Chapter 4 - The Basement Message
The basement smelled of concrete and dust.
Dmitri walked ahead.
Victor stayed beside me.
Two security guards followed behind us.
I couldn't stop thinking about one question.
Why me?
We reached a steel door.
Dmitri opened it.
A woman sat beneath a single light.
She looked nothing like the Mrs. Chen I knew.
Older.
Tired.
Terrified.
She lifted her head.
When she saw me, tears filled her eyes.
“Lena.”
I stopped.
“You're not Mrs. Chen.”
“No.”
Victor stepped forward.
“Who are you?”
The woman looked at him.
“My name is Evelyn Park.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“Why did you impersonate a hotel employee?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I didn't.”
“You gave Lena a uniform.”
“I gave her a warning.”
I stared at her.
“What warning?”
Evelyn looked at me.
“Never let Victor drink the champagne.”
Silence.
Victor moved closer.
“Who sent you?”
“No one.”
“Then why?”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Because I made the mistake of trusting Clara.”
Victor's face became unreadable.
I felt the room change.
Evelyn continued.
“She recruited me three months ago.”
“For what?”
“To arrange the gala.”
Victor asked, “What was she planning?”
Evelyn looked at me.
“She wasn't planning to kill you.”
I exhaled.
Then Evelyn said:
“She wanted everyone to believe you had been poisoned by your own security team.”
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“So your company would collapse.”
I didn't understand.
Evelyn explained.
“If Victor died tonight, his controlling shares would immediately transfer according to the emergency agreement.”
Victor looked at Dmitri.
“Who receives them?”
Evelyn answered.
“Clara.”
Victor became silent.
I looked at him.
“Your fiancée?”
He nodded slowly.
Evelyn continued.
“Leon arranged the legal documents.”
Victor walked to the wall.
His fists tightened.
“How long?”
“Months.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Clara threatened my daughter.”
My chest tightened.
Evelyn looked at me.
“She threatened your family too.”
I froze.
“My family?”
“Yes.”
Victor turned.
“What did she know about Lena?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“She knew about your mother.”
I stepped forward.
“What about her?”
“She knew about the medical bills.”
My heart pounded.
“How?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Victor’s expression darkened.
Then Dmitri’s radio crackled.
A security guard spoke.
“Sir, we have a problem upstairs.”
“What?”
“The ballroom doors have been locked.”
Victor looked at me.
“Who locked them?”
“We don't know.”
Then another voice came through.
“Sir, Clara is gone.”
Victor immediately walked toward the exit.
I followed.
Evelyn called after us.
“Victor!”
He stopped.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
Evelyn pointed toward me.
“The glass wasn't meant for you.”
I stared at her.
Victor turned slowly.
“What do you mean?”
Evelyn's face went pale.
May you like
“It was meant for whoever tried to save you.”
The basement lights suddenly went out.
