Chapter 4
The kitchen of their small rental house was quiet, lit only by the soft yellow glow over the stove. Elena sat at the worn wooden table, a mug of chamomile tea cooling between her hands. Lily sat across from her, wrapped in a fleece blanket, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. The pink party dress hung neatly over the back of a nearby chair, a reminder of a night that had gone so wrong. Elena reached across the table and gently took Lily’s small hand in her own. "Lily, look at me," Elena said softly. The little girl lifted her chin, her eyes still red-rimmed from crying. "Did you touch that man's ring?" Lily shook her head vigorously, fresh tears threatening to spill over her lower lashes. "No, Mommy. I swear I didn't. I was just looking at the pretty lights on the table, and then that man grabbed my arm and started yelling." Elena believed her instantly; Lily had a habit of staring at shiny things, but she never took what didn't belong to her. The memory of Julian’s smug face flashed in Elena's mind, making her jaw tighten. That ring hadn't fallen into Lily's pocket by accident; someone had put it there, or someone had orchestrated the whole humiliating scene. But why? Julian was a high-ranking executive at the firm where Elena worked late nights as an accountant. It felt personal, targeted, and dangerously calculated. Elena squeezed her daughter's hand, vowing right then to find out the truth behind the setup.
