"Who were you calling?" Lauren asked.
Heather sighed. "That's none of your business."
"You see?" Lauren turned to Evelyn. "She must have called someone to tell her how to poison it."
"What are you even talking about? What are you even saying? Evelyn...
"How dare you!" Evelyn yelled, stepping forward and slapping Heather hard across the face.
The sound echoed in the hallway. Heather's head snapped to the side, her cheek stinging from the blow. For a moment, she was too stunned to react. She slowly turned back to Evelyn, her hand touching her cheek. She wanted to hit Evelyn back, but that wouldn't help the situation. Why were they accusing her? When she went to make the call, she left the kitchen and when she came back, Evelyn was acting strange. And why did Evelyn react that way when she mentioned her name? She was going to say Evelyn saw her making the call.
Caius and the doctor grabbed Evelyn. They pulled her back before she could lash out again. "That's enough," Caius said.
Heather took a shaky breath. Her face was still burning from the slap. Her chest heaved as she tried to calm herself. She didn't deserve this. She hadn't done anything. But they wouldn't believe her.
"I have no reason to poison my father," she said quietly. Her voice trembling but steady.
"You've always hated him," Lauren said, her voice full of venom. She turned to the doctor, her tears falling again. "She doesn't love him. That's why she's trying to kill him, because of the inheritance. She's so jealous of me."
"Jealous?" Heather repeated. "Of you?"
Lauren started crying harder, her shoulders were shaking. "I love her so much," she wailed, turning to Evelyn for support. "Why does she hate me? Why is she trying to take everything I love away from me?"
She stepped toward Heather, grabbing her hands tightly. "Just kill me already," Lauren sobbed. "Leave Daddy out of it. Take me, Heather. Leave my family alone!"
Heather stared at her. She was stunned into silence. Lauren's fingers dug into her skin painfully, but Heather didn't move. She felt detached, like she was watching a scene act out in a movie rather than living it.
She yanked her hands away.
"Murderer,"
"It's best if you leave." Caius said
She stared at all of them. They didn't want her there, but she didn't care. She was there to see her father. "I need to see him first."
"After trying to kill him? I'm sure he'll be pleased to know you poisoned him."
"There's no proof that she poisoned him. You heard her, she didn't even bring the water."
"What other proof do you need, Caius? She did this. There's nothing you can say to save her."
"Did you see me poisoning the water?"
Lauren was silent.
"Exactly."
"Then how are you going to prove your innocence? All evidence points to you." Lauren crossed her arms on her chest.
Heather was silent. Thinking. If only someone saw her. Someone watching them. The maid left, so she's not a good alibi.
"The camera's." Caius said.
"There are security cameras in the house. If someone else poisoned the water, we're going to see who." Heather said.
"Then I'll go check the camera." Evelyn said.
"No. You need to be here with Mr. Lionel when he wakes up." Caius said.
"Nonsense. I want to get to the bottom of this."
"Mrs. Lionel, it's best if you stay. I'm sure Mr. Lionel would want you to be here when he wakes up. In the meantime, I and... Heather will go."