Chapter 6: The Witness Who Disappeared
The person on the screen was Mrs. Parker.
The woman who had given me a sweater.
The woman who had carried Noah after I saved him.
The woman who had told me she didn’t know what to believe.
I stared at the footage, unable to understand what I was seeing.
“No,” I whispered.
Alexander looked at me.
“You know something?””
I shook my head.
“I don’t know.””
But deep down, I felt something break.
Mrs. Parker had always been kind to me.
She was the only person in that mansion who treated me like I mattered.
The security director played the video.
Mrs. Parker stood beside the pool.
Catherine approached her.
They spoke quietly.
The audio was difficult to hear.
Then the director increased the volume.
Catherine said, “You understand what happens if this fails.””
Mrs. Parker looked nervous.
“I told you I didn’t want anyone hurt.””
Catherine replied, “Nobody will be hurt.””
My breath caught.
Those words again.
The same lie.
The same excuse.
Nobody will be hurt.
Then Mrs. Parker looked toward the stroller.
And the video ended.
The room was silent.
Alexander looked devastated.
Not angry.
Disappointed.
“Bring her here.””
Mrs. Parker was found ten minutes later in the kitchen.
When she entered the office and saw the footage playing, her face collapsed.
She didn’t pretend.
She didn’t lie.
She simply looked tired.
“I’m sorry.””
Alexander stared at her.
“How long?””
Mrs. Parker lowered her eyes.
“Two months.””
“Two months of what?””
“Catherine pressured me.””
I stepped forward.
“Why?””
Mrs. Parker looked at me.
Her eyes filled with guilt.
“Because she knew about my daughter.””
The room changed.
“What about your daughter?”” I asked.
“She needed expensive treatment.””
Alexander’s expression softened slightly.
Mrs. Parker continued.
“Catherine offered to pay.””
“And what did she want in return?”” Alexander asked.
Mrs. Parker closed her eyes.
“Information.””
Nobody spoke.
“She wanted schedules. Security details. She wanted to know when you were home and when Noah was alone.””
Alexander’s face turned pale.
“How could you?””
Mrs. Parker began crying.
“I thought she wanted business information. I didn’t know she would use it like this.””
I looked at her.
“Did you know about the stroller?””
A long pause.
Then Mrs. Parker whispered:
“I knew she was going to create a distraction.””
My heart dropped.
“But I didn’t know she would push it.””
Alexander stepped back.
“So you knew something would happen.””
Mrs. Parker nodded.
“I tried to stop it.””
“Then why didn’t you?””
Her tears fell.
“Because I was afraid.””
The answer was painful.
Not because it excused her.
Because it explained how easily people could be controlled.
Alexander turned away.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice came through.
Even from where I stood, I could hear the panic.
“Mr. Whitmore, you need to come to the hospital immediately.””
Alexander froze.
“What happened?””
A pause.
Then:
“It’s about Noah’s medical results.””
Everyone looked at the baby.
“What medical results?”” Alexander asked.
The woman’s voice became quieter.
“The tests from last night.””
Alexander’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Why were tests done?””
Another pause.
Then the woman said:
“Because someone tried to make it look like the pool incident was an accident.””
Alexander looked at me.
I saw the fear in his eyes.
The truth about the stroller was only the beginning.
May you like
Because someone hadn’t just tried to ruin my life.
Someone had been planning something much worse.
