The Watcher
1035 Words
After leaving the Rain Family, Eva finally returned home.
The moment she stepped inside her room, she closed the door behind her and stood silently near the window. Her face looked calm, but her eyes carried something much deeper.
Her family was still trapped.
And Eva knew one thing clearly—
She couldn't save them by acting recklessly.
She needed a plan.
For the past two years, while everyone believed Eva was simply living quietly in the village, she had been building something in secret.
Her mother had left her a considerable amount of money from her family inheritance. Eva had never wasted a single coin of it.
Instead, she had turned that money into a hidden business empire.
She had invested carefully, built businesses in different places, and created connections throughout the villages and nearby cities.
But almost no one knew about it.
Not even her own brother.
Only Eva and a handful of trusted servants knew the truth.
And there was something even more important.
Eva had secretly established a large information network—an information center where news, rumors, political movements, business dealings, and the secrets of powerful people were collected.
For Eva, information was more valuable than money.
She sat at her desk and opened one of the confidential files.
Her expression slowly changed.
Minister Larry.
A corrupt government official.
Eva's fingers tightened around the paper.
Then, suddenly, fragments of her nightmares returned to her.
She saw Henry.
Her elder cousin.
Henry had worked in the same ministry as Larry. He had accidentally discovered evidence of Larry's corruption—evidence that could destroy his entire career.
Henry had planned to take everything directly to the Emperor.
But he never got the chance.
Larry had discovered what Henry knew.
And before Henry could expose him…
Henry was murdered.
Eva slowly closed her eyes.
A tear almost escaped, but she wiped it away before it could fall.
Her grief had changed.
It was no longer helpless sadness.
It had become determination.
She whispered softly,
“So this is how you destroyed Henry…”
Eva opened her eyes again.
There was no fear in them now.
Only calculation.
“Minister Larry,” she murmured, “you thought you buried the truth with Henry.”
A faint, cold smile appeared on her lips.
“But you forgot one thing.”
She looked toward the files surrounding her.
“Secrets always leave traces.”
Eva leaned back in her chair and began planning.
She wouldn't attack Larry directly.
She would first uncover every secret he had hidden.
Every illegal transaction.
Every corrupt connection.
Every person he had bribed.
And when she finally had enough evidence…
She would make sure Larry had nowhere left to run.
_________________
Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Palace, someone else had started looking into the Watson Family tragedy.
Prince Robert David, the Third Prince.
To everyone in the palace, Robert was a weak and sickly prince. He was almost always coughing, rarely appeared in public, and seemed more interested in staying inside his chambers than involving himself in political matters.
But behind that fragile appearance was a sharp and observant mind.
Something about the Watson Family incident didn't sit right with him.
The entire family had died.
And yet, somehow, Eva had survived.
Robert leaned back in his chair, his fingers resting against his lips as he thought carefully.
“How could an entire family disappear like that?” he murmured.
His suspicion wasn't strong enough to accuse anyone.
But it was strong enough to investigate.
He immediately ordered his most trusted subordinate to conduct a complete investigation into the Watson Family.
For the next fifteen days, every detail was investigated.
Their family history.
Their relationships.
Their finances.
Their servants.
Their enemies.
And most importantly…
Eva's life.
On the fifteenth day, the investigation report finally reached Robert.
He opened the file and began reading.
The first few pages immediately caught his attention.
Eva's stepmother had never treated her like a daughter.
Instead, she had constantly humiliated and mistreated her.
Her father wasn't any better.
The report contained details about how coldly he had treated Eva and how little protection he had given her throughout her childhood.
Then Robert reached the section about Eva's mother.
His expression became serious.
He learned about the circumstances surrounding her death and the suspicious details that had been ignored by everyone at the time.
But then he reached another piece of information.
Eva's fiancé had been pursuing her younger sister, Martha.
Robert slowly lowered the document.
Everything began connecting in his mind.
Eva had been surrounded by people who had betrayed, humiliated, or harmed her.
And now…
Almost all of them were dead.
Robert's eyes narrowed.
He didn't believe in coincidences.
“There is only one person who had the strongest reason to seek revenge…”
He looked at Eva's name on the report.
Eva Watson.
But Robert wasn't going to make the mistake of accusing her without evidence.
He knew suspicion wasn't proof.
Perhaps Eva had nothing to do with the murders.
Perhaps someone else had killed the Watson Family.
But if Eva was responsible…
Then he needed to know what she would do next.
Robert closed the file and called his subordinate.
“From this moment onward, keep a close watch on the Watson Family.”
The subordinate bowed.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Especially Eva.”
Robert's voice became colder.
“I want to know where she goes, who she meets, and what she does.”
The subordinate hesitated before asking,
“Your Highness… do you suspect Lady Eva?”
Robert remained silent for a moment.
Then he gave a faint smile.
“I don't suspect her enough to accuse her.”
He looked toward the window.
“But I suspect her enough to watch her.”
His eyes became sharp.
“If she has nothing to hide, then this investigation will prove her innocence.”
He paused.
“But if Eva Watson is hiding something…”
Robert's fingers tightened around the report.
“Then sooner or later, she will make a mistake.”
And just like that, without Eva knowing it…
The Third Prince had placed her under surveillance.
The game had begun.
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