approach me, I shut my eyes and waited in anticipation. I tugged nervously at my jeans and mustered up the courage to raise my puffy eyes to the officer.

He looked to be about in his fifties, possessed a wrinkled complexion and his black hair was starting to gray. I lowered my eyes to inspect the name tag on his rumpled suit. Wow… the deputy commissioner himself came to interrogate me. The man took a deep sigh and pulled out the chair to sit across from me. My hands began to sweat and the nerves that I had calmed down started to resurface. Having settled in his chair, he stared at me for a few moments.

“Miss Knight, please just go ahead and admit it now. I understand that in your career jealousy must run rampant. Nevertheless, the least you could do is tell us where to hide the body! Now, tell me. Where is it?” he inquired with a straight face.

I was stunned by his words. Wait… they didn’t find her body? And they were charging me for the murder? I couldn’t believe my ears. This was ridiculous! I glared at the officer, while stubbornly holding back tears.

“I. Did. NOT. Murder. Her,” I emphatically retorted.

I took a breath to steady my voice and push down the pain that was rising in my chest.

“I didn't even know that the gas stove was leaking. Why on earth would I kill my own sister?! Jealousy, you say? I have always visualized her as my idol. Why will I kill her?" I stated.

“Step-sister,” the old man corrected.

My countenance fell at the mention of the bitter truth. So that was it? Just because she was my step-sister, everyone labeled me as a jealous bitch. In reality, I actually cherished her more than anyone else in this world.

I silently gulped, swallowing my impending sobs.

“I didn't do anything. I didn't! I didn't even know that she followed me down there,” I mumbled.

The old man didn't press me for any more information, but just sat there looking at me. After about five minutes passed, I heard the chair screech loudly against the floor as he stood up.

“Since you refuse to change your statements, I have no further questions for you at this time. Oh, and you have a visitor,” he said.

A deep frown formed on my face as I watched the man leave. I knitted my brows together in confusion.

“A visitor?” I asked.

I prayed that it was my dad. However, I still didn't know whether he would believe me or not. While I was blinking back tears, I heard a pair of hasty footsteps rushing toward me. When the door opened, my heart instantly plummeted. It was Blake Davidson, my brother-in-law and the man who currently dominated the business world of our country.

He walked over to me, radiating dominance and intimidation with every step. Blake stopped in front of the interrogation table. My brown eyes stared up at him. I didn’t know what to say, or if I should say anything. He was at least six feet tall with a well muscled physic. His pair of pitch black eyes focused on me and I felt a dark-menacing aura fill up the room. Blake’s custom made black shirt was unbuttoned at the top, which exposed his perfectly toned chest. The thin layer of sweat told me that he must have ran all the way to the station from his office. His breathing was labored and I felt extreme apprehension as each moment passed by in silence. The intense scent of his cologne wafted through the air, invading my senses as I continued to stare fearfully at him.

Blake and I had only met about two times. I spent the first half of my life abroad but I came back home to pursue my dream to be a model. That’s when I found out that my sister was already married to Blake Davidson and held the position as the top model of our country. My sister used to go on and on about him and would proudly boast about how he treated her like a queen. It was even all over the news about how he was head-over-heels for her. Personally, I didn’t know a thing about him. We had met a couple of times at a party and he only gave me a simple greeting and that was the extent of our relationship. As I was immersed in my modeling career, I never paid much attention to Victoria’s personal life.

Without any warning, Blake suddenly reached out and grabbed my chin so harshly that I flinched.

“Why? Why did you kill her? She always treated you like her own sister… And how did you repay her? You killed her!”

He glared at me with murderous intent while his grip tightened on my chin, almost making me cry out from the pain.

“I-I didn't! Trust me! It…it was an accident!” I stuttered.

His countenance remained unchanged. He didn’t believe me.

“You were the only one who was seen going into the kitchen,” he accused. “Tell me, why did you need to go there during the party? What was Victoria doing using the damn restroom attached to the kitchen anyway?”

I looked up at him in surprise. I didn't even know that Victoria was in the restroom while I was down there!

“I...I don't know! I swear that I only went… to make... tea. I had no idea that the gas stove was even leaking!” I stammered.

Suddenly, he let go of my chin and I slumped back into the chair and tried to take a deep breath. Shifting my eyes over to him, while panting, I watched him shove his hands into his pockets pulling out some pictures. He threw them on the table. Focusing on the photos that were sprawled out in front of me, I saw myself at the party giving an autograph to a man who looked to be about twenty. I glanced at Blake confused. What did this have to do with anything?

“You still want to deny it?” He asked, pointing at the picture. “This man is a leader of a mafia gang. On top of that, he is a sworn enemy of mine and probably was targeting Victoria from the beginning! What were you doing with him? Tell me!”

My heart dropped into my stomach as I heard this piece of information. What the hell was going on? How was I to know that the man was a mafia leader? I thought he was just a fan!

“Brother-in-law…Trust me! I seriously had no clue! H-he was imploring to get my autograph. I swear! I really...” I said.

BANG!

Blake had kicked the nearby chair sending it flying across the room. Instantly, the rest of my explanation died in my throat. He turned and put both hands on the desk and loomed over me. His furious eyes bored into mine. He was staring at me like he was about to sentence me to Hell.

“If you tell me any more lies, I will forget that you were ever Victoria's sister, Veronica. So many times she told me that you were following her like an obsessive child; but, I never paid attention,” he admitted. “I thought it was just a harmless rivalry between sisters. I wish with all my heart that I would have taken her more seriously! Maybe she would still be alive today. Now, even her body is missing!”

I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing! My lips trembled violently at the revelation of how my sister perceived me.

“Did she really think of me as a rival? If so, why didn't she ever tell me?” I thought.

One thing I knew for sure was not argue with Blake anymore. There was no point. He wasn’t going to believe anything I said and he already had enough reasons to loathe me. All that considered, still didn’t change the fact that I was innocent and I was going to stick to the truth.

Finally, mustering up the courage to answer Blake’s unfounded accusations, I said, “It doesn't prove that I am the person behind this. Do you have any solid evidence linking to the mafia?”

A surprised look flashed across his features at my authoritative tone. Although, he recovered quick enough and I saw his jaw tick as resentment filled his eyes once again.

“Veronica, don't try to play games with me. One snap of my finger would be enough to destroy your whole career,” he said.

I chuckled bitterly at his words and stared at him through my eyes which were swollen.

“My career, no, my life has already been destroyed, dear brother-in-law. What more can you do to me?” I asked sarcastically.

He was about to spit out more venomous words, but stopped at hearing a commotion in the hallway.

As the door burst open an urgent voice yelled, “Veronica is innocent!”