Chapter 8: The Woman They Were All Watching
The words stayed in the air.
Don’t trust the woman who saved your son.
Everyone looked at me.
Again.
Just like the night before.
The same suspicion.
The same silence.
Only this time, I wasn’t standing in a wet dress beside a pool.
I was standing in the middle of an investigation.
And someone was trying to make me the center of it.
Alexander stared at the phone.
“No.””
His voice was firm.
Nobody expected that.
He stepped between me and the others.
“No one is accusing her based on an anonymous message.””
Victoria crossed her arms.
“Why not?””
Alexander turned.
“Because we have evidence she saved my son.””
Victoria smiled faintly.
“But we also have evidence she was alone with him.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
There it was.
The accusation returning.
“She was the first person there,” Victoria continued.
“She was the person who rescued him,” Alexander replied.
“But what if that was part of the plan?””
The room became tense.
I looked at Alexander.
I didn’t know what hurt more.
The accusation.
Or the fact that I had expected it.
Before he could answer, the officer interrupted.
“Enough.””
Everyone stopped.
“We need facts.””
The officer looked at me.
“Miss, where were you before the incident?””
I answered honestly.
“Inside the kitchen.””
“Anyone confirm that?””
“Yes. Several staff members.””
The officer wrote something down.
“Did you have access to Noah?””
“Only when I was working.””
“Did you give him anything?””
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“Never.””
The officer nodded.
Then he turned toward Victoria.
“Your turn.””
Victoria’s expression changed.
The room shifted.
Because for the first time, someone wasn’t questioning the easiest target.
They were questioning everyone.
The officer continued.
“You were standing closest to the stroller before it moved.””
Victoria smiled.
“I was trying to help.””
“Then why did you tell people the maid pushed it?””
“Because I saw her near it.””
“That’s not what the video shows.””
Victoria looked away.
The officer continued.
“And why did you know about Daniel’s involvement?””
Silence.
Victoria had no answer.
Then Alexander spoke.
“Tell the truth.””
She looked at him.
“You really want the truth?””
“Yes.””
Victoria took a breath.
“Daniel contacted me weeks ago.””
Alexander’s face hardened.
“And you kept it from me?””
“He told me Catherine was planning something.””
“Then why protect her?””
Victoria looked at Catherine.
“Because Catherine had something over me.””
Everyone turned.
“What?”” Alexander asked.
Victoria’s voice became quieter.
“She knew about my brother.””
The room fell silent.
“What about your brother?”” I asked.
Victoria looked uncomfortable.
“Years ago, Daniel helped cover up a mistake my family made.””
Alexander stared.
“So this was blackmail.””
“Yes.””
The truth was becoming more complicated.
Nobody was innocent.
Nobody was telling the whole story.
Then the security director suddenly rushed into the room.
“Mr. Whitmore.””
Everyone turned.
“I found something from the deleted footage.””
Alexander walked toward him.
“What?””
The director held up a small drive.
“The missing five minutes from the pool camera.””
“Can you play it?””
He nodded.
The screen showed the garden.
The stroller.
The pool.
Then something unexpected happened.
Before Victoria pushed the stroller, someone else approached.
Someone wearing a dark jacket.
Someone whose face was hidden.
The figure handed Victoria something.
A small bottle.
The room went silent.
Alexander stepped closer.
“Who is that?””
The director enhanced the image.
The face slowly became clearer.
I felt my heart stop.
Because I recognized the person.
Not from the mansion.
Not from the party.
But from my own past.
The person who had once promised to protect me.
The person I thought I would never see again.
Alexander looked at me.
“Who is that?””
I couldn’t speak.
May you like
Because the answer was impossible.
The person on the screen was my father.
