It appeared that rushing to confirm my identity was a misstep. I should have kept it secret and then gradually advocated for the investigation.
If I had initially presented myself as Stephanieâs friend, perhaps Rachel and Zion wouldnât have been so suspicious of me.
I was too careless.
âSheâs lying!â Yasmin attempted to protest.
I gave Yasmin a meaningful look. âIf you canât provide any evidence, Iâll take legal action. against you.â
Yasmin seemed hesitant. Her intention hadnât been to have me arrested but to distance Michael from me. Clearly, she had succeeded.
âThe Lincolns have the means for legal representation,â Steven said firmly, gripping my hand tightly.
His glare at Yasmin was intense and menacing.
I even sensed that if the ward were empty, Steven might have taken drastic action against Yasmin.
The veins on the back of his hand bulged. It was as if he was trying to contain his anger.
He held my hand tightly, seemingly trying to offer reassurance.
But pretending to be reassured would have been a lie as I still couldnât fully trust him.
âI did see a suspicious man entering Stephanieâs house in the surveillance footage,â Rachel said as she looked at Zion.
Zion frowned. âWhy didnât you tell me earlier?â
âI thought Yasmin and Stephany were collaborating against Stephie, but now Iâm more inclined to believe Stephany. Sheâs right. Stephanie wouldnât have shared her house keys with someone she didnât trust.â
Rachelâs gaze held a mix of emotions, conveying a silent message, âIâm placing my trust in you, so please donât disappoint me.â
I smiled at Rachel before addressing Yasmin, âIâll contact a lawyer to work with the police. Yasmin intentionally led Stephanie to Sunset Alley. It was a planned murder. She desired Michael and believed Stephanie would take him away because their relationship wasnât that simple.â
âStephany!â Michaelâs voice boomed with anger.
Was he afraid I would send Yasmin to jail?
âYou donât need to shout at me. Iâm not deaf,â I told Michael. âYou claimed Stephanie was more like your sister, but she was actually Mrs. Fordâs chosen fiancée for you.
âBecause of Stephanie, Mrs. Ford doesnât accept Yasmin and wonât easily let her into the family. So, Yasmin had to find a way to get rid of Stephanie.
âShe wouldnât dare to commit the murder herself. So, she schemed to eliminate Stephanie. Coming from the same orphanage, she wouldâve known why the serial killer was targeting women like them.
She made Stephanie wear her clothes and manipulated the serial killer to do her dirty work.â
I walked toward Yasminâs bedside and stared at her. âMy assumption is correct, isnât it, Ms. Bailey?â
âStop spouting nonsense!â Yasminâs voice wavered as fear crept in.
She desperately gripped Michaelâs wrist and tried to defend herself. âMichael, you have to believe me. Sheâs slandering me. You know me better than anyone. I risked my life to save you. How could I ever commit murder?â
She wanted to convey that she was a kindâhearted person who would never consider such a thing.
Michael stared at Yasmin and slowly withdrew his hand.
I smirked sarcastically, observing Michaelâs sudden lack of trust in Yasmin. It was rather fickle of him.
Since nobody believed her, Yasmin made a decision. âOfficer Landon! Iâm willing to cooperate with the police to lure out the murderer. I believe once the killer is caught, the truth will come to light.
Then, youâll see whoâs lying!â