Chapter 2 – The Forgotten Timeline
Chapter 2 – The Forgotten Timeline
Police officers arrived at the Hayes estate within minutes.
The elegant dining room, once filled with quiet conversation, had become the center of an investigation.
Emily Carter stood beside the table, her hands trembling.
"I didn't take the bracelet."
Victoria Hayes folded her arms.
"Then explain why the empty jewelry box was inside your handbag."
Emily searched her memory.
Every detail of the afternoon replayed in her mind.
She had arrived at noon.
Prepared the guest rooms.
Helped the caterers.
Then...
Her eyes widened.
"My handbag."
Detective Laura Bennett looked up.
"What about it?"
"I left it in the staff lounge for nearly thirty minutes while I helped carry decorations into the garden."
The detective frowned.
"Was anyone else in that room?"
Emily nodded slowly.
"Several people."
One name suddenly came back to her.
"Claire."
Victoria looked confused.
"My personal assistant?"
Emily swallowed.
"She asked if she could borrow my phone charger."
The detective immediately requested the estate's security recordings.
Minutes later, the footage appeared on a large monitor.
It showed Emily leaving her handbag on a chair.
Ten minutes passed.
Then Claire entered the room alone.
She looked around carefully.
Opened Emily's handbag.
Placed something inside.
Closed the bag.
And quietly walked away.
No one spoke.
Victoria stared at the screen.
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The empty jewelry box had not been discovered by accident.
It had been planted.
