Chapter 87: Wicked Plan
"Gabriel, you sly bastard," William muttered with a lopsided grin as he unlocked Gabriel’s phone. "Looks like Marienne wasn’t the only one who came prepared for that little stunt."
He tapped a few times on the screen, navigating through a couple of folders before holding the phone up for the others to see.
"This right here—it’s a security overlay I designed myself. It’s disguised as a simple wallpaper app, but when activated, it hides whatever app is running in the background. In Gabriel’s case, it was a voice recorder."
Anna’s eyes widened, a flicker of realization crossing her face as she leaned in. "Wait... you mean he recorded everything that happened in that hotel room?"
"Exactly," William nodded, a spark of admiration creeping into his voice as he scrolled through the file. "Whatever kind of reckless plan that boy thought he was pulling off, at least he had the foresight to cover his back. Let’s find out if it was even worth it."
He tapped the play button, and the room fell into a tense silence as Gabriel’s recording began to play. Every word, every deceitful tone in Marienne’s voice spilled from the speaker—her manipulation, the fake distress, the cleverly placed pauses in her performance.
By the time the audio ended, Anna’s expression had hardened. Her suspicions were no longer just theories—they were confirmed truths. Marienne had tried to frame Gabriel, fabricating a story with disturbing ease and the skill of someone well-practiced in deceit.
Daniel shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting between Anna and William. "So... what now?" he asked, his voice tight with unease. "I’ve done what I could to keep the story from leaking to the press, but if Marienne’s desperate for money—or attention—she’ll stir up a scandal just for leverage. I wouldn’t put it past her."
Anna was quiet for a moment, her gaze locking with William’s. There was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, as if she were weighing consequences against conviction. Then, with a steady breath, she spoke.