Chapter 3 - THE BROKEN CAMERA
Victor ordered the entire estate searched.
Every bedroom was opened.
Every employee was questioned.
Every phone was collected.
Serena remained beside Ethan’s bed, performing the role of a frightened future mother.
She kissed the child’s forehead whenever Victor looked toward her.
The moment he turned away, her expression hardened.
Lily saw it.
So did Ethan.
The boy began trembling when Serena touched him.
Victor watched his son’s reaction.
“Leave the room.”
Serena blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“You are frightening him.”
“That nanny has poisoned him against me.”
Victor stepped between Serena and the bed.
“I said leave.”
Serena’s face tightened with humiliation.
She leaned close to Lily before walking away.
“You have no idea what you’ve started.”
Lily waited until the door closed.
Then she reached into the torn pocket of her uniform.
Her fingers wrapped around a small silver device.
Victor noticed.
“What is that?”
Lily placed it on the table.
“A voice recorder.”
Victor picked it up.
“You recorded today?”
“Not all of it.”
Lily looked toward the door.
“I started recording after Serena threatened to send me away yesterday.”
Victor pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then Serena’s voice emerged.
“If Ethan keeps reaching for you, I’ll make sure he learns not to.”
Lily’s voice followed.
“He’s a baby.”
“He is Victor’s heir.”
Serena sounded disgusted.
“He needs discipline, not affection.”
The recording continued.
A child cried in the background.
Then came the sound of a slap.
Victor’s hand tightened around the device.
Serena’s voice became quieter.
“Once I marry Victor, the boy will be sent somewhere far away.”
Lily whispered from the recording.
“Victor would never allow that.”
Serena laughed.
“Victor allows whatever I make him believe.”
The audio ended.
Victor remained motionless.
His face had become pale with rage.
“Why didn’t you bring this to me sooner?”
Lily’s eyes filled with guilt.
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Victor frowned.
“I never received any message.”
“I left an envelope in your private office.”
Victor looked at his security chief.
“No one enters that office.”
The man’s expression changed.
“Only three people have access.”
Victor already knew their names.
Himself.
His security chief.
And Serena.
A guard knocked and stepped inside.
“Mr. Blackwood, we found something in Miss Hart’s bedroom.”
He placed a velvet box on the table.
Inside was Serena’s missing diamond bracelet.
Beside it lay a bottle of powerful sedatives.
Serena appeared in the doorway.
Her tears returned instantly.
“I told you she was dangerous.”
May you like
Victor looked from the evidence to Lily.
Then he noticed Serena was already smiling.
