Chapter 8
“It’s not enough that you killed your own daughter. Now you want to hurt the two
people who care about you the most in this world?”
“Do you even care for us?”
Ruby stood beside him, wearing an expression of sorrow and disappointment. Her voice trembled as she echoed, “Clara, to be honest, I wish things were the way you said. I wish you had rescued Lila and taken her to the hospital.”
“At least that way, I would’ve had a chance to save her.”
“But instead, I had to watch Lila die right before my eyes.”
“And now, you‘ re tearing apart the friendship we‘ ve shared for years just to put the blame on me.”
“Clara, you‘ ve truly let me down today.”
1/6
12:31
66
Chapter 8
I looked coldly at the two performers. before me and spoke in a cold tone.
“You‘ re both truly skilled at pretending, I’ll give you that. You know me so well, down to every detail of my behavior. You knew that if Lila fell into the water, I would act without hesitation. I would dive in to save her immediately.”
“And that message you sent earlier, the one warning me that Lila shouldn’t touch cold water today… It was carefully planned to push me, to make sure I’d take Lila to the hospital for a checkup.”
“Because you knew that once I took Lila to the hospital, she would never come out
alive.”
“And I don‘ t even need to explain all of this, do I? You already know it better than I
do.”
“I’ll admit, you guessed my every move and controlled the situation.”
“But there’s one thing I couldn’t
2/6
12:31
Chapter 8
understand at first. How could you ensure that Lila would fall into the water today?”
“Then, I figured it out.”
“It’s because Lila fell into the pool on purpose.”
What I said left the audience utterly confused. They didn’t understand what I meant, but their expressions revealed how much they were shocked.
Andrew and Ruby, on the other hand,
could no longer maintain their composure.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
The chaotic scene fell into an eerie silence
in an instant.
Everyone held their breath, waiting. anxiously for me to continue.
I shifted my gaze between Andrew and Ruby before pointing a question.
“Are you curious how I found out that Lila fell into the pool on purpose?”
3/6
66
12:31
Chapter B
Both Ruby and Andrew remained silent, not uttering a word.
Yet, their eyes remained fixed on me, with a complicated look on their faces.
Seemed like a mixture of nervousness and surprise.
I noticed the faint sheen of cold sweat forming on their foreheads and let my words cut through the tension.
“When Lila was struggling in the swimming pool and calling out for help, her voice was loud and her tone seemed filled with panic.”
“She sounded terrified.”
“But when I rushed to the edge of the pool
to save her, I noticed that there was no trace of panic in her expression.”
“Only a look of expectation.”
“And a calculated confidence.”
“At that moment, everything became clear
4/6
12:31
Chapter 8
to me.”
Hearing my words andrew visibly struggled to keep his composure, but he quickly tried to regain control, retorting in a calm tone.
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Lila is only five years old. How could she possibly have such thoughts?”
“How could she throw herself into the pool on purpose?”
I let out a cold sneer and said coldly, “Exactly. She’s just five, of course, she didn’t understand.”
“But you did, didn’t you?”
His lips tightened as he stammered in an unconvincing retort.
“That’s even more absurd! What kind of parent would risk their child’s life for something so reckless?”
“Do you think I’d teach her to deliberately fall into the swimming pool? And if
15/6
12:31
56
Chapter 8
something went wrong?”
“Do you think every
think everyone is as cold–blooded
and ruthless as you?”
I met his guilty gaze…
…and laughed.
“Yes, what if something went wrong, indeed?”
“That’s why you arranged a business trip and made sure to leave the house, leaving me and Lila alone at home.”