Chapter 2 - Playback
The private cameras had been running for six weeks.
Not because Evelyn wanted gossip.
Because she no longer trusted Vanessa.
Adrian shut the ballroom doors.
No one left except guests escorted to the garden.
Vanessa stood near the stage.
“This is insane.”
Evelyn replied:
“Sit down.”
“I am not one of your employees.”
“No.”
Evelyn’s eyes were cold.
“You’re worse. My son trusts you.”
Naomi connected the hidden camera recorder to a monitor.
The kick played first.
Clear.
Vanessa looked toward a photographer.
Smiled.
Then swung her foot.
Naomi caught it.
Nothing ambiguous.
Caleb let out a breath.
Adrian stared at Vanessa.
“You knew the main cameras were off.”
She crossed her arms.
“I didn’t.”
Marcus Hale shifted.
Naomi noticed.
Adrian noticed her noticing.
“Marcus?”
He said nothing.
Naomi opened another clip.
Two nights earlier.
Vanessa standing beneath a ballroom camera.
Marcus beside her.
Vanessa said:
“Friday, I want this section blind for twelve minutes.”
Marcus asked:
“Why?”
“Because I’m paying you not to ask.”
Adrian’s face changed.
Marcus whispered:
“Vanessa…”
She snapped:
“Shut up.”
Evelyn leaned forward.
“Keep playing.”
The next clip showed Vanessa placing a bracelet in Naomi’s cleaning cart.
Then later shouting that it was missing.
Adrian remembered.
Naomi had nearly been fired.
He had apologized when the bracelet “turned up.”
Now he saw how.
Vanessa said:
“She was snooping.”
Naomi looked at her.
“You planted evidence because I opened the wrong office door?”
Vanessa flinched.
That was the first real mistake.
Adrian caught it.
“What office?”
Naomi did not answer immediately.
Evelyn did.
“Foundation archives.”
Vanessa’s face drained.
May you like
And Adrian realized the kick had not been anger.
It had been panic.
