Chapter 8: The Hidden Footage

Lucas's words echoed in my ears long after he finished speaking.

"Someone entered your room before dinner."

Alexander looked from Lucas to me, immediately sensing the seriousness of the situation.

"Can we see the footage?" he asked.

Lucas shook his head.

"It's already gone."

"Gone?" I repeated.

"Someone deleted it from the main server early this morning."

A chill ran down my spine.

Whoever framed me hadn't acted on impulse.

They had planned every step.

"Was there a backup?" Alexander asked.

"Only one."

"Where?"

"Vincent's private security system."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"Then there's no point."

"Why would you say that?" Lucas frowned.

"Because Vincent already chose what he wanted to believe."

"No, he didn't," Lucas replied immediately.

"You didn't see him after you left."

"I don't need to."

"Sophia, he's been searching the entire estate since sunrise."

"Searching for what?"

"The truth."

Before I could answer, another car pulled into the driveway.

Vincent stepped out.

He looked like he hadn't slept.

His shirt was wrinkled, his tie missing, and the dark circles beneath his eyes made him appear older than usual.

He walked straight toward us.

"Alexander," he nodded politely.

"Mr. Moretti."

Then his eyes settled on me.

"Can we talk?"

"We already have."

"Not like this."

"I have nothing left to say."

"I found something."

That caught my attention.

"What?"

"Come with me."

"No."

"Sophia, please."

Alexander quietly stepped back.

"I'll wait here," he said.

I hesitated before following Vincent into the security office.

Lucas closed the door behind us.

A large monitor displayed several camera angles from inside the mansion.

"This is the backup server," Vincent explained.

"It records separately from the main system."

He pressed a key.

The footage began playing.

The timestamp showed two hours before the charity dinner.

I watched myself walk into my room wearing the sapphire bracelet.

Ten minutes later, I left again.

"Keep watching," Vincent said.

Another figure appeared in the hallway.

The person wore a black hoodie and baseball cap.

Their face remained hidden.

They looked around carefully before entering my bedroom.

Twenty minutes passed.

Then they came back out carrying nothing.

"Can you zoom in?" I asked.

Lucas enlarged the image.

Still nothing.

The face remained hidden beneath the cap.

"Who is it?"

"We don't know."

"What about fingerprints?"

"The room had too many people inside after the accusation."

"Convenient," I whispered.

Vincent turned toward me.

"I told you I was looking for answers."

"Why didn't you believe me last night?"

His shoulders tensed.

"I... made a mistake."

"You did."

"I'm sorry."

Those two words hung heavily between us.

Three years.

Three years together.

And somehow that apology felt far too small.

"Sorry doesn't erase what happened," I said quietly.

"I know."

"When everyone accused me, I looked at you because I believed you'd stand beside me."

"I should have."

"But you didn't."

Vincent lowered his eyes.

"You're right."

"For the first time in my life, I realized I couldn't rely on you anymore."

Silence filled the room.

Lucas quietly walked outside, giving us privacy.

"Sophia," Vincent finally said.

"I'll find whoever did this."

"Why?"

"Because your name deserves to be cleared."

"Or because you feel guilty?"

He didn't answer.

That silence gave me my answer.

"I'm leaving today," I said.

"Don't."

"I already packed."

"Stay until I solve this."

"No."

"Please."

"You asked me to trust you yesterday."

"I did."

"You couldn't even trust me for one night."

He closed his eyes.

"You're right."

"Again."

I walked toward the door.

"Sophia."

"What?"

"I promise I'll prove your innocence."

"Do whatever helps you sleep at night."

Outside, Alexander was waiting beside his car.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"No."

"Do you still want to leave?"

"More than ever."

He opened the passenger door.

"Then let's go."

As the car drove away from the Romano estate, I looked out the window one last time.

Vincent stood on the front steps, watching us leave.

He didn't chase after the car.

He simply stood there.

Maybe he finally understood.

Some people don't leave because they stop loving you.

They leave because loving you hurts too much.

An hour later, Alexander and I arrived at his penthouse overlooking Central Park.

"You can stay here until your flight," he said.

"Are you sure?"

"There are six empty bedrooms."

"That's not what I meant."

He smiled.

"Sophia, you need a safe place.

That's all this is."

His kindness felt almost unfamiliar.

No expectations.

No conditions.

Just quiet support.

That evening, while unpacking one of my suitcases, I discovered a folded envelope hidden beneath my clothes.

I frowned.

I hadn't packed any letters.

Slowly, I opened it.

Inside was a single photograph.

It showed Maria standing beside a man I had never seen before.

They were exchanging a small velvet jewelry pouch.

The same kind that had held my mother's bracelet.

On the back of the photograph, someone had written six words.

Trust no one inside Romano House.

There was no signature.

No explanation.

Only those six chilling words.

I stared at the photograph for several minutes.

Someone inside that mansion wasn't just framing me.

Someone was secretly trying to warn me too.

And whoever that person was...

They had just become my only ally.