Chapter 4 - The Engagement Ring That Became Evidence
Camille agreed to meet at the family lake house.
She arrived alone.
At least, she appeared to.
Bruno had quietly positioned security around the property.
Adeline stayed inside with Nikico.
The first thing Camille did was remove her engagement ring.
She placed it on the table.
“I know what you think.”
Nikico looked at the ring.
“I don't know what to think.”
“You think I planned your accident.”
“Did you?”
She began crying.
“Yes.”
The word hit the room like a gunshot.
Adeline stared.
Camille continued.
“I helped them.”
Nikico's face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because your uncle threatened my father.”
She described Marco's pressure.
Threats.
Debts.
Documents.
Fear.
She claimed she believed the crash would be harmless.
She was told Nikico would be injured for a short time and forced into recovery while certain company decisions were made.
“But you knew they were drugging me.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me lose my memory.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Camille covered her face.
“Because by then I was trapped.”
Nikico's voice became cold.
“You could have gone to the police.”
“They would have killed my father.”
Adeline finally spoke.
“And what about Nikico?”
Camille looked at her.
“I didn't know how to save both.”
Adeline shook her head.
“You chose.”
Camille flinched.
“Yes.”
Then came the part nobody expected.
Camille admitted that she had recently discovered Marco was planning to kill Nikico.
The medication was no longer intended to keep him dependent.
It was becoming lethal.
“That is why you replaced the tablets?” Nikico asked.
Camille nodded.
“I changed the medication again.”
Adeline stared.
“What?”
“The medication in the bottle was not mine,” Camille said. “I knew someone else had placed it there.”
Nikico looked at Adeline.
Camille continued.
“I discovered Marco's plan. I tried to replace the contaminated tablets with harmless ones.”
Adeline shook her head.
“That isn't what the lab found.”
Camille looked confused.
Adeline opened Tessa's report.
“The tablets contain a powerful sedative. They were not harmless.”
Camille's face went white.
Then she understood.
“Marco replaced them again.”
Silence.
Nikico looked at Bruno.
“Who had access after Camille?”
Bruno checked the access log.
“Your uncle.”
Everything suddenly made sense.
The camera.
The medicine cabinet.
The staged theft.
The attempt to frame Adeline.
Marco had anticipated Camille's interference.
He had planned to make the nurse look guilty.
Then he would remove Camille as a witness.
And Nikico would be left dependent, discredited, and isolated.
Adeline looked at Nikico.
“He needed everyone divided.”
Nikico nodded.
“And frightened.”
Camille whispered, “I am sorry.”
Nikico looked at her for a long time.
“You don't get forgiveness just because you finally told the truth.”
Her face collapsed.
“I know.”
He pushed the engagement ring toward her.
“Take it.”
Camille did.
Then Nikico said something that stunned even Adeline.
“I don't want revenge.”
Camille looked up.
“I want testimony.”
He slid a folder toward her.
Inside were legal documents.
Protection arrangements.
A statement prepared for federal investigators.
“And if you testify honestly,” Nikico said, “you walk away.”
Camille stared at him.
“You're letting me go?”
“No.”
His eyes were tired.
“I'm choosing not to become what they wanted me to become.”
Camille broke down.
Later that night, Adeline found Nikico alone in the rehabilitation room.
He was trying to transfer himself from the chair to a therapy bench.
He failed.
He swore.
Adeline stood by the door.
“Need help?”
“No.”
She waited.
He tried again.
Failed again.
Then he laughed bitterly.
“I used to lift twice my body weight.”
“I know.”
“I hate this.”
“I know.”
He looked at her.
“You always say that.”
“Because you always think I don't understand.”
“Do you?”
“No.”
She walked closer.
“But I understand that you don't have to hate yourself for needing help.”
His expression changed.
She extended her hand.
This time, he accepted it without protest.
The transfer was slow.
Painful.
Humbling.
But successful.
When he sat on the bench, Adeline smiled.
“You did it.”
He shook his head.
“We did.”
Neither realized Bruno was standing outside the doorway.
He smiled.
Because the first time Adeline had entered the house, Nikico had told her to do the job and go home.
Now he was no longer looking at her like an employee.
May you like
He was looking at her like the person who had given him back the one thing his enemies had taken.
Trust.
