Chapter 3 - THE BROTHER'S GRIEF
A harbor police boat pulled them from the freezing water three minutes later.
Lily sat shivering violently on the aluminum bench of the rescue craft, a thermal blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Her teeth chattered so hard her jaw ached. Across from her, paramedics were checking Ethan’s vitals. He was pale, exhausted, but alive.
The boat docked at the VIP landing. The crowd parted as the silver-haired man Lily had seen on the platform rushed forward. Up close, the resemblance was undeniable. He had Ethan’s strong jawline, but his eyes were flat and calculating.
“Ethan!” the man cried, his voice thick with perfectly performed terror. He dropped to his knees beside the stretcher. “My god, Ethan. I told you not to go near the edge. The chair is so heavy…”
This was Marcus Whitmore. Ethan’s older brother and the CEO of the family empire.
Victor Hale, the venue manager, was standing right behind Marcus. Victor pointed a shaking, accusatory finger directly at Lily. “Mr. Whitmore, that waitress is the reason he fell! I saw her tampering with the safety bolts on that railing not an hour ago!”
Lily’s blood ran cold. The sheer audacity of the lie stole her breath. She stood up, dropping the blanket. “That is a lie! I told you it was loose! You told me to ignore it!”
Marcus looked at Lily, his expression hardening into practiced outrage. “You tampered with the safety barrier?”
“No!” Lily shouted, her hands clenching into fists. She felt the heavy steel watch pressing into her palm.
“She saved my life, Marcus.”
Everyone froze. Ethan had pushed himself up on his elbows. He was coughing, but his voice carried a quiet, commanding authority that silenced the dock.
“It was an accident,” Ethan continued, looking directly at Lily, his eyes pleading with her to play along. “I dropped my phone. I leaned too far. The railing just… gave way. She jumped when the rest of you stood there.”
Lily stared at him. Answer One, Open Two. Ethan was lying. He was actively protecting the men who had just tried to kill him. Why?
Before Lily could speak, a tiny voice shattered the tension.
“Daddy!”
A little boy, no older than seven, broke through the line of security guards. He was wearing a small suit, his face streaked with tears. He threw himself onto Ethan’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
Ethan wrapped his arms around the boy, burying his face in his son’s neck. “I’m okay, Oliver. Daddy’s right here. I’m okay.”
Lily watched Marcus. The older brother was looking at the little boy, and for a fraction of a second, a look of profound irritation flashed across his face.
“Get the waitress a change of clothes and a dry place to sit,” Marcus ordered smoothly, turning back to Victor. “We’ll sort out the venue liability later. Right now, my family needs privacy.”
Ten minutes later, Lily was alone in the employee locker room, wearing a borrowed oversized hoodie. Her mind was racing. Ethan lied to protect his son. If Marcus knew Ethan suspected foul play, Oliver would be in immediate danger.
Lily opened her hand. The stainless-steel watch was heavy and incredibly thick. She turned it over. The back casing didn't have a normal brand engraving. It had a tiny, microscopic seam.
Using the edge of her nametag pin, Lily twisted the back casing. It popped off.
It wasn't a watch. The hands on the front were a dummy display.
May you like
Hidden inside the waterproof cavity was a micro-SD card and a tiny, rolled-up piece of waterproof paper.
Lily unrolled the paper. Written in hurried, smeared ink was a single sentence: My wife didn't accidentally drive off that bridge three years ago. And today, neither did I.
