Chapter 185

Iris

“Miss Willford,” Detective Harris says, extending his hand. “I’m here to ask you some questions about the incident at the Solstice Ceremony.”

I stare at his outstretched hand without taking it. My mind races through a million different possibilities, but all of them lead to the same conclusion: this is about Veronica’s poisoning.

“Why are you here?” I ask, cutting to the chase. I’m too exhausted to play games after the day I’ve had.

The detective’s hand falls back to his side. “I only want to talk, I assure you. Perhaps we should sit down…?”

I glance at Emi for guidance, who gives me a slight nod. She’s ready to step in if needed, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to hear what this man has to say. Cliff is hovering nearby, wringing his hands nervously and looking between us. We can’t talk here—not with people potentially walking past and overhearing.

“Fine,” I say, gesturing toward the elevator. “Let’s talk.”

We head upstairs, where I prepare a pot of tea with shaking hands. We then settle in the living room—me on the sofa, the detective in the armchair across from me.

Emi remains standing, positioned just behind my shoulder with her arms folded across her chest. After everything that’s been going on, she’s not playing games, either. And, dare I say, I’m becoming increasingly glad to have her by my side, even regretting the initial annoyance I felt toward her constant presence when she was first hired.

“Miss Willford, I’m investigating the poisoning of your cousin, Veronica Willford, that occurred during the Solstice Ceremony,” the detective begins, ignoring the steaming cup of tea I’ve just placed in front of him. “I’d like to ask you a few questions about that night.”

I blink at him. “What about it?”

“You had no involvement in the incident?” he asks. His eyes are kind, but I can tell he’s studying me carefully. Every nerve lights up at the sight; is he here to entrap me?

But I have nothing to hide. “No,” I say firmly, sitting up a little straighter. “Why would I be involved in that?”

Instead of answering, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a clear evidence bag. Inside is the missing sapphire from Nora’s necklace, which is now partially crushed. My eyes widen as I recognize it; Nora is going to be devastated that one of the stones was ruined due to my own carelessness.

“I take it you recognize this stone?” he asks, setting the bag on the coffee table between us and sliding it toward me. “You’ve been missing it, perhaps?”

My throat bobs slightly as I pick up the bag and inspect the broken stone in the light. “Yes. It’s from a necklace that I was wearing,” I say. “I lost it that night. Was looking everywhere for it, actually.”

“Hm. Lost it,” he repeats, jotting something down in his notepad. “Interesting.”

“What’s so interesting about it?”

The detective glances up at me from his notepad. “I don’t know. Perhaps you should tell me, Miss Willford.”

I frown. “Cut to the chase,” I order. “I just practically had to fight off a horde of reporters who were trying to assault me, so forgive me if I’m not in the mood for antics.”

To my surprise, the detective chuckles lightly, as if this is all nothing. As if he’s not accusing me of poisoning my own cousin, at a public event no less. “Very well. Our lab found something rather unusual about this sapphire. It was hollow—designed to hold something inside. In this case, a powdered form of Blue Hydrangea extract. A very potent poison.”

My mouth falls open at that. “What?”

“Traces of Blue Hydrangea extract were found inside your ‘missing’ stone,” he says. “The very same poison that nearly killed your cousin.”

“I don’t understand,” I say, letting out a bewildered little laugh as I set the bag back down. “Are you implying that I had something to do with it?”

The detective reaches into his briefcase again and pulls out a folder. From it, he extracts several photographs and places them neatly on the coffee table. They’re all from the Solstice Ceremony.

In each of them, I’m wearing the sapphire necklace. In a few taken during the beginning of the event, the necklace is fully intact, all blue stones shimmering in the light.

Then comes a picture of me walking past Veronica, who’s holding her cocktail glass, in the crowd, when Arthur is leading me to the dance floor. And after…

The stone is missing.

But I don’t even recall brushing past Veronica, let alone… poisoning her! I would never do such a thing, no matter how angry I am about all of this!

“We have tangible proof his necklace belonged to you,” the detective explains, no doubt reading the shock on my face. “You were wearing it the night Veronica was poisoned. And from what I understand, you and your cousin have had a rather… complicated relationship, have you not?”

My blood runs cold as I understand what he’s implying. “So you think, because of drama being played up by the media, that I poisoned her? That’s absurd!”

The detective leans forward. “I fail to see the absurdity of it, Miss Willford. You and Veronica are connected through Alpha President Arthur—two women, sharing the same mate. Allegedly. The media reports significant tension between you. Allegedly. Then she’s poisoned at an event where you’re in attendance, wearing jewelry that contained the very poison that nearly killed her.” He narrows his eyes and adds, as if trying to cover his ass, “Allegedly.”

I shake my head. “That necklace was a gift,” I finally say. “I didn’t know anything about it being hollowed out or filled with poison. I would never do something like that. Not to anyone, and not to her.”

“Huh. A gift,” the detective repeats, poising his pen to write once more. “From whom?”

At that, I finally hesitate, wondering if I’ve said too much. Should I drag Nora into this, the nanny who stood by my family’s side for decades? There’s no way she could be guilty, right? I’m not sure if I can bring myself to do it.

Emi clears her throat behind me, and I know what I have to do. I’m not stupid. I lift my chin and ask, “Am I under arrest?”

“Well, no—”

“Then I’d like to speak with a lawyer before answering any more questions.”

The detective studies me for a long moment, then nods. “Very well, Miss Willford. That’s your right, of course.” He begins gathering his photographs. “Although I have to say, your reluctance to cooperate won’t look good for the jury, especially given the new developments.”

“What new developments?” I ask, unable to help myself.

“Just that your cousin and the Alpha President seem to be… closer than ever.” He says this casually, but I can tell he’s baiting me.

I shouldn’t take it. I know I shouldn’t. But I can’t help myself. “What do you mean?”

“You haven’t heard?” He looks surprised. “About their engagement?”

The world tilts beneath me. “En… Engagement?”

“Oh. I assumed you knew,” the detective says, rising. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you.”

“That’s not possible,” I whisper. “Arthur wouldn’t…”

“I have the announcement right here, if you’d like to see it,” the detective offers, reaching once more into his briefcase.

I should say no. I should ask him to leave. I should call my lawyer. But all I can do is stare dumbly as he pulls out another photograph and places it on the coffee table between us.

It’s Arthur and Veronica, sitting at a candlelit table in what looks like an expensive restaurant. He’s smiling at her, and she’s beaming back at him, her hand resting on his. On her finger is a ring.

Not just any ring. A beautiful citrine in a diamond-encrusted band—the exact shade of the cardigan he always teased me for, the exact cardigan I’m wearing right now. I’d recognize that color and its significance anywhere.

That’s the ring he must have been having made for me. Or so he claimed.

And now it’s on her finger, which can only mean one thing.

Arthur has made his choice. And it wasn’t me.