Chapter 2: The Unlikely Witness
thirty years of loyal service about to be erased by a lie. As the guard reached for her apron, the silence in the garden was absolute. It was a moment of supreme triumph for Vanessa. She watched, a smug, satisfied glint in her eyes, already calculating how quickly she could have Maria arrested and removed from the property.
Then, a small, clear voice cut through the tension.
"She didn't put it there."
Everyone turned. Lily, the seven-year-old flower girl and Julian’s niece, was standing just a few feet away. She was small for her age, wearing a tulle dress and holding a plastic tiara, but her expression was impossibly serious.
Vanessa’s smile faltered, replaced by a flash of irritation. "Lily, honey, go back to your seat. This is adult business."
"You did it," Lily said, stepping forward. She didn't look scared. She walked right up to the bride, her small hand clutching a smartphone. "I saw you put it in her pocket when you bumped into her."
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The crowd murmured. Vanessa laughed, a harsh, brittle sound. "You're a child, Lily. You're imagining things. Now, let’s—"
"I’m not imagining it," Lily said firmly. She held the phone up, her thumb hovering over the screen. "I saved the video."
