Chapter 3

"Ms. Evans is here to see you."

When the nurse came in to announce the visitor, Ethan was on a call at the far end of the hallway.

Before I could even reply, the familiar clicking of high heels echoed outside. But this time, the rhythm was much slower, each step filled with a calculated, delicate caution.

Victoria stood at the door.

She was holding a fruit basket and a thermal food jar. Her makeup was even more flawless than it usually was at the office, and her lips were painted a bright, perfect red.

"Jane, sweetie." She rushed over, set the items on the nightstand, and reached out to grab my hand.

I pulled my hand away.

She didn't look embarrassed at all. She grabbed a chair, pulled it right up to my bedside, and sat down.

"My heart has been aching so much these past two days. You have no idea, I couldn't sleep a wink last night."

She unscrewed the thermal jar, poured out some soup, blew on a spoonful, and held it out to me.

"Homemade chicken soup. I had my maid simmer it for hours. It’s perfect for pregnancy recovery. Have a sip."

I stared at the spoon and didn't move.

"Victoria, how did you find out which hospital I was in?"

She froze for a microsecond, but her smile didn't falter. "I asked Chloe, of course! She wouldn't tell me at first, but I called the emergency dispatch services to track it down. I'm your supervisor, Jane. It’s my responsibility to look after you."

I knew she was lying. Chloe would never tell her, and dispatch services don't hand out patient info to random supervisors.

How did she really find me?

Victoria ignored my silence, set the soup down, and looked around the private suite. There was a fresh bouquet of flowers by the window, and a expensive men’s designer coat hanging on the rack.

Her eyes lingered on the coat for a second.

"Jane, I've always felt like you were different from the other girls," she said, shifting her weight and leaning in closer. "They’re all so noisy, but you... you're quiet, elegant, and classy. To be honest, I've always looked at you like a little sister."

I said nothing.

"About that water fight..." She sighed dramatically. "It was honestly just a terrible misunderstanding. Lucy was the one who prepared that bucket. She said it was warm water and asked me to hold it for her. I just threw it without looking... Who knew she put ice in it?"

Her delivery was flawless, like she had rehearsed it in front of a mirror a hundred times.

I waited three seconds after she finished.

"Victoria, you filled that bucket yourself in the breakroom. You dumped an entire tray from the ice maker into it. Chloe saw you do it."

The perfect smile on Victoria's face finally cracked.

But only for a second.

"Oh, Chloe’s eyesight has always been terrible. The venue was so chaotic, who could possibly remember?" She patted my blanket gently. "Let's not dwell on the details. I came here to tell you that I will handle everything. I won't let you suffer any injustice."

Heavy, steady footsteps approached from the hallway.

Ethan walked in, his phone still pressed to his ear. Seeing Victoria, he said, "I'll call you back," and hung up.

Victoria immediately stood up.

The moment she saw Ethan, her entire posture underwent a subtle, pathetic shift. Her spine curved slightly, her head bowed an inch, and her warm smile instantly turned into a submissive, brown-nosing grin.

"You must be Jane's husband! I'm Victoria Evans, Jane's direct supervisor." She eagerly extended her hand.

Ethan didn't take it.

He walked to the bedside, glanced at the soup on the nightstand, and then looked at me.

"Ms. Evans," his voice was incredibly calm, like he was reading a boring label. "What is your version of what happened at the team-building event?"

Victoria’s hand hung awkwardly in the air before she slowly pulled it back.

"I've been reflecting deeply on it, Mr. Miller—sorry, Mr. Vance? The situation was incredibly chaotic, and that girl Lucy—"

"I asked for *your* version."

The fake smile finally slid off Victoria's face completely. Her lips trembled.

"...It was an accident. Our company events follow strict protocols. We had check-ins, liability waivers, and everyone’s signed consent. Jane signed it too."

Ethan nodded slowly, his face completely expressionless.

"You can leave now."

Victoria opened her mouth, wanting to say more.

But Ethan had already sat down on the edge of my bed, turning his back to her entirely.

Clutching her designer purse, she turned and hurried out of the room, her heels clicking rapidly.

The door wasn't fully closed, and her voice drifted back in from the hallway as she frantically dialed a number.

"Lucy! Listen to me very carefully—I don't care how you do it, but you will submit a written statement to HR by tomorrow morning. You will write that you handled the equipment improperly at the retreat, which caused Jane's injury. If you don't write it, I will make sure you never get another job in this entire industry!"

The response from the other end was muffled, sounding like desperate crying.

"What is crying going to solve? You crying on the phone isn't going to fix this!"

The sound of her heels faded into the distance.

Ethan didn't move.

I squeezed his wrist. "Lucy didn't do anything. She was standing fifteen feet away from me."

"I know," Ethan’s voice was soft, but incredibly firm. "We have the security footage. The hallway had two cameras. It's a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view. There are no blind spots."

***