Chapter 39 Removing The Shield (Vanessa’s POV)
Lena Torres was a problem. Yes, a great problem. It wasn't because she was loud.
Not because she was brave, but because she was present.
She was always there...hovering, comforting, grounding Demilia when the cracks began to show. She filled the gaps I worked so carefully to open. She reminded Demilia of reality when I needed her floating in doubt. Worse if all, she didn’t fear Ethan. People who didn’t fear Ethan were dangerous.
I realized it fully the morning I watched them from the terrace.
Demilia sat curled into herself, her hands wrapped around a mug she hadn’t touched. Lena stood behind her, hands resting gently on Demilia’s shoulders, whispering something that made Demilia nod. That was stability, and I detest it. That was Lena’s crime.
I sipped my coffee slowly, eyes narrowing. You never strike the heart first. You get it perfectly by removing the shield.
I spent the rest of the morning observing. Of course, Lena’s routine was predictable. She visited the estate daily, left around dusk, always alone. She parked in the same spot, walked the same path, trusted the same patterns, believing they would always work for her.
People like Lena believed loyalty protected them. It didn’t.
I only had to make a call.
“Is everything ready?” I asked softly.
“Yes,” came the reply. “It will look accidental.”
“Good,” I said. “Make sure it’s convincing.”
I ended the call and smiled faintly at my reflection in the window. I wasn’t cruel, I was just efficient.
>>>>>>>>>>>
The opportunity came sooner than expected. That evening, Demilia had locked herself in her room again. Ethan prowled the house like a caged animal, snapping at staff, radiating control he no longer had. And for Lena, she left just after sunset. I followed at a distance.
Not closely...never closely. I let traffic separate us, let coincidence do the work. She turned onto the side road near the old construction site, the one poorly lit and rarely used.
That was perfect for what I needed. I slowed down. I didn’t watch the impact. I didn’t need to because I already know how it would be.
The sound...metal screaming, glass shattering...carried through the night like punctuation at the end of a long sentence.
I pulled over calmly, hands steady on the wheel, and then, someone screamed.
No. It wasn't Lena. Someone else had done that.I waited exactly thirty seconds before stepping out.
“Oh my God!” I cried, rushing forward like a concerned stranger. “Call an ambulance!”
People gathered quickly....too quickly. Of course, humans loved chaos.
Lena lay on the ground, unconscious, her body twisted at an unnatural angle. Blood...not much, just enough...trickled near her temple. I knelt beside her, careful not to touch.
“Stay with us,” I whispered softly, for appearances. “Help is coming.”
But right inside, I was already calculating.
She would land at the hospital, her stay would be extended, complete isolation.
Well, she would survive, but she would not be available.
>>>>>>>>>>
The news traveled fast. Too fast that I almost didn't believe it.
By the time I returned to the estate, Ethan was already on the phone, voice tight with restrained fury.
“Which hospital?” he demanded.
I stepped closer, feigning concern. “What happened?”
“Lena,” he snapped. “She was in an accident.” I pressed a hand to my chest. “That’s awful. Demilia must be devastated.”
His jaw clenched, holding himself together.
“Yes,” he said. “She is.” Exactly what I wanted.
That night, Demilia broke down.
I heard it through the walls...her sobs, raw and unrestrained, echoing down the corridor. Ethan tried to reach her. But she didn’t open the door.
Again, I leaned against the railing upstairs, listening. Lena had been her anchor, and without her, Demilia was drifting.
>>>>>>>>>>>
The hospital visit the next day was… instructive.
I arrived late, dressed impeccably, grief worn like perfume. Ethan stood outside the ICU, arms crossed, face carved from stone.
“She’s stable for now,” he said curtly. “But unconscious.”
“For how long?” I asked gently.
The doctor hesitated, but still replied. “Hard to say. There was head trauma, also internal injuries. She’ll need monitoring, possibly weeks.”
Weeks?
I quickly masked my satisfaction perfectly. “That’s terrible,” I murmured pitifully, but rejoicing inside.
Ethan studied me carefully, surprised at my new character.“You were close to her.”
“Yes,” I said. “She was… important to Demilia.”That was all he needed to hear.
Demilia arrived shortly after. Her face was pale, eyes swollen, movements unsteady. She clutched the doorframe like she might collapse if she let go.
“She’s here,” Ethan said quietly. Demilia didn’t respond to him.
She walked straight past him, straight to the glass window overlooking Lena’s room.
Her knees buckled weakly like she might faint any moment.
I caught her elbow reflexively. “Careful,” I said softly. “You shouldn’t strain yourself.”
She stared at Lena through the glass as the world had ended.
“This is all my fault,” she whispered. Ethan stiffened beside her. “Don’t say that.”
“If I hadn’t needed her so much..” I squeezed her arm gently. “Accidents happen, Demilia. You can’t blame yourself.”
She turned to me then, eyes hollow. “You came,” she said, surprised.
“Of course,” I replied. “We’re family now.” The lie slid in smoothly, then she nodded faintly.
Hook set. Everything is working as planned!
>>>>>>>>>
Over the next days, Lena remained unconscious with no sign of recovery.
Demilia visited constantly, growing thinner, quieter. Without Lena’s voice grounding her, her thoughts spiraled unchecked. Ethan tried his best to bring her out of her isolation.
He really did. But he suffocated where Lena soothed. And I… I filled the gaps carefully.
I brought soup, ensuring she took it. Sat silently beside Demilia in hospital corridors, spoke gently, and never pushed too hard. I never attempted to accuse anyone. I just waited for the perfect time.
One afternoon, Demilia broke down completely.
“She was all I had,” she sobbed, gripping my hand like a lifeline. “Everyone else lies. Everyone else wants something.”
I stroked her hair softly. “I know,” I whispered. “That’s why this hurts so much.”
She clung to me, as her life depended on it, and I allowed it.
That night, alone in my room, I finally exhaled. Lena was removed, though not forever, but just enough time to carry out my next plan.
Demilia was alone now...truly alone. And as for Ethan? He was unraveling faster than I had anticipated.
I poured myself a glass of wine and raised it slightly.
“To shields,” I murmured.
“Always remove them first, then get to work!”