Chapter 13: The Footage They Buried
964 Words
His tone was not loud.
The surrounding conversations stopped anyway.
Maren turned toward him.
My wife.
The words should have sounded formal.
They did not.
Theo’s jaw tightened.
“I can access the house security account from my phone.”
Elise’s face lost color.
He reached into his pocket.
She moved before anyone expected it.
Her hand closed around his wrist.
“No.”
The single word came too sharply.
Everyone looked at her.
Elise released him at once.
“I mean, we shouldn’t do this here.”
Maren watched her.
“Why not?”
Elise swallowed.
“It’s Grandmother Helena’s birthday. We shouldn’t ruin the evening with an old argument.”
Helena’s expression did not soften.
“The evening was disturbed when your family publicly questioned Maren’s character.”
Elise looked at Maren with tear-bright eyes.
“I don’t want you hurt again. If you say you didn’t steal it, then I believe you.”
Maren almost admired the speed of the retreat.
“You believe me now?”
“Yes.”
“Then say you were wrong.”
Elise’s lips parted.
“I said I believe you.”
“That is not the same thing.”
Mrs. Beaumont pulled Elise closer.
“She is trying to end the argument. Why are you refusing to let this go?”
“Because she began the lie.”
“Maren,” Theo warned.
She ignored him.
“If the truth does not matter, why did Elise bring up the necklace every time she wanted to make me look dishonest?”
“I never—” Elise began.
“You mentioned it at Skyline House. You let my mother repeat it tonight. Now that someone wants evidence, you suddenly want peace.”
Elise’s voice trembled.
“I’m not afraid of any evidence.”
“Then let Theo open the recordings.”
“The footage is probably gone.”
Mr. Beaumont seized on the excuse.
“Exactly. These systems do not preserve recordings forever. There is nothing to review.”
Maren reached into her evening bag.
Elise watched the movement.
The fear in her eyes appeared before she could hide it.
Maren took out her phone.
“The original system may no longer have the file.”
Her mother frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“But someone saved a copy.”
The color drained from Elise’s face.
Theo stared at Maren.
“That is impossible.”
“After lunch at Skyline House, I contacted a former member of the household staff.”
Elise’s breathing changed.
Maren continued.
“She remembered being instructed to remove a section of security footage after the necklace incident.”
Every face turned toward Elise.
She shook her head.
“That proves nothing.”
“The employee was concerned she might later be blamed, so she retained the original export.”
“You paid her to lie,” Elise said.
“The file includes the original timestamp, camera identification, and uninterrupted metadata. It has also been checked for alteration.”
Lucian looked at Maren.
She had planned this.
Not the public confrontation.
The protection against it.
There was a difference.
Elise took one step backward.
“How could you possibly have that?”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence followed.
Maren tilted her head.
“If the video shows nothing, why does it matter how I obtained it?”
Elise’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Mr. Beaumont moved closer.
“This will not be played here.”
Maren looked at him.
“You were comfortable discussing the accusation here.”
“This is Helena’s birthday.”
“And you allowed your wife to imply I might steal from her home.”
“We can address the matter privately.”
“No.”
Her answer was immediate.
Mr. Beaumont’s face darkened.
“You are still a Beaumont.”
“The family reputation was not your concern when the lie destroyed mine.”
“Maren.”
“The accusation was public. The correction will be public.”
Mr. Beaumont looked toward Lucian, expecting him to intervene.
Lucian did not.
Instead, he turned to Arthur.
“Connect her phone to the main display.”
Arthur inclined his head.
“Of course.”
Elise moved forward.
“Lucian, this is a private family issue.”
His gaze rested on her.
“You made my wife’s name a public issue.”
The words stopped her.
Arthur summoned a member of the estate’s technical staff.
Within moments, the large display at the end of the ballroom changed from photographs of Helena’s life to a dark connection screen.
Guests shifted closer.
Mrs. Beaumont’s face had gone rigid.
Theo looked unsettled for the first time.
Helena remained beside Maren.
Mr. Beaumont spoke through clenched teeth.
“Turn it off.”
“No,” Helena said.
It was the first time she had raised her voice.
Only slightly.
It was enough.
“This accusation entered my home,” she continued. “The truth will be heard in my home.”
Maren unlocked the file.
A date appeared on the display.
Then a camera number.
SKYLINE HOUSE — EAST SITTING ROOM.
Elise stared at the screen as if it were a weapon.
She suddenly moved toward Maren.
Arthur stepped between them.
He did not touch her.
He simply made it impossible for her to advance.
“This is cruel,” Elise whispered.
Maren looked at her.
“You wanted everyone to know what happened.”
She placed her thumb over the playback control.
“Let us show them.”
Elise shook her head.
“Maren, don’t.”
Maren pressed play.
The old sitting room appeared on the screen.
Her handbag rested beside the sofa.
For several seconds, the room remained empty.
Then a familiar figure stepped into view.
- Writer
