"Ma'am, are you alright?" The old butler approached Aria with sympathy in his eyes. The mourning hall had originally been left to Ruby to watch over, but she'd gone to the bathroom, leaving the area completely empty.
From a distance, the old butler had seen Ruby humiliating Aria. Remembering how kind Aria had always been to him, he couldn't bear to ignore it any longer.
Aria slowly opened her eyes in a daze. A black umbrella was held above her head. When she realized it wasn't Micheal or Ruby, she snapped awake and began to whimper, "Mmm… mmm…"—pleading for the old butler to remove the seal from her mouth.
He hesitated briefly but, seeing no one else around, carefully peeled the tape away.
"Ma'am… is it true? Is the child really gone?"
"James, my child is truly gone. I didn't harm the old master—really, I didn't. It was Ruby! She pulled out the oxygen tube, not me." Finally, finding someone she could talk to, Aria rushed to get the words out.
"You're sure it was her?" James was stunned.
"Yes! It was just me and her in the room. I was watching over the old master when she suddenly pulled the oxygen out. Just as Micheal walked in, she framed me! James, I swear I didn't do it. And that day when the old master fell down the stairs—it wasn't me either. When I got to the top of the stairs, he had already fallen."
"I always thought there was something off about that nurse," the old butler murmured. "When the master was around, she never left his side. But the moment he stepped away, she'd hide in her room watching movies or listening to music…"
He fell into deep thought, then looked at Aria again—this time with trust in his eyes.
"Ma'am, let me help you get away. Go find out the truth. I believe you can." That was the only thing keeping Aria alive—her determination to uncover the one who had framed her.
That day, when the old master fell down the stairs, there were only three people in the villa. And yet, she couldn't figure out who the culprit really was—none of them seemed capable of doing it.
James hesitated.
"James, the old master treated me so well. How could I possibly hurt him? And that will… it looked like his handwriting, but something felt off. The strokes were shaky—he always wrote so neatly."
James's face darkened as he thought it over.
He'd followed the old master his whole life—he understood him better than Micheal ever did. "Alright, I'll release you. Young madam, you must uncover the real killer. Don't let them get away with this."
"James, I…" Her hands and legs were finally free, but Aria didn't know what to say.
At that moment, a single "thank you" felt far too shallow for what she truly felt.
Gratitude.
So much gratitude.
At last—someone believed her.
Her limbs were numb, and she trembled as she tried to stand. Her whole body tingled with pins and needles. "James… I'm going now. I'll return to avenge the old master."
"This way—through the back door. Hurry, come with me." James led her to the rear of the house and opened the gate. "Go now. If Micheal finds you, you'll never get another chance."
"What about you, James?" Aria looked back, worried. If Micheal found out he was the one who let her go, he might punish him too.
"I've served the old master for decades. If Micheal dares touch me, then so be it. I'll join the old master. At least I'll have company in the afterlife."
"James…"
"Go! I'm just joking. Micheal cares for me almost as much as the old master did. Don't worry."
That, Aria believed. With that reassurance, she turned and ran into the night.
Micheal—when I return, I'll prove my innocence.