Chapter 3 - The Accusation
"Oh my god, Lea!" Vivian cried out, her voice dripping with sickly sweet, entirely fabricated innocence. She reached out to touch the maid’s soaking wet shoulder. "You stepped backward! I tried to catch you, but you were moving too fast! Are you okay?"
Lea lay collapsed on her side on the hard marble, violently coughing up pool water. Her lungs burned, and her entire body shook from the absolute terror of nearly drowning.
But as Vivian’s manicured hand touched her shoulder, the fear in Lea's eyes completely vanished.
It was instantly replaced by an absolute, chilling clarity.
Lea slowly pushed herself up onto one arm. She looked up at the woman in the sparkling champagne-gold gown. She didn't cower. She didn't apologize for ruining the party.
"You pushed me," Lea gasped. Her voice was weak, but it carried a firm, undeniable, and absolutely lethal authority.
The wealthy gala guests surrounding the pool gasped collectively. The silence that fell over the terrace was deafening.
"Excuse me?" Vivian sneered, her fake concern slipping for a microsecond. "You are completely hysterical. You tripped over your own clumsy feet. Why would I ever push a maid?"
Daniel knelt beside Lea, his tailored shirt dripping wet. He looked at his fiancée, his sharp, observant eyes narrowing. He had known Lea for five years; she was the most meticulous, careful woman he had ever employed. She didn't just trip.
Then, Daniel noticed something crucial.
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Even while fighting for her life in the deep water, Lea had never opened her left hand. Her fist was clamped shut, knuckles turning white.
👉 Daniel gently opened the maid's hand, and the wet piece of paper he found would completely destroy his impending marriage.
