Chapter 5  Patricia, Chase’s stepmom, once had a daughter with Davin, but would have it, they adopted Nicole.  Three years after Mrs. Reyes passed away, Davin married Patricia, really warmed up to me.  she passed away young, leaving a void in their hearts. As fate  d she became the new Mrs. Reyes. Because of Nicole, she never  The moment Nicole saw Patricia, she sweetly called out, “Dad, Mom,” like the perfect little angel.  Davin shot a glare at Chase, suddenly furious. “How dare you show  Eurer disgracing the Reyes name!”  Yesterday, just as Chase and I were about to exchange rings at our weddin  Nicole called, saying her heart was hurting. Without a second thought, Chase dashed off, leaving me to become the town’s laughingstock.  Nicole quickly knelt before Davin. “Dad, it’s all on me. I thought my heart condition was acting up, so I called Chase. I never meant for  is mess. Please don’t blame Chase.”  Patricia hugged Nicole. “Nicole’s heart issues started when her sister pushed her into the water years ago. Besides, the in–laws haven’t complained, so why are you upset? Nicole, sweetheart, get up. The floor’s chilly.”  Scenes like this had become the norm over the past couple of years. Every time Nicole and I had a conflict, Davin would always side with her, leaving me to swallow the bitter pill alone.  Chase glanced around, not spotting the familiar face he was looking for. “Dad, where’s Amanda?” he asked.  “You dare mention her? You left her at the altar and subjected her to public scorn! She calmed the guests, said she was getting changed and never came back. She kept the Reyes family’s dignity intact while you trampled on hers!”  Chase’s expression shifted. “She didn’t come back? Then where did she go? She sent me her location last night!”  He pulled out his phone, fingers turning pale. “The police called today, saying they found Amanda’s wedding dress in the Ruby River…“,  How ironic.  I chuckled. So now he realizes I’m gone?  “Where did she go? How would I know? You didn’t think about her when you ran off, did you? Who are you trying to fool now?”  “Dad, I need to step out.”  “Chase, I’ll come with you.”  Watching his slightly panicked figure, I couldn’t help but find it ridiculous. Is it too late to panic now?  At the police station, Chase got straight to the point, “Officer, what exactly happened?”  “Mr. Reyes, this morning, a wedding dress was found floating in the river. A jogger mistook it for a body and called it in. We retrieved it and identified it as your wife’s wedding dress…”  Nicole interrupted, “Besides the dress, was anything else found?”  “Nothing,” the officer glanced at Nicole.  “Maybe my sister tossed her dress in the river out of spite? Officer, my sister often plays these games. We don’t have time to entertain  her.”  Nicole spoke casually, but Officer Robert frowned. “And who might you be?”  “I’m Amanda’s younger sister. Ever since we were kids, she’s been cunning. She even tried to drown me when I was five. When I finally made it home, she’d frame me over and over. She loves playing the martyr to gain sympathy.”  Listening to her lies, I desperately wanted to explain, “It wasn’t me! I never did that!”  I must have explained countless times, but everyone saw Nicole as the victim and my words as mere excuses.  I thought Officer Robert would be fooled by her, too, but his expression stayed steady.  “We found traces of blood on the wedding dress, which matched Amanda Kennedy’s DNA. Plus, there were two holes in the dress, suggesting stab wounds. If Ms. Kennedy was wearing this dress, she would’ve been stabbed in the abdomen and back.”  “We suspect Ms. Kennedy might have been murdered.”  Chase turned ghostly pale, his hand shaking, spilling water from the cup he was holding.  Chapter 6