Ewan was sullen and silent.
He started the engine, stepped on the accelerator, and drove away from the Hill residence.
Along the way, Rachel felt very stuffy in the car. The windows were obviously opened and the two of them were seated apart but she couldn’t control her heart. Her heart was racing and so nervous that her palms were sweating.
This was the first time in her life that she was in such a small space with Ewan. She was mindful of her breathing so as not to reveal her feelings.
The car stopped at a military installation. Rachel frowned and hastily released her seat belt and got out of the car.
In front of her was the place where her mother was being held.
Because of the seriousness of the case, no one could visit apart from the lawyer before the trial.
After exhausting her means, she still hadn’t visited her mother.
Rachel looked at Ewan in surprise only to see that he walked to a side, took out his cellphone, and made a call.
Two minutes later, a soldier in full military gear walked towards Ewan and saluted.
Rachel was stunned.
What she thought was insurmountable, Ewan was able to overcome it with a telephone call.
At that moment, her admiration for him erupted once again.
She eagerly followed behind Ewan and successfully entered several metal doors to arrive at the visitors’ hall.
As soon as they arrived at the room, she saw that her mother was already waiting for them.
The troubled appearance failed to cover her elegance. Though her gaze lacked the sparkle, her smile was ever so loving.
“Mom…” Rachel fought back the tears and rushed over to hug Sophie.
Sophie’s eyes were tearing and as she tried to maintain her composure, “Rachel, how did you get in?”
Rachel blinked and swallowed her tears and quickly pushed her mother away. She wasn’t here to chat, “Mom, Ewan brought me in.”
Sophie lowered her head to wipe her tears and then smiled and looked towards the door.
Ewan walked over confidently with a warm expression and his tone changed from lofty arrogance to warmth and tenderness, “Mom, how are you doing?”
Sophie smiled, “I’m fine. The people here are taking good care of me. I’m like a queen here. I don’t have to do anything other than sleeping and eating.”
Rachel was stunned and shocked.
She looked at Ewan only to see that his attitude was far different from how he had treated her.
“Please sit down and chat.” Ewan respectfully signaled her to sit.
Rachel was very touched. Though this man hated her, at least he was respectful of her mother. At least her mother’s love for the three brothers for twenty over years wasn’t in vain.
Sophie sat opposite them and Rachel was next to Ewan.
Although she was hurting inside her, Sophie endeavored to maintain a smile as she said, “Ewan, don’t give me any special privileges, it’s not good for you.”
Rachel was puzzled.
Ewan snickered, “This isn’t any special privilege.”
“Even the guards nod and bow to me when they see me. Am I in jail or am I here on vacation? Even the other criminals are beginning to treat me as the Grim reaper and are terrified of me.”
Ewan pursed his lips and blinked without saying a word.
Rachel quickly held onto Sophie’s hand, “Mom, let’s not talk about these. Tell Ewan what happened for this case, and you…”
“I already told him when he … ” Sophie was puzzled.
“Cough, cough!”
Ewan gently coughed twice to interrupt Sophie.
Rachel looked suspiciously at Ewan.
She spent so much effort to beg him only to find out that he had played her like a fool? Didn’t he say that he wouldn’t bother? Why did he set her up?
“Mom, tell us what happened!” Ewan said shakily.
Sophie felt that Ewan was very strange but she started to repeat what happened a fortnight ago.
“That day…”
“That day Eve invited me to the beauty salon. I thought that once you married Sienna, she’ll become my daughter-in-law. I wanted to spend some time with her so I also asked her along. Three of us went to the beauty salon and had lunch outside. We shopped and at about three in the afternoon, Sienna said that she wanted to learn how to bake cakes. Just nice Eve was skilled in baking and we went to the northern villa to make some cakes.”
“That day Charles and his daughter weren’t home. The two servants were on the roof cleaning the pool. Once we finished baking the cake, we sat together for afternoon tea and as it drew closer to the evening, Sienna was first to leave. Soon after I headed for the southern villa… but before an hour had passed, I started to hear the sirens of the ambulance and police cars. The next day the police came to arrest me.”
Rachel frowned, “The security cameras! The kitchen has a security camera…”
“The police said that it just happened that the entire security camera system of the Hill residences was broken on that day. Furthermore, I left my jacket and cellphone there.”
“Why did the fruit knife, which was plunged into Eve’s heart, have mother’s fingerprints?”
Sophie shook her head and sighed, “This was so unfortunate. That day I was responsible for cutting the fruits so of course, the knife had my fingerprints.”
Rachel covered her face with her hands and rest her arms on the table. She hated herself for not being intelligent enough. The more she got frustrated, the more her mood would get affected.
Ewan said firmly, “More importantly, wedged inside Eve’s fingernails was your hair. DNA tests had confirmed.”
Sophie nodded calmly, “I was clearly framed. It was fine if I’m being wronged but Eve died at such a young age, this sick murderer will have his or her retribution.”
“Can Sienna be a witness for mom?” Rachel looked towards Ewan. Her gaze was as good as begging.
“Why do you ask me that?” Ewan frowned and his expression darkened.
Rachel was terrified by his chilling remark and dared not say a word except to herself, ‘Because Sienna is your fiancee’.
Sophie broke the cold atmosphere, “It’s useless. Sienna left before me. I can verify that she wasn’t at the scene but there was no way that she can prove that I didn’t kill anyone.”
Rachel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She repeated all that her mother had said and suddenly, she smacked the table with both her hands and said, “Mom, I found a clue…”
Sophie was stunned by her smacking the table and patted her chest to calm down while looking at her doubtfully.
Ewan looked at her in anticipation.
“Servant, weren’t the two servants at the roof washing the pool?”
“Yes.” Sophie nodded.
Rachel was excited and her eyes lit up with hope, “Actually it was normal for two servants to be washing the pool but having stayed at the Hill residences for over ten years, my memory of Eve was she hated the servants to group together when working. She said that chatting while working would affect the efficiency and quality of work. The pool wasn’t difficult to clean so it was impossible that Eve would send two of them to clean it.”
Sophie didn’t know that her sister-in-law had that kind of personality.
Ewan smiled in admiration and maintained his cool demeanor.
Rachel continued to analyze, “We can check why did the servants deviate from the norm to work on that day. Furthermore, Eve was still at home, and aren’t they worried that they would be scolded for it?”
Sophie and Ewan pondered silently.
Rachel appeared to be flustered and was worried that she had uttered nonsense. She looked at her mother and then at Ewan.
After a moment, Ewan stood up, “Mom, we’ll leave first. The next time I’ll be here to take you home.”
Sophie’s heart was warm and reassured as she nodded, “Okay.”
Before Rachel realized anything, the man grabbed her hand, “Let’s go.”
The warm sensation, the rough and strong touch flowed through her like electricity towards her four limbs. Her heart melted away instantly.
Her mind was blank and she even forgot to bid farewell to her mother as she was dragged out of the room.
Worried that the strong hand would release her if she didn’t keep up, she started to run to keep in pace with him. She felt that her heart was beating so hard that it may explode at any moment.
After they reached the second set of iron doors, he finally released her hands. A sinking feeling wrapped around her. It looked like Ewan did it only to please her mother.