I clutched the USB drive in my trembling hand, my heart pounding as I made my way to the Cross mansion. The security footage Tessa and I had found was burned into my mind—Evelyn walking into the mansion and Grayson following close behind. The grainy images had haunted me all night, and I knew I couldn’t rest until I got answers.
I rang the doorbell, my stomach in knots. Grayson was the last person I wanted to see after everything, but he was the only one who could explain what I’d seen. The door opened, and there he stood, his icy blue eyes narrowing slightly when he saw me.
“Lila,” he said, his voice low. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk,” I said firmly, stepping past him into the entryway. “Now.”
Grayson shut the door behind me, his expression unreadable. “What’s this about?”
I turned to face him, holding up the USB. “This.”
His jaw tightened, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—unease.
“What is that?” he asked, his voice steady but guarded.
“It’s footage,” I said, stepping closer. “From the night Evelyn disappeared. I know you were there, Grayson. I saw you follow her into the mansion.”
His face paled, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “You shouldn’t have that.”
“But I do,” I shot back, my voice rising. “And I want to know the truth. No more lies, no more half-answers. Just tell me what happened that night.”
Grayson’s gaze dropped to the floor, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer. But then he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I didn’t kill her.”
I let out a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. “Then what happened? Why were you there?”
Grayson ran a hand through his hair, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I followed her to stop her from meeting with someone.”
“Who?” I pressed, stepping closer. “Who was she meeting?”
He hesitated, his jaw tightening again. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie to me,” I snapped. “You know something. Who was she meeting, Grayson? Who killed her?”
Grayson’s eyes met mine, and I could see the pain and guilt etched into his features. “I don’t know who killed her,” he said, his voice breaking. “But I swear, I tried to stop it. I was too late.”
“Too late for what?” I demanded, my voice shaking. “What were you trying to stop?”
He took a step back, his hands gripping the edge of the table behind him. “She… she was meeting with someone she shouldn’t have. Someone dangerous. I followed her because I wanted to protect her, but when I got there… she was gone.”
“Gone?” I repeated, my heart sinking. “What do you mean ‘gone’?”
“She wasn’t there,” Grayson said, his voice trembling. “The room was empty, and there was no sign of her. It was like she just… vanished.”
I stared at him, my mind racing. “That doesn’t make any sense. People don’t just disappear, Grayson. Someone had to have taken her.”
He nodded, his expression grim. “I know. But by the time I realized what had happened, it was too late to do anything about it.”
I felt tears sting my eyes as I tried to process his words. “Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t you call the police or… or tell your brothers?”
“Because I knew what it would look like,” Grayson said bitterly. “I knew everyone would blame me. And maybe… maybe they should.”
I shook my head, my chest tightening. “No. You were trying to help her. That’s not the same as being responsible.”
“But I failed her,” he said, his voice cracking. “I failed her, Lila. And now I’m failing you, too.”
My breath hitched at his words, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. The guilt in his eyes was almost too much to bear.
“I don’t understand,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “If you didn’t kill her, then who did? Who would want to hurt Evelyn?”
Grayson looked away, his jaw tightening again. “I don’t know. But whoever it was… they’re still out there.”
The weight of his words settled over me like a heavy blanket, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, Grayson turned back to me, his expression haunted.
“If I didn’t do it,” he said, his voice low and filled with pain, “then who did?