Chapter 97: A Good Actor
Sophia’s breath hitched, her face draining of color as the shock rippled through the room. It felt as if someone had caught dirt on her, revealing hidden truths she’d carefully buried. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap, betraying her calm facade.
William’s eyes widened in disbelief, his gaze shifting frantically between Kiana and the portrait of Gracia. Evelyn’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing to make sense of Kiana’s innocent yet damning words.
Everyone was stunned, except for Sophia, whose face twisted into a mask of panic and anger. The atmosphere was thick with tension, each heartbeat echoing like a drum in the suffocating silence. William looked visibly shaken, his complexion pale as he stared at the portrait of Gracia. For years, he had accepted her death, grieved for her—but what if? What if she wasn’t truly gone?
Annabelle’s eyes narrowed, clearly trying to gauge the reactions around the room. Her usual smugness gave way to confusion, a flicker of fear dancing in her eyes. Evelyn could see the gears turning in Sophia’s mind, likely calculating how this revelation might unravel the delicate web of lies she had spun.
Sophia, on the other hand, seemed on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. The mask she wore cracked, revealing the fear that bubbled beneath the surface. "Kiana, darling," she said, her voice trembling despite her attempts to sound soothing, "sometimes memories can play tricks on us."
But Kiana wasn’t having it. "I’m not lying!" she insisted, her small fists clenched in defiance. The words spilled from her innocent mouth like a tidal wave, crashing against the already fragile atmosphere.
Evelyn, trying to steady her racing heart, reached out to place a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. "Kiana, honey," she said gently, "are you sure it was her?"
Kiana nodded firmly, her gaze unwavering. "She said her name was Gracie, like Mommy’s mom."
Evelyn exchanged a look with William, both of them grappling with the shocking possibility that Gracia might not be as gone as they believed. William seemed paralyzed, lost in thought, while Sophia’s discomfort only deepened. The tension in the room was palpable, each second stretching into an eternity.
Sophia’s eyes darted around the room, her mind racing. The corners of her mouth twitched as she fought to regain control. "Let’s not jump to conclusions, Kiana," she said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Perhaps you just saw someone who looked like her."
But Kiana’s stubbornness flared, a fire igniting in her bright eyes. "No! I know what I saw!" she exclaimed, her small voice ringing with conviction. The resolve in her tone only intensified the atmosphere, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air.