Chapter 3 - The Silver Pendant
Lily’s heart hammered against her ribs. The elderly lady’s grip was surprisingly strong, her sharp eyes searching Lily’s face with a desperate, terrifying hunger.
"Ma'am, please," Lily whispered, deeply uncomfortable with the sudden public attention.
The waitress gently pulled her hand back, slipping her wrist out of Eleanor's trembling grasp. She quickly adjusted the heavy silver serving tray, desperately trying to maintain her professional composure in front of the surrounding wealthy diners who were now openly staring at their table.
She answered softly, her voice carrying a quiet, genuine humility. "It’s just a birthmark, ma'am. I’ve had it my whole life."
Eleanor did not look away. Her sharp eyes remained entirely fixated on the young woman. As Lily pulled her arm back and took a nervous breath, the movement caused the collar of her black-and-white waitress uniform to shift slightly.
A heavy, tarnished silver necklace slipped out from beneath the fabric, the pendant resting clearly against Lily’s collarbone.
Eleanor gasped loudly, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
The pendant wasn't a cheap, generic piece of jewelry. It was a uniquely crafted, heavy silver locket—a piece that Eleanor had personally commissioned for her daughter Clara twenty-five years ago. It was the only piece of jewelry Clara had been wearing the night she disappeared into the winter storm.
Without asking for permission, the elderly lady immediately reached forward. Her manicured fingers bypassed the spilled water on the table entirely. She gently, almost reverently, pulled the tarnished silver pendant further into sight, her eyes welling with sudden, overwhelming tears.
"Show me that necklace," the Elderly Lady demanded, her voice dropping into a breathless, commanding whisper that completely silenced the jazz music playing in the background.
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Sitting across the table, the arrogant Victoria stared at the silver necklace. Her face turned incredibly pale as absolute, suffocating panic began to set in.
👉 Read Part 4 to see the arrogant impostor launch a vicious attack.
