It was around midday when Hannah heard the sound of a car stopping outside the gate. She was in the living room, dusting the shelves, when the doorbell rang.
Before she could react, Victoria came downstairs, wearing a bright red dress and perfume so strong that it filled the whole room. Her face was glowing — not the usual cold, serious look she had at home.
"Grace," she said quickly, fixing her hair in the mirror by the wall, "someone's coming over. Bring some juice and snacks to the table. And please — make sure everything looks perfect."
Hannah nodded politely. "Yes, madam."
She hurried to the kitchen, but her heart beat fast. Could it be the same man from the phone call? she wondered.
From the kitchen doorway, she could see Victoria rushing to open the door.
"Chriss" Victoria exclaimed with a wide smile, her voice unusually sweet.
Hannah peeked carefully — a tall, well-dressed man stepped inside, carrying a bouquet of flowers.
"Wow, you look beautiful as always," he said softly, handing her the flowers.
Victoria laughed, taking them. "You always say that."
Hannah's hands trembled as she set the juice on the tray. She couldn't believe what she was seeing — the woman who treated her child so coldly was now laughing like a teenager with another man.
When Hannah walked into the living room with the tray, she lowered her eyes respectfully, but she couldn't stop her heart from pounding.
Victoria quickly turned, smiling awkwardly. "Oh, Grace — this is Chriss. He's my cousin from out of town. He's visiting for a few days."
Chriss smiled politely to Hannah.
"Nice to meet you, Grace" he said, but his eyes lingered on Victoria a moment longer than was needed.
"Nice to meet you too, sir," Hannah said quietly, hiding her suspicion behind a calm face.
Victoria continued, "He's like a brother to me. We grew up together. So, please, treat him like family while he's here."
Hannah forced a smile. "Of course, madam."
But deep inside, something didn't sit right.
The way Victoria looked at Chriss— the way she touched his arm, how she kept fixing her hair — it didn't feel like family at all.
After serving them, Hannah went back to the kitchen, her mind restless. From where she stood, she could still hear laughter from the living room.She watched them quietly. Chriss and Victoria sat close on the sofa. They laughed at the same jokes. Chriss reached out once to touch Victoria's hand — a quick, gentle touch that was not quite cousinly.
Victoria blushed and smiled back. Her tone with Chriss was softer, warmer, different from how she spoke to the children mostly Felicity or to Grace.
"He's your cousin?" she whispered to herself, shaking her head.
"Then why does he look at you like that?"
She sighed heavily and leaned against the counter.
"Now I understand why she wanted David gone… she's hiding more than just one secret."
Hannah's stomach tightened. The house felt smaller, filled with a new kind of danger. She told herself not to act — not yet. She needed proof. She needed to protect her daughter carefully and quietly.
As she was still there in the kitchen, she heard Chriss say softly to Victoria, "I'm glad I came."
Victoria answered with a low laugh. "I'm glad you did."
Hannah paused by the doorway, watching them through the gap. Her eyes narrowed. So it's Chriss, she thought. Not a cousin. Not just family. I must be careful.
She set the dishes down without a sound and walked away, planning quietly how she would learn more about Chriss — and how she would keep her daughter safe.