"Go play for a bit, kids, Mommy's got to take a call. Langston, Daddy will join you soon after he wraps up his work, be a good boy." Despite his impatience, Langston managed only a nod.
"Alright." Dorothy stepped out of the children's room, cell phone in hand, and answered the call.
"Hello? Byte 7." "Everett's got hold of the video from your flash drive. He hacked into my computer. If I'm not mistaken, he's destroyed the evidence." "What?!" Dorothy felt her mind go blank.
A buzzing noise filled her ears.
"You need to confront Everett. He's probably trying to protect his mom, ensuring your evidence is gone for good.” "Dorothy, hello? Dorothy! Are you listening?" "I... I'm here." She steadied herself against the wall to remain upright. "Are you sure he knew what was on the flash drive, and it wasn't just out of jealousy that he took it from you?" She didn't want to wrongfully accuse Everett.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtSo she needed to be certain.
"He knew. Dorothy, he knew everything." Those words echoed in Dorothy's head, playing over and over.
Suddenly, she ended the call and hurried toward the hospital room.
It all made sense now.
No wonder Everett had been acting so odd, repeatedly apologizing.
No wonder Everett, who never used to hold meetings without her, suddenly claimed today's was confidential.
Too many things added up.
Dorothy pushed on the hospital room door, which was locked from the inside.
She knocked forcefully, "Everett, open up!" He wasn't hiding; he quickly came and unlocked the door.
Their eyes met in an instant.
Everett was wearing the silk robe she had picked out for him, the sash tied casually at his waist, lending a touch of indolence to his usual stoic demeanor.
The day they had reunited after years apart, he had stood before her just like this, his eyes heavy with unspoken thoughts.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBut things were different now.
"Everett, where's the video?" Dorothy felt her voice didn't sound like her own as she asked the question.
His lips parted slightly, and he stepped aside, as if to let her in first to talk.
But Dorothy wouldn't budge an inch.
"I'm asking you, where's the video you took from Byte 7? Everett!" "It's gone." Dorothy's gaze snapped up to meet his. "Say that again!" "Were you planning to use that video to send my mom and Heather to jail?" Everett's voice was a hoarse whisper, as if coming from deep within his chest, trembling slightly.
"Yes!" Now that it was all out in the open, Dorothy didn't hold back. "I've long suspected that your mother was the mastermind behind my own mother's death. You saw that video, you should know—" "I should know what?" Everett cut her off harshly. "I should know that while I've been carefully planning our future, you've been plotting how to leave me? Counting the days until you can walk away, is that it? Dorothy, have you ever considered me? Even just a little bit?" Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles shook.
"No, | only want the truth." Dorothy gritted her teeth. "Give me the video." Everett closed his eyes, forcing down the surge of emotions.
"| told you, it's destroyed.”