Chapter 6 - The Accusation and the Twins
The grand hallway outside the VIP suite quickly filled with high-society guests, reporters, and security personnel.
Franklin pushed his way through the crowded corridor, his face pale, his dark eyes wide with shock. "What is going on here?!"
Victoria immediately threw her arms around Franklin’s neck, weeping dramatically. "Oh, Franklin! It's terrible! Your new nanny—that maid you insisted on bringing into your home—she stole your family’s auction necklace! Security found it hidden inside her purse!"
Franklin froze. He looked past Victoria into the room, where Valerie stood surrounded by security guards. Her indigo dress was stained, her hair slightly unraveled, but her head was held high, her eyes fixed on him with a mixture of betrayal and desperate truth.
"Franklin," Valerie said, her voice steady despite the trembling of her hands. "I didn't touch that necklace. I was lured into this room after a waiter spilled wine on my dress. It was a setup."
"A setup?" Victoria scoffed loudly, turning to the crowd of reporters. "The necklace was in your bag! The photographers saw it drop onto the floor! Are you calling my father and the hotel security liars?"
Arthur Vance stepped forward, adjusting his tuxedo, looking down his nose at Franklin. "Franklin, this woman is a common criminal. I demand she be arrested immediately, or Vance Holdings will pull every dollar of investment from Buchanan Capital by midnight!"
The room fell into a suffocating silence.
All eyes rested on Franklin Buchanan. A single decision stood before him: ruin his company, alienate his primary investors, and face corporate ruin... or hand the innocent maid over to the police.
Franklin walked slowly into the room, stopping right in front of Valerie.
"Did you take it, Valerie?" Franklin asked softly, his blue eyes searching hers deeply, looking for a single flicker of deceit.
"No, Franklin," Valerie whispered, calling him by his first name for the very first time. "I swear on my mother's life. I didn't take it."
"She's lying!" Victoria yelled. "Officer, handcuff her!"
"DONT YOU TOUCH HER!"
A high-pitched, furious scream echoed from the back of the hallway.
The crowd parted as five-year-old Emma and Lily burst through the security line. They didn't run to Franklin. They didn't run to Victoria.
They ran straight past the security guards and threw their arms around Valerie’s legs, shielding her with their small bodies.
"Get away from our Mom!" Emma screamed at the security guard, kicking his shin with her shiny patent-leather shoe.
"MOM?!" The entire ballroom gasped in collective horror.
Victoria’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. "Emma! Lily! Are you insane?! She isn't your mother! Your mother is dead! I am going to be your mother!"
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Lily shouted, tears streaming down her face as she pointed a small, accusatory finger directly at Victoria. "YOU ARE A BAD LADY!"
"Lily, quiet!" Arthur Vance barked.
"No!" Lily yelled, turning to Franklin with fierce determination. "Daddy! The mean lady lied! We saw her!"
Franklin dropped to his knees beside his daughters. "Lily... what did you see?"
May you like
Emma wiped her nose with her sleeve, stepping forward. "We followed Valerie down the hall because we wanted to give her a cookie. We saw the mean lady with blonde hair put the shiny blue necklace into Valerie’s purse while Valerie was washing her dress in the bathroom! She told the waiter guy she would give him five hundred dollars if he spilled the red juice on Valerie!"
The entire ballroom went dead silent.
