CHAPTER 2 — SIENNA’S LAST NIGHT
CHAPTER 2 — SIENNA’S LAST NIGHT
George climbed the stairs slowly.
His expression was controlled, almost offended.
“That recording proves nothing.”
Audrey tightened her grip on the phone.
“It proves you were helping him.”
“I was trying to stop Julian from doing something foolish.”
“You told him not to let me leave.”
George looked at Clara.
“She’s twisting everything.”
Clara’s eyes narrowed.
“Then explain it.”
Julian stepped between them.
“Uncle George didn’t do anything. He was the only person who believed me about Sienna.”
Richard’s voice turned hard.
“Believed what?”
Julian faced his father.
“That Audrey killed her.”
Audrey’s knees almost gave out.
Clara placed an arm around her.
Julian continued.
“Three days before Sienna died, she discovered someone had leaked private documents from her company. Those documents made her look like she had stolen money from a bridge project.”
Clara remembered the scandal.
Sienna had worked as a structural safety analyst for Westbridge Development, the same company where George served as a regional director.
Newspapers called her a thief.
Clients abandoned her.
Her career disappeared overnight.
Julian looked directly at Audrey.
“The leak came from Audrey’s computer.”
Audrey shook her head.
“My laptop was stolen two weeks before that.”
“You never reported it.”
“I did.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“There was no police report.”
“Because George told me he would handle it.”
The hallway fell silent.
George’s eyes sharpened.
“That is a lie.”
Audrey faced him.
“You came to my apartment. You said reporting the laptop would create more trouble for Sienna. You told me the company’s security team would recover it.”
“I never went to your apartment.”
“Yes, you did.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Audrey looked at him, her fear slowly turning into anger.
“You never asked me what happened.”
“I spent two years listening to you lie.”
“No. You spent two years pretending to love me while collecting reasons to hate me.”
The words struck him.
For a moment, Julian had no answer.
Richard took Audrey’s phone.
“What was on Sienna’s last voicemail?”
Julian’s face tightened.
“She said Audrey’s name.”
“That’s all?”
“She said, ‘Audrey did this.’”
Audrey stared at him.
“No.”
Julian’s expression darkened.
“I heard it.”
“You heard part of it.”
Everyone looked at her.
Audrey’s voice shook.
“Sienna called me twenty minutes before she died. She was terrified. She said someone had altered the inspection reports for the Greyford Bridge.”
George’s breathing changed.
Almost too quietly to notice.
Audrey continued.
“She told me the project was dangerous. She said people could die.”
Richard glanced at George.
Westbridge Development had built Greyford Bridge.
Audrey looked at Julian.
“She didn’t say, ‘Audrey did this.’ She said, ‘Audrey, did this file reach you?’”
Julian’s face went blank.
“That’s not true.”
“The voicemail was edited.”
“No.”
“Someone cut off the end.”
Julian shook his head as if refusing the possibility could make it disappear.
Audrey swallowed.
“Sienna sent me the complete recording that night.”
Julian stepped closer.
“Then where is it?”
Audrey looked toward the wedding flowers downstairs.
May you like
“She hid it inside my bridal bouquet.”
George turned and ran.
