The air in the hallway turned ice-cold as Evelyn stepped closer. Her calm demeanor felt entirely unnatural given the tension in the room.
Richard looked back and forth between his wife and stepdaughter. “Evelyn, do you know what paper Maya is holding?” he asked, his voice low and heavy.
Before Richard could take another step, Evelyn placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Richard, dear, Maya is upset today. She’s just overthinking old things. Let me talk to her alone for a moment.”
Richard hesitated, but seeing the deep distress in Maya’s eyes, he nodded slowly and stepped down the hallway toward the kitchen, leaving the two women alone in the dim light.
The second Richard was out of earshot, Evelyn’s soft posture disappeared. She stepped directly into Maya’s personal space, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper.
“You think you’re helping him?” Evelyn said, her eyes cold as steel. “You hand him that paper, and you destroy this entire family. Is that what you want, Maya?”
Maya held her ground, her lips trembling with anger. “Clara didn’t abandon us. You made sure she left! You hid her letters for three whole years!”
Evelyn didn’t deny it. Instead, a faint, chilling smile appeared on her face. “And who do you think he will believe? His devoted wife… or a troubled daughter with an old piece of paper?”
To be continued in Episode 4…
