CHAPTER 3 — THE FOOTAGE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
That night, Ethan didn’t sleep.
He sat in his private office above the penthouse, staring at the security system logs.
Every camera in the home.
Every hallway.
Every blind corner Veronica thought was hidden.
At 2:14 a.m., he found it.
Kitchen camera.
Grainy footage.
Veronica standing over Lily.
Lily barefoot.
Small.
Still.
Veronica’s voice wasn’t loud—but it was sharp.
“Don’t touch anything. You live here, but you don’t belong here.”
Lily lowered her head.
Veronica stepped closer.
“You should be grateful we let you stay.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
The video continued.
Lily whispering something.
Veronica bending slightly.
A pause.
Then—
“Dirty little thing.”
Ethan’s hand tightened around the edge of the desk until the wood creaked.
Behind him, the city lights of Manhattan blurred.
For a long moment, he didn’t move.
Then he stood.
May you like
And said only one sentence into his phone:
“Cancel the wedding.”
