Chapter 4 - VICTORIA TRIES TO RUN
The hotel manager refused to show them the footage without security present.
Ten minutes.
That was all they had to wait.
Victoria couldn’t handle ten minutes.
“This is absurd,” she said, grabbing her purse. “I’m leaving.”
Ethan stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because it’s nearly ten o’clock and we have a wedding in two days.”
“You’re the one who dragged this into dinner.”
“I did not drag anything anywhere.”
“You dumped Maya’s bag onto a table.”
“To protect you.”
“Then stay.”
Victoria’s lips tightened.
“I don’t take orders from my children.”
She turned.
Maya stepped in front of her.
Victoria stopped so close their faces were inches apart.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“You wanted answers. We’re about to get them.”
“You’re behaving like a child.”
“And you’re behaving like somebody who knows what that camera recorded.”
Victoria’s face lost color.
Ethan noticed.
“Mom?”
Victoria looked at him.
For the first time, the hard mask cracked.
“You really think I would do something like this?”
Ethan said nothing.
That silence wounded her more than any accusation.
Victoria whispered, “Unbelievable.”
She tried to move around Maya.
Noah blocked the other side.
“Seriously?” Victoria snapped.
Noah shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Just stay.”
“Your mother will hear about this.”
“She’s in Europe.”
“I know where she is.”
“Then call her.”
Caroline nearly laughed.
Maya didn’t.
She couldn’t.
Her stomach felt like it was tied in a knot.
What if the camera showed someone who looked like her?
What if Victoria had paid someone?
What if the room contained something worse than a key?
The security supervisor finally approached.
“Mr. Brooks?”
“Yes.”
“My manager explained the situation. We can review the lobby footage internally.”
“Can we see it?”
“Normally, no.”
Victoria immediately seized on that.
“There. Problem solved.”
The supervisor continued.
“However, because there’s a potential identity fraud issue, Ms. Collins can file an incident report. If the footage confirms another person used her identity, we can involve law enforcement.”
Maya didn’t blink.
“Give me the form.”
Victoria’s head snapped toward her.
“Maya, don’t be dramatic.”
Maya looked at her.
“You accused me of cheating in front of my future family.”
“I asked a question.”
“You planted evidence.”
“You cannot prove that.”
“Not yet.”
Maya took the form.
Ethan watched his mother carefully.
Then his expression changed.
“Mom.”
“What?”
“Where were you yesterday at four seventeen?”
Victoria stared at him.
“At home.”
Richard, who had arrived separately five minutes earlier, suddenly spoke from behind them.
“No, you weren’t.”
Victoria turned.
Her husband looked confused.
“You told me you had a hair appointment.”
The color drained from Victoria’s face.
Everyone saw it.
May you like
And for the first time that night, Ethan stepped away from his mother.
“Show us the footage,” he said.
