William turned toward her, shattered.

“How long?”

She hesitated.

“Three weeks.”

Three weeks.

Three weeks while he had slept peacefully as his son was poisoned.

William shut his eyes in agony.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried,” she whispered firmly. “But without proof, she would’ve destroyed me… and Noah.”

Heavy silence.

Then footsteps overhead.

Vanessa.

Going upstairs.

To Noah.

William lunged forward instinctively.

“I’m going to him.”

Miss Evelyn grabbed him.

“No.”

“She might hurt him!”

“And she’ll move faster if she knows you found out.”

Her eyes burned with urgency.

“If you show yourself now, she’ll rush the plan.”

William froze.

Every instinct screamed to run to his son.

But she was right.

This required proof.

Strategy.

“So what do we do?”

Miss Evelyn stepped closer.

“We keep playing along.”

William frowned.

“I already switched the bottles,” she confessed. “Reduced the poison. That’s why Noah is still alive.”

William stared at her in disbelief.

“You’ve been protecting him?”

She nodded.

“Since I first suspected.”

Emotion closed his throat.

Gratitude.

Rage.

Heartbreak.

All at once.

“But she won’t stop,” Miss Evelyn said quietly. “She’ll try again.”

William clenched his fists.

“Then we stop this today.”

“Not without evidence.”

Miss Evelyn pulled out a small cellphone.

“I recorded everything.”

William’s eyes widened.

“The conversation?”

“And more.”

She hesitated.

“There’s something else.”

A chill ran through him.

“What?”

“The doctor is involved.”

Silence.

“And one nurse too.”

The ground disappeared beneath him.

This was bigger than he imagined.

“She planned all of it,” William whispered.

“Exactly.”

Miss Evelyn leaned closer.

“But tomorrow… she’ll make a mistake.”

“Why?”

“She’s hosting a party.”

William frowned.

“A party?”

“For investors. Press. Important guests.”

A slight smile crossed Miss Evelyn’s face.

“She’ll want everything to look perfect.”

William understood.

And finally…

a plan formed.

The next day the estate filled with activity.

Decorations.

Music.

Champagne.

Appearances.

By evening Miss Evelyn returned.

“Today’s the day.”

“Did she try again?”

“Yes.”

William froze.

“And Noah?”

“I switched it in time.”

Relief barely let him breathe.

“But she’s suspicious now.”

“Then we’re out of time.”

Miss Evelyn raised the phone.

“It’s all here.”

William nodded.

“Then let’s finish this.”

The party began.

Lights shimmered.

Glasses clinked.

Guests laughed.

Vanessa stood in the center of it all.

Elegant.

Confident.

Perfect.

A flawless performance.