I couldn’t sleep. Victor’s cryptic words, Aiden’s desperate kiss, and the countless secrets swirling around me all replayed in my mind like a broken record. I was tired of the games, tired of the lies. If no one was going to tell me the truth, I’d get it myself.
The next morning, I found Victor alone on the back patio of the mansion. He was sipping coffee, looking as though he didn’t have a care in the world. The calm before the storm, I thought bitterly.
“Victor,” I said, stepping onto the patio.
He looked up at me, his expression unreadable. “Lila,” he said smoothly. “To what do I owe this early visit?”
I crossed my arms, determined not to let him charm his way out of this conversation. “You keep dropping these cryptic warnings and hints about Evelyn, about the brothers, about me. I want answers, and I want them now.”
Victor smirked, setting his cup down. “You’re direct. I like that. But answers… they come at a price.”
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Did you kill Evelyn?” I demanded, my voice shaking with both anger and fear.
His smirk faded, and for a moment, something dark flashed in his eyes. “No,” he said evenly. “I didn’t kill her.”
“Then who did?” I pressed.
Victor leaned back in his chair, his gaze piercing. “That’s a dangerous question, Lila. Are you sure you want the answer?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
He sighed, shaking his head. “I didn’t kill her. But there are things about that night you don’t understand—things you’re better off not knowing.”
I stepped closer, my voice rising. “Stop dodging the question! If you didn’t kill her, then who do you think did?”
Victor’s jaw tightened, and for the first time, he looked genuinely uncomfortable. “I have my suspicions,” he admitted. “But suspicion isn’t proof. And proof… well, let’s just say it could tear this family apart.”
“That’s not good enough,” I said, my voice trembling. “You can’t keep pretending like this is some game. Evelyn died. Someone needs to be held accountable.”
Victor stood, his towering presence making me feel small. “You think you’re ready for the truth, but you’re not. Trust me, Lila, once you open this door, there’s no closing it.”
I didn’t back down. “Maybe I don’t want to close it. Maybe I want to burn it down.”
Victor’s lips curled into a faint smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “Careful, Lila. You’re starting to sound like her.”
Before I could respond, he walked past me, leaving me alone on the patio with more questions than answers.
Later that day, the conflict in the mansion boiled over. I was walking in the backyard when I heard shouting coming from one of the rooms close to the fence.
“You don’t get to decide what’s best for her!” Aiden’s voice rang out, sharp and furious.
“And you think you do?” Grayson shot back, his tone colder but no less intense.
I stopped outside the door, my heart pounding.
“She deserves to know the truth!” Aiden yelled.
“She deserves to be protected!” Grayson snapped. “And if you can’t see that, then maybe you’re the problem.”
The sound of something crashing made me flinch. I hesitated for a moment before heading over.
Aiden and Grayson were in each other’s faces, their anger radiating off them like a storm. Asher stood between them, his hands raised in a futile attempt to keep the peace.
“Stop it!” Asher yelled, his voice cracking. “This isn’t helping anyone!”
Grayson turned on him, his eyes blazing. “And what exactly have you done to help, Asher? You’ve been quiet this whole time, acting like you’re above it all. But you’re not, are you?”
Asher’s face paled, and he looked away.
Grayson’s expression darkened. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“Knew what?” Aiden demanded, his anger momentarily shifting to confusion.
Grayson took a step closer to Asher, his voice low and dangerous. “The security footage. You knew about it.”
Asher didn’t respond, his silence speaking volumes.
“You knew,” Grayson said again, his voice rising. “And you didn’t tell us?”
Asher’s hands clenched into fists. “Because I knew it would destroy us!” he shouted. “Don’t you get it? If Lila finds out what really happened, it’s over. For all of us.”
My breath caught in my throat, and I pressed a hand to my chest, struggling to process what I’d just heard.
“What did you see, Asher?” Aiden demanded, his voice quieter but no less intense.
Asher shook his head, his shoulders slumping. “I can’t…”
“You can’t or you won’t?” Grayson growled.
“I’m trying to protect us!” Asher shouted back.