Chapter 2 - The Shattered Alibi
Julian dropped to his knees beside Elena and the sobbing boy, his strong hands gently prying Leo away from the chaotic scene to inspect him for harm. The raw panic in the father’s eyes was unmistakable, slicing right through the pristine facade Victoria had spent months constructing. Elena held her breath, watching the volatile dynamics of the household shift on a dime.
“He came at the boy with a pair of heavy shears, Julian,” Victoria lied instantly, her voice pivoting from icy mockery to fragile, trembling victimization with frightening speed. “I walked in just in time to stop the nanny from letting him cut his own hair. She was encouraging it.”
Julian stopped cold, looking between Victoria’s velvet-clad perfection and Elena’s tear-streaked face.
“That is a complete fabrication!” Elena gasped, her voice cracking with indignation. “She locked the nursery door from the outside and whispered horrors to him until he broke down!”
“Look at her state, Julian,” Victoria pressed, dabbing a dry eye with a manicured finger. “She’s completely unhinged. I only tried to pry the scissors from her hand.”
“I didn't have any scissors!” Leo suddenly piped up, his small voice piercing the heavy tension of the grand hallway. The boy clutched Julian’s blue vest desperately. “The lady in red hid them behind the velvet drape before you came in, Daddy!”
Victoria’s immaculate updo seemed to tighten as her composure fractured for a split second, her eyes darting toward the heavy drapery by the grand staircase.
Julian caught the micro-expression. His jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched violently in his cheek. He slowly rose to his feet, towering over Victoria, who instinctively took half a step back.
“Go to your room, Victoria,” Julian said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, icy register that brooked no argument. “We are going to check the hallway security logs right now.”
Victoria’s chin rose defiantly, though a bead of sweat betrayed her cool exterior. “You wouldn't dare humiliate me in front of the estate staff over a hysterical nanny and a confused child.”
“Watch me,” Julian whispered, turning his back on her to help Elena and Leo to their feet.
As Julian walked the nanny and child toward the private family wing, Victoria stood alone in the center of the glittering marble hall, her fingers digging into the plush velvet of her dress. She pulled a hidden burner phone from her pocket and tapped out a single text message.
The timeline is compromised. Erase server B immediately.
May you like
Elena, looking back over her shoulder just before rounding the mahogany corner, caught the flash of the screen. She realized instantly that the battle had only just begun.
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