Chapter 8: The Witness Who Stayed Silent
Mrs. Eleanor Hayes had worked for the Ashford family for twenty-seven years.
She had cleaned their rooms.
Served their dinners.
Watched their children grow.
And for three years, she watched me become a stranger inside my own home.
When I met her in the small conference room, she looked nervous.
“Mrs. Ashford…”
I smiled gently.
“You can call me Audrey.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I should have helped you.””
I sat across from her.
“Why didn’t you?””
She looked down.
“Because I was afraid.””
I understood that.
More than she knew.
“What happened that night?””
She took a deep breath.
“Mrs. Victoria argued with you.””
I stayed silent.
“She was angry.””
“About what?””
Eleanor looked at me.
“About Dominic.””
My hands tightened.
“What about him?””
“She knew about Paige.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Eleanor continued.
“She told you Dominic would leave you if you didn’t cooperate.””
Cooperate.
The word made me sick.
“What did I say?””
“She said you would expose everything.””
I looked up.
“Expose what?””
Eleanor hesitated.
“The money.””
Silence.
“She knew you discovered the truth.””
My stomach dropped.
“What truth?””
Eleanor reached into her bag.
She pulled out an envelope.
“I found this after the accident.””
Inside was a copy of a letter.
From Victoria.
To Dominic.
The date was three weeks before my fall.
Dominic,
Audrey is becoming suspicious. If she learns about Paige and the financial arrangements, everything will collapse.
I stared at the words.
Financial arrangements.
Sophia leaned forward.
“What arrangements?””
Eleanor looked away.
“I don’t know.””
But I did.
Something bigger was happening.
That night, I met with Sophia.
“She planned everything.””
Sophia shook her head.
“Not everything.””
“What do you mean?””
She placed another document down.
“Dominic transferred money to Paige.””
I looked at the amount.
My stomach turned.
“But why?””
Sophia pointed to the details.
“Because Paige wasn’t just his mistress.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“She was involved with Victoria.””
I stared.
The betrayal was deeper than I imagined.
Dominic wasn’t just cheating.
He was being used.
The next day, Dominic confronted Paige.
“You knew my mother was planning this.””
Paige looked calm.
“I knew she wanted Audrey gone.””
“And you helped her?””
Paige laughed.
“You think I had a choice?””
“You were with me.””
“I was with the future.””
The words destroyed him.
“What does that mean?””
Paige smiled.
“It means Victoria promised me everything.””
Dominic stared.
“You believed her?””
Paige looked away.
“I believed you.””
That hurt him more.
Because she had finally admitted the truth.
She chose him because she thought he would win.
Not because she loved him.
Later that night, Dominic came to my apartment.
I almost didn’t open the door.
But I did.
He looked exhausted.
“She used me.””
I said nothing.
“She used both of us.””
“No.””
I looked at him.
“She used you.””
He swallowed.
“And you?””
“I allowed myself to believe you were better than you were.””
That hurt him.
Good.
Not because I wanted him suffering.
Because some truths needed pain before they became real.
Then Dominic whispered:
“There’s something else.””
I waited.
“My mother didn’t just push you because of money.””
My heart stopped.
“What else?””
He looked terrified.
“She knew about the baby.””
I stared.
“You said you didn’t know.””
“I didn’t.””
His voice broke.
“But she did.””
The room went silent.
Then he said:
“She knew because she was the one who saw your medical report.””
I felt cold.
“And she hid it from you.””
Dominic nodded.
I looked at the man standing in front of me.
The man who betrayed me.
The man who destroyed our marriage.
But also the man who finally understood the monster beside him.
My phone rang.
Detective Miller.
I answered.
“Audrey, we found the missing piece.””
“What piece?””
His voice was serious.
“The full security recording.””
I froze.
“But you already had footage.””
“No.””
A pause.
“The first recording was incomplete.””
My heart started racing.
“What does the full one show?””
May you like
The detective answered.
“It shows what happened after you fell.””
