Chapter 3: The Witness No One Expected
Evelyn’s jaw tightened. “Silas—stay out of this. This is family business.”
“No,” he said, stopping right beside Victoria and Lily. “This is decency business. And I saw every word.”
He turned to the crowd, voice clear and unshakable. “I was standing by the pillar ten feet away. I heard her call this child trash. I saw her grab her hard enough to hurt her. And I heard her threaten to make her disappear if she told anyone.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Evelyn’s face went pale. “He’s lying! She’s twisting—”
“Am I?” Silas pulled out his phone and tapped play. Evelyn’s own voice echoed across the ballroom: “…street trash… belong in the shadows… don’t tell anyone or you’ll regret it.”
“I recorded it,” he said simply. “Because I knew you’d deny it.”
Lily pressed her face into Victoria’s side, sobbing quietly. Victoria stroked her hair, her hand shaking only a little.
Evelyn looked around—at the shocked faces, at the people who’d always deferred to her, now looking at her with horror. She spun on her heel and stormed toward the exit.
But before she could reach the doors, two men in uniform stepped in her path.
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