Chapter 6 - TWO STORIES.
The baby continued crying against Marcus’s chest.
Victoria stayed wrapped around his arm.
Elena sat soaked on the cold stone several feet away.
No one moved.
Marcus looked toward the pool.
The dark stroller was still visible beneath the illuminated water.
Then he looked at Elena.
Her maid uniform was dripping.
Her hair was plastered against her face.
Her knees and palms were scraped from the deck.
“You went into the water?”
Elena gave a broken laugh.
“How else did I pull him out?”
Victoria interrupted instantly.
“She jumped in because she panicked after pushing him.”
Elena stared at her.
“That makes no sense.”
“It makes perfect sense.”
Marcus’s expression tightened.
Victoria pressed herself closer to him.
“Don’t let her manipulate you.”
Elena stopped pleading.
Something inside her changed.
She looked at Victoria carefully.
At the immaculate emerald gown.
At the dry hair.
At the metallic heels.
Then at herself.
Soaked from head to toe.
Elena’s eyes hardened.
“If I pushed him in,” she said quietly, “why are you completely dry?”
Victoria froze.
Marcus looked toward her dress.
Then toward Elena.
The question did not prove everything.
May you like
But it created the first crack.
And Victoria knew it.
