Chapter 17 - Serena’s Confession
Three months later, Serena Cross agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.
Her attorney requested a meeting.
Victor almost refused.
Then investigators explained that Serena wanted to reveal where Claire’s missing research records were stored.
Victor went.
Serena entered the interview room wearing a plain gray jail uniform.
Without the designer dresses and perfect makeup, she looked strangely ordinary.
She sat across from Victor.
“You look tired.”
Victor ignored the comment.
“Where are the records?”
Serena smiled.
“Still impatient.”
Victor stood.
“I’m leaving.”
“Claire knew about you and Lily.”
Victor stopped.
He turned.
“What?”
Serena leaned back.
“She knew Lily would matter.”
Victor stared at her.
“You’re trying to manipulate me.”
“I manipulated you for years.”
Serena smiled bitterly.
“You should know what it looks like by now.”
Victor sat again.
Serena continued.
“Claire told me once that if anything happened to her, Oliver would choose the person who made him feel safe.”
Victor said nothing.
“She thought that would be Lily.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
Serena’s expression changed.
“Because I hated her for it.”
“Claire?”
“Lily.”
Victor frowned.
Serena looked toward the glass wall.
“Every time Oliver reached for Lily, it reminded me that I could control your schedule.”
“Your staff.”
“Your money.”
“Even you.”
“But I could never make that little boy trust me.”
Victor’s voice hardened.
“So you drugged him.”
“I wanted him dependent.”
“You nearly killed him.”
Serena looked down.
“I know.”
For the first time, Victor heard genuine shame.
It did not erase anything.
But he recognized it.
“Where are Claire’s records?”
Serena gave him an address.
A storage facility in Connecticut.
Then she added.
“There’s one more thing.”
Victor waited.
“I didn’t spray Claire.”
Victor’s expression froze.
“The video shows you holding the bottle.”
“I held it.”
“Mercer gave it to you.”
“Yes.”
“You used it.”
“No.”
Victor stared at her.
“Then who did?”
Serena swallowed.
“Claire.”
Victor thought he had misheard.
Serena continued.
“She grabbed my wrist during the argument.”
“The bottle discharged.”
“Most of it hit both of us.”
“Why didn’t you get sick?”
“I did.”
Serena pulled down the collar of her uniform.
A surgical scar crossed the base of her throat.
“I spent six weeks secretly receiving treatment.”
Victor stared.
“Claire’s exposure was worse.”
“Why didn’t you call an ambulance?”
Serena’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because Mercer said if the police tested the substance, everything would be exposed.”
Victor felt disgust.
“So you let her die to save yourselves.”
Serena nodded.
Victor stood.
That was the confession.
Not murder planned in advance.
Something almost worse.
A choice.
May you like
Claire could have been saved.
Serena had simply decided the truth was worth less than Claire’s life.
