Chapter 5

Ryan wasn’t at the rental when I arrived.

Only the other masseur was there. I casually asked where Ryan had gone.

The masseur said Ryan went to see his girlfriend. Apparently, she was pregnant too—though he’d never met her. Ryan had only mentioned her once or twice in passing.

Hearing that, I frowned.

Ryan and I weren’t just cousins—we were from the same village. How could he have a girlfriend and not tell me?

Then again, we weren’t particularly close. It wasn’t surprising he’d kept it to himself. Honestly, it saved me the trouble of pretending to care.

Just when I thought the mess with Vanessa was over, Ryan texted me.

Attached was an explicit photo.

Of me and Vanessa.

Her eyes were closed as I pinned her down, her face twisted in pain.

If I weren’t the one in the picture, even I would’ve believed she’d been forced.

I shot to my feet, blood boiling.

Ryan’s call came next. "Cousin, this isn’t right. Raping your own brother’s pregnant girlfriend? If this gets out, your life is over."

I gritted my teeth. "What do you want?"

"You know what. Sign the property transfer agreement, and this disappears."

"No fucking way. That house was left to me by my father. I’m not giving it to you."

"Don’t be like that. Even if you refuse, you’ll still have to pay for the medical bills. The poor girl’s fetus is unstable from the trauma."

His smug tone made me see red.

Three months ago, he’d promised to help me make money. Instead, I’d blown through my savings on training. Now, just as I was about to start earning, he pulled this shit.

"Go to hell. I’d rather die than sign anything."

I hung up.

Sure enough, the police arrested me soon after.

The photo of Vanessa and me looked damning—like I’d forced her.

Then there was her testimony, backed by Ryan. And the DNA evidence.

On the surface, it was an open-and-shut rape case.

The fact that Vanessa was pregnant only made it more believable. What kind of expectant mother would risk her baby to frame someone?

At the station, female officers shot me disgusted looks. How could anyone be so depraved? Raping his own pregnant cousin’s wife and acting so calm about it.

Ryan even played the gracious victim, telling the cops I’d just "acted on impulse."

"Vanessa’s baby is at risk now. All we want is compensation—medical expenses, that’s all."

How noble of him.

And conveniently, he already had a solution: signing over my family’s property.

The detective slid the photo across the table. "Anything to say?"

I laughed.

Because I’d known this was a setup from the start.

I’d suspected Ryan and Vanessa were working together.

At first, I didn’t think much of her calling him "Ryan" on the phone. It made sense—he was well-known in the industry, with great client reviews.

But her "damsel in distress" act tipped me off. She’d staged the whole thing to keep me there.

She’d forgotten a few crucial details, though.

Her house had no lived-in feel—like a short-term rental.

The gated community had strict security. No one could enter without resident approval.

Yet conveniently, her place got robbed that day. And she’d stopped me from chasing the intruder.

Not how a real victim would react.

The final clue? A call from the village committee.

Our hometown was being demolished. Every household would get a hefty payout.

After my parents died, I was the only one left. The village couldn’t reach me—until Ryan "kindly" offered to pass along the news.

Now that the demolition was approved, contracts needed signing.

Every time I’d tried to visit home, Ryan had made excuses. He’d had his eye on my property all along.

Of course, it was just speculation. I had no proof.

Until that night at Vanessa’s.

I’d secretly recorded everything.

Turns out, I hadn’t dreamed Ryan standing over my bed. I’d woken just in time, scaring the hell out of them.

The next morning, I checked the footage.

Vanessa had drugged my water.

At dinner, she tried again. This time, I played along. A free ride was a free ride—and I’d never been with a pregnant woman before.

……

The lab results came back.

My DNA was inside her.

Ryan smirked when the cops weren’t looking, mouthing "Serves you right."

I turned to Vanessa. "Did I really rape you?"

She didn’t flinch. "Yes. The report proves it. What else is there to say?"

"Because of you, my baby might not make it. I’ll need hospitalization, and who knows how much more after birth."

I sighed. I’d wanted to give her one last chance to come clean.

But she doubled down.

Fine.

I played the recording.

A man and woman’s voices filled the room.

"Are you sure the dosage is enough?"

"Plenty. I got this from India—top-shelf stuff."

"Is his village really being demolished? Don’t screw this up. I’m only doing this for you."

"It’s happening. Once I get his signature, the money’s ours. Then we send him to prison—your revenge."

"Fine. But we’re getting married the second the cash hits."

Ryan lunged for the report, shoving it at the cops. "This is fake! The lab results don’t lie!"

Vanessa raised her voice. "Exactly! He’s lying! Why would I risk my baby like this?"

"You’re a monster! Targeting your own family—I’m carrying your nephew!"

I burst out laughing.

Vanessa was beautiful, but rotten to the core.

Did my idiot cousin really think that baby was his?

Oh well. Let him believe it.

The truth was, Ryan had been a cuckold for who knew how long.

While Vanessa cooked, I’d found a phone full of her hookup messages.

Not that Ryan was any better.

A fuckboy and a slut—perfect for each other.