Chapter 4 - What Olivia Meant.
.The room filled with medical staff before Evan could ask another question.
A physician pushed him and Claire toward the wall while nurses checked Olivia's monitors.
Victor stepped into the hallway and began making calls.
Noah stayed near the door.
Claire looked as shaken as Evan felt.
"She meant me," Claire said.
Evan stared at her.
"You do not know that."
"She said red dress."
"Half the gala was wearing red."
Claire looked down at her gown.
"Not like this."
Evan hated that she was right.
He also hated that his first instinct had once again been to suspect her.
The doctor stabilized Olivia within minutes.
Her eyes remained closed, but her breathing returned to a steady rhythm.
"She needs quiet," the doctor said.
Evan stepped closer.
"Did she say anything before today about feeling threatened?"
The doctor hesitated.
"You should speak to Dr. Hale."
"Why?"
"He is her attending physician."
"Where is he?"
The doctor looked toward the hall.
"He was called away."
Claire folded her arms.
"Convenient."
Evan shot her a warning glance.
She did not back down.
Noah approached them once the staff cleared out.
"I copied the remaining camera file before anyone could alter it again."
Victor was no longer in sight.
Evan lowered his voice.
"Did you find anything?"
"The video begins eleven seconds before Mr. Cross enters."
Claire looked at him.
"That means the moment before I picked up the glass is gone."
Noah nodded.
"Exactly."
"What happens in the eleven seconds?" Evan asked.
Noah turned the tablet toward them.
The video showed Claire at Olivia's bedside.
She was leaning forward, one hand reaching toward the glass.
Olivia was motionless.
Claire picked up the glass.
Then Evan appeared in the doorway.
From that angle, it looked almost exactly as Evan had believed.
Claire watched without speaking.
"This proves nothing," Evan said.
"It proves why you thought what you thought," she replied.
Her tone carried no forgiveness.
Evan accepted that.
Noah scrubbed backward to the first frame.
"Look at the doorway."
A tiny section of crimson fabric was visible disappearing into the corridor.
Claire leaned closer.
"That is not my dress."
Evan looked from the screen to Claire's gown.
Her fabric was dark satin.
The material in the video looked brighter and textured.
"Someone else in red was here," he said.
Noah nodded.
Claire closed her eyes for a moment.
"Olivia was not warning you about me."
Evan felt a chill move through him.
"She was warning us about whoever left the room."
Noah enlarged the final frame.
A hand was visible at the edge of the door.
On the wrist was a distinctive silver bracelet shaped like two overlapping leaves.
Claire's expression changed.
"I saw that bracelet downstairs."
"On who?" Evan asked.
Claire looked toward the hallway.
"Dana Reeves."
At that exact moment, Nurse Dana appeared at the far end of the corridor.
She saw them watching her.
Evan replayed Olivia's words in his head and hated how quickly his assumptions had turned Claire into the obvious villain.
The red dress had become evidence only because he had wanted a simple explanation.
Now another red garment was visible on camera, and every simple explanation was collapsing.
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Claire said nothing about his mistake, which somehow made his shame feel heavier.
Then she turned around and walked quickly in the opposite direction.
