Chapter 2 – The Nanny’s Testimony
Chapter 2 – The Nanny’s Testimony
The Blackwood mansion had never been this quiet.
Not even during funerals.
Not even during the darkest nights when Victor Blackwood returned home covered in the consequences of his enemies’ mistakes.
Because everyone in the house understood one thing:
Something terrible had happened.
And someone was going to pay.
The private medical room on the second floor was filled with urgent movement.
Doctors moved around Ethan’s small body carefully.
The child who usually filled the mansion with laughter now lay silent beneath white blankets.
Victor stood beside the bed.
Still.
Completely still.
Anyone who didn’t know him would have thought he felt nothing.
But those who worked for him knew better.
The colder Victor became…
The more dangerous he was.
“His arm is fractured,” the doctor finally said.
The words cut through the room.
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“How bad?”
“Not permanently damaged if treated properly. But the injury was caused by significant force.”
Victor looked down at his son.
A fourteen-month-old child.
A baby who couldn’t even explain what happened to him.
His hands slowly curled into fists.
“Was it an accident?”
The doctor hesitated.
That hesitation told Victor everything.
“No.”
The doctor lowered his voice.
“This was not consistent with a simple fall.”
Silence.
The kind of silence that made everyone uncomfortable.
Victor closed his eyes for one second.
Only one.
Then he opened them.
“Leave.”
The doctor immediately understood.
He collected his things and left with the nurses.
When the door closed, Victor remained beside Ethan.
For years, people had called him ruthless.
Heartless.
A monster.
They were wrong about many things.
But they were right about one.
Victor Blackwood did not forgive anyone who hurt his family.
Downstairs, Lily sat in the security office.
A blanket covered her shoulders.
The doctor had treated the bruises on her stomach, but the pain remained.
Not physical pain.
Something deeper.
She kept seeing Ethan’s face.
His terrified eyes.
His tiny hand reaching for her.
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard him crying.
A security officer placed a cup of water in front of her.
“Drink.”
Lily nodded.
But her hands were shaking too much to hold the cup.
The door opened.
Victor entered.
Immediately, the room changed.
The officer stood.
“Sir.”
Victor gave a small nod.
“Leave us.”
The officer left.
Now only Lily and Victor remained.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Lily had seen Victor angry before.
She had seen him intimidate businessmen twice his size.
She had seen grown men lower their eyes when he entered a room.
But she had never seen him look like this.
Not angry.
Not cold.
Broken.
Because Ethan was hurt.
And Lily knew that hurt him more than anything.
“Tell me everything.”
His voice was quiet.
Lily looked down.
“Victor…”
“Everything.”
The command was not cruel.
It was desperate.
Lily swallowed.
“She was hurting him.”
Victor’s expression didn’t change.
But his eyes sharpened.
“Who?”
Lily looked at him.
“Serena.”
The name hung between them.
Victor said nothing.
So Lily continued.
“She was holding his arm.”
Her voice cracked.
“She wouldn’t let go.”
Victor’s breathing became slower.
“She said he was manipulating people. She said he was an obstacle.”
A muscle moved in Victor’s jaw.
“She pushed me when I tried to stop her.”
Lily touched her stomach.
“She kicked me.”
Victor looked at the bruise forming beneath her shirt.
Something dark flashed across his face.
“She threatened me.”
“What did she say?”
Lily hesitated.
Because saying it aloud made it feel more real.
“She said nobody would believe a cheap nanny.”
Victor looked away.
For a moment, Lily saw something she had never expected.
Regret.
“She said there were no cameras.”
Victor’s eyes immediately returned to her.
“No cameras?”
Lily nodded.
“She knew.”
A long silence followed.
Then Victor asked:
“Did she plan this?”
Lily had no answer.
But her silence was enough.
Twenty minutes later, Serena Montigue entered the room.
She looked completely different.
Her dress was torn slightly.
Her makeup was arranged perfectly.
Her expression was one of heartbreak.
Anyone watching would have believed her.
Anyone except Victor.
“Victor…”
She walked toward him.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
He did not move.
She stopped.
“You don’t understand what happened.”
“Explain.”
One word.
Cold.
Serena lowered her eyes.
“Lily became obsessed with Ethan.”
Victor said nothing.
“She thinks she belongs in this family.”
Lily, standing near the wall, looked shocked.
Serena continued.
“She was jealous because Ethan loves me too.”
Victor’s expression remained unreadable.
“She lost control.”
A tear appeared.
“She attacked me.”
Lily almost laughed from disbelief.
Almost.
But she was too exhausted.
“You’re lying.”
Serena turned toward her.
“Excuse me?”
“You hurt him.”
Serena’s eyes became cold.
“There it is.”
She looked at Victor.
“She’s angry because she knows she’s losing.”
Victor finally spoke.
“Losing what?”
Serena smiled sadly.
“Her place.”
The room became silent.
Then Victor asked:
“Where is the security footage?”
Serena froze.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But Victor noticed.
“I…”
He stepped closer.
“Where is the footage?”
“The cameras were malfunctioning.”
“Every camera?”
Serena swallowed.
“Yes.”
Victor stared at her.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Her expression changed.
“Are you accusing me?”
“No.”
Victor’s voice was dangerously calm.
“I’m investigating.”
Serena’s eyes filled with tears.
“After everything?”
Victor did not respond.
That hurt her more than anger would have.
Because anger meant emotion.
Silence meant suspicion.
An hour later, the entire security system of the mansion was being examined.
Victor’s most trusted security specialist, Marcus Vale, stood in front of multiple screens.
“Sir.”
Victor looked up.
“What?”
Marcus hesitated.
“There is a problem.”
“Say it.”
“The cameras weren’t broken.”
The room went silent.
Victor stepped closer.
“Then why was there no recording?”
Marcus turned the monitor around.
“Someone deleted the files.”
Victor stared at the screen.
“When?”
“About ten minutes before you arrived.”
A dangerous calm entered Victor’s eyes.
Ten minutes.
That meant whoever did it knew exactly when the crime happened.
Which meant…
They knew he was coming.
“Find out who accessed the system.”
Marcus nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
Before he could leave, Victor stopped him.
“One more thing.”
Marcus turned.
“No one leaves this mansion.”
“Yes, sir.”
That night, Lily sat beside Ethan’s hospital bed.
Victor had allowed her to stay.
Even though she was only the nanny.
Even though Serena had tried to destroy her.
Because Ethan needed her.
The little boy slept peacefully after medication.
Lily gently touched his fingers.
“I’m sorry.”
Her voice was barely audible.
“I should have protected you sooner.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“I promise nobody will hurt you again.”
She didn’t notice Victor standing at the doorway.
Watching.
For years, Victor had believed love was a weakness.
Something enemies could use against you.
But Lily was different.
She had no power.
No money.
No influence.
Yet she had thrown herself between danger and his son without hesitation.
She had chosen Ethan when she had every reason to save herself.
And suddenly, Victor realized something terrifying.
He trusted her.
More than he trusted his own fiancée.
Near midnight, Marcus returned.
Victor was waiting in his office.
“Tell me.”
Marcus placed a folder on the desk.
“We traced the deleted footage.”
Victor opened it.
“Who erased it?”
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“The command came from inside the mansion.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Marcus hesitated.
Then answered.
“Serena Montigue.”
The room became silent.
Victor slowly closed the folder.
But before he could speak, Marcus added:
“There’s more.”
Victor looked up.
“What?”
Marcus placed another file down.
“We found something else.”
Victor opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Bank transfers.
Private messages.
And one name repeated over and over.
Serena.
But the final page was the one that changed everything.
A message.
Sent three weeks earlier.
A message that had only six words.
“Once the baby is gone, we marry.”
Victor stared at the screen.
For the first time in years…
He felt something dangerously close to rage.
Not because Serena betrayed him.
Not because she lied.
But because she had looked at his son…
And planned his death.
Victor stood.
His voice was barely a whisper.
“Bring Serena to me.”
Marcus nodded.
“And Lily?”
Victor looked toward the hallway.
Where Ethan and Lily were.
Then he said:
“Protect them.”
A pause.
“Both of them.”
Because now Victor Blackwood knew.
The enemy was not outside his home.
May you like
The enemy had been living inside it.
End of Chapter 2
