Page 155 of The Jealous Girl

‘So I did some digging,’ Denise said, her voice taut. ‘If ingested, they can cause digitalis poisoning, with nausea, dizziness, confusion, irregular heart rhythms. All symptoms Martin had experienced initially. A stronger dose can lead to a cardiac event…’

‘We didn’t know what to do,’ Martin added. ‘It wasn’t like we had any proof to report her. And confronting her felt even more dangerous. We got the alarm fitted, but it didn’t feel like enough.’

‘That’s why you were so freaked out when Ryan told you about our commitment ceremony in Malta.’

You’ll kill your dad.

Denise’s words echoed through my brain.

‘It wasn’t Martin you were worried about finding out. It was Charlotte.’

‘If she thought she was too late. That she didn’t have a chance with Ryan—’ Denise closed her eyes. ‘I couldn’t take that risk.’

‘That’s when we realised, we had to tell Ryan the truth. About the fraud, Charlotte’s threats, our suspicions… Everything,’ Martin said, moving further into the room, and leaning on the back of the sofa.

‘Not everything,’ Ryan said through gritted teeth. ‘I didn’t know you’d framed Kirsty.’ He turned to me. ‘I swear, I didn’t know.’

I nodded. I believed him.

‘So that’s why you left me for her,’ I said, understanding now what he’d meant the day he’d left.

It’s too much.

He hadn’t meant me. He’d meant the situation his family had placed him in. The impossible choice he’d had to make.

I turned back to Denise, stepping past Martin as I closed in on her. ‘But that’s not the end of the story, is it?’

‘No,’ Denise said coldly. ‘I couldn’t risk Charlotte not getting her way and killing Martin. But letting her get what she wanted…’

‘Meant Ryan would always be in danger,’ I realised, my stomach churning at that thought.

‘I had to get rid of her.’

The room fell silent as Denise’s confession landed.

‘It wasn’t even that difficult,’ Denise said, slightly stunned. ‘Leave the instructions for Charlotte, slip Atlas a little extra supplement and then lie in wait and make sure he got spooked at just the right moment…’ She shrugged. ‘I knew there was a risk she might see me, but the fall was so high I figured it wouldn’t matter. She wouldn’t survive to tell anyone that I’d been there.’

‘And framing me meant you could get rid of me too.’ I spat the words at her as my body trembled.

‘Neither of you were good for Ryan. He was too besotted with you to see it. But I did.’

‘So you framed me for fraud and then murder.’

‘It’s a mother’s job to protect her son. No matter what.’

‘You put me through hell—!’ I screamed, as I lunged at her.

‘Kirsty, stop!’ Ryan shouted behind me.

I didn’t listen.

He grabbed me, trying to pull me back. But this time my resistances were stronger.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, but I shoved him away, breaking free. Anger giving me a strength I didn’t know I possessed.

‘Stop!’ Martin yelled, but I ignored him as I moved back towards Denise.

A loud click resounded behind me.