"There's footage.""
Vanessa laughed, but the sound was brittle.
"If the footage exists, you'll never see it.""
Maria's hands clenched.
"Why are you doing this?""
For a moment, Vanessa said nothing.
Then she leaned closer.
"Because you don't belong in this family. You never did. And now, if Daniel believes you, I lose everything.""
Maria stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa straightened immediately, as if she had revealed too much.
"Forget it.""
She turned toward the house.
But Maria wasn't finished.
"You can fire me. You can insult me. But you cannot make me say I didn't see what I saw.""
Vanessa stopped at the door.
Without turning around, she said, "People like you always make the same mistake.""
"What mistake?""
"Thinking the truth matters more than money.""
She walked inside.
Maria remained beside the pool until Marcus returned.
The guard held a tablet in one hand. His expression was troubled.
"Mrs. Alvarez," he said quietly, "I need to ask you something.""
Maria wiped her face.
"What is it?""
Marcus glanced toward the house to make sure nobody was listening.
"Did you tell Mr. Whitmore that you saw Vanessa push the stroller?""
"Yes.""
"And did you mention the camera?""
Maria nodded.
"Why?""
Marcus swallowed.
"Because I just checked the recording system.""
He turned the tablet toward her.
"The camera recorded the entire incident.""
Maria released a shaky breath.
"Then Daniel will see the truth.""
Marcus didn't answer.
Instead, he tapped the screen and showed her the footage from the moment the stroller entered the pool.
Vanessa appeared beside the stroller.
She checked the yard.
She looked toward the house.
Then she pushed.
There was no doubt about what happened.
Maria covered her mouth as tears returned to her eyes.
"Thank God," she whispered.
Marcus paused the recording.
"But there's something else.""
Maria looked at him.
"What?""
He swiped to another screen showing the camera's system history.
A red warning appeared beside the video file.
*DELETION REQUEST RECEIVED โ 12:14 P.M.*
Maria felt the blood drain from her face.
"Someone tried to delete it?""
Marcus nodded slowly.
"And the request came from an account registered to someone inside this house.""
He looked toward the mansion.
Then he turned the tablet around to show Maria the account holder's name.
*VANESSA WHITMORE.*
For several seconds, Maria couldn't breathe.
Vanessa had not only pushed Ethan into the pool. She had also tried to erase the evidence.
"Can Daniel see this?"" Maria asked.
Marcus nodded.
"The original footage is stored on the local security server. The deletion request failed because the system automatically backed up the recording.""
"Then take it to him.""
"I will. But there's a problem.""
Maria stared at him.
"What problem?""
Marcus lowered his voice.
"Someone accessed the server remotely before I arrived. They tried to delete more than just the pool recording.""
"What else?""
"Several files from the previous week.""
Maria felt a chill move through her.
"Why would Vanessa want to delete recordings from last week?""
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
"I don't know. But someone clearly doesn't want Mr. Whitmore seeing them.""
Before Maria could ask another question, the back door opened.
Vanessa stood in the doorway wearing a fresh white blouse. Her hair had been brushed, her makeup repaired, and the expression on her face was once again composed.
She looked at Marcus's tablet.
"What are you two doing?""
Marcus straightened.
"Checking the security system, ma'am.""
Vanessa descended the steps.
"Give me that.""
Marcus held the tablet closer to his chest.
"Mr. Whitmore asked me to retrieve the footage.""
"And I'm telling you to give it to me.""
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"Do you know who you're speaking to?""
"Yes, ma'am.""
"Then perhaps you should remember that your paycheck comes from this family.""
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"So does Mrs. Alvarez's, or at least it did until you accused her of hurting a baby.""
Vanessa's expression turned vicious.
"Careful, Marcus. You have a wife and two children, don't you?""
He went still.
Maria stepped between them.
"Don't threaten him.""
Vanessa slowly turned her head.
"Excuse me?""
"You heard me. If you have nothing to hide, let him show Daniel the footage.""
Vanessa laughed softly.
"You really think you're going to win this?""
"I'm not trying to win anything. I'm trying to protect Ethan.""
For a moment, the backyard fell silent except for the distant hum of the pool pump.
Then Vanessa smiled.
"How touching.""
She turned toward Marcus.
"Fine. Show Daniel whatever you want. But don't be surprised when he realizes that the camera footage doesn't tell the whole story.""
She walked away before either of them could respond.
Maria watched her disappear inside.
"What did she mean?"" she asked.
Marcus looked down at the tablet.
"I'm afraid we're about to find out.""
An hour later, Daniel returned from the hospital.
Ethan was safe. The doctors had examined him, monitored his breathing, and found no immediate signs of serious injury. They had instructed Daniel to watch him closely over the next twenty-four hours.
But the incident had shaken him badly.
When he entered the mansion, he carried Ethan against his shoulder, one hand protectively covering the back of the baby's head.
Vanessa rushed toward him.
"Daniel! How is he?""
"He's stable.""
She pressed a hand to her chest.
"Thank God. I've been terrified.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Have you?""
Her expression faltered.
"What does that mean?""
"Marcus told me about the footage.""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Oh.""
"Did you push the stroller into the pool?""
She stared at him as if he had spoken another language.
"Daniel, how can you ask me that?""
"Answer the question.""
"No! Of course I didn't!""
Daniel shifted Ethan into the crook of his arm.
"Then why did you try to delete the recording?""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't know what I was doing. I panicked!""
"You told me the camera wasn't working.""
"I thought it wasn't!""
"You told me Maria pushed the stroller.""
Vanessa looked down.
"Daniel, please. You have to understand. Everything happened so fast.""
He stared at her.
"Did you lie to me?""
She began to cry.
"I was scared!""
"Of what?""
Vanessa's shoulders trembled.
"I thought you would blame me because I was watching Ethan.""
Daniel's face hardened.
"So you decided to blame Maria instead?""
"I didn't mean for it to go this far.""
He looked toward the hallway.
"Where is she?""
"Who?""
"Maria.""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"You fired her, remember?""
Daniel's expression changed.
He had forgotten.
For a moment, he stood in the center of the foyer, holding his son while the weight of what he had done settled over him.
He had dismissed the woman who had saved Ethan's life without even watching the footage.
"Get Marcus," he said.
Vanessa hesitated.
"Danielโ"
"Now.""
She hurried away.
Daniel lowered himself onto a nearby sofa and gently adjusted Ethan's blanket.
"I'm sorry, buddy," he whispered.
The baby blinked sleepily.
Daniel brushed a finger over his son's cheek.
"I'm going to fix this.""
But when Marcus arrived with the tablet, Daniel discovered that the footage raised more questions than it answered.
The recording showed Vanessa pushing the stroller into the pool. It showed Maria diving in and pulling Ethan to safety. It showed Vanessa pointing at Maria and screaming accusations.
Everything Maria had said was true.
Daniel watched the recording twice.
Then he closed his eyes.
"Get Maria on the phone," he said.
Marcus nodded.
"Yes, sir.""
"And contact our attorney. I want the deletion attempt documented.""
"Understood.""
Marcus turned to leave.
"Wait," Daniel added.
"You said someone accessed the server remotely?""