Chapter 4

Looking straight into Benjamin's eyes, Sophia said, "I said I didn't do anything. Danny jumped into the water himself. Do you believe me?"

Benjamin instinctively refuted her. "How is that possible? Danny is only three years old. How could he do something like that? Are you saying he's already smart enough to frame his own aunt?"

Despite knowing that Benjamin would shield Tamara and Daniel no matter what, Sophia still held onto a sliver of expectation. After all, she'd loved him for three years now.

And thus, her heart still clenched painfully when she heard what he said.

"Sophia!" Benjamin's expression darkened, his tone commanding. "Apologize to Tammy and Danny."

"I already said it wasn't me." Although she was hurt, she wasn't going to let anyone frame her. She met his gaze squarely. "You can doubt my words, but you'll have to believe what the security footage shows, right? Have the butler pull up the footage so that we can all see what really happened."

"No!" Tamara was the first to object to that.

All eyes fell on her.

Wilma narrowed her eyes. "Why not? Are you feeling guilty? Don't tell me you instructed Danny to do it, Tamara."

"Mom, don't say that about Tammy! She wouldn't do something like that." Benjamin immediately defended her.

"Benjamin." Wilma's voice was cold. "Even though we're a family, don't you think you're going a bit too far in your vehement defense of Tamara? Don't forget that Sophia's your wife."

"I don't need you to tell me that, Mom. I haven't forgotten. But Tammy—"

"And what are you calling her?"

Under the pressure of Wilma's gaze, Benjamin pressed his lips together and corrected himself. "Tamara is a mother. Why would she ever make a three-year-old child do something like this?"

"Thank you for speaking up for me, Benjamin." Having seen Wilma's attitude, Tamara also wisely changed the way she addressed Benjamin.

Turning to Wilma, she said, "Mom, I don't want to check the footage because I don't want conflict in the family. This wasn't a big deal. Danny just had a fever. Besides, his fever has already subsided, and he'll be all better soon. There's no need for us to check the security footage."

After hearing Tamara's display of thoughtful consideration, Sophia instinctively looked at Benjamin. She saw the heartache and tenderness in his eyes, but they were directed at Tamara, not her.

"That's all the more reason for us to check the footage. I need to clear my name," Sophia declared before instructing Graham Holt, the Hartman family's butler, to retrieve the footage.

"Let's just drop it, Sophia…" Tamara bit her lip and said kindly. "I'm not upset with you. I don't need an apology from you either. You don't have to do this. I trust that it wasn't you."

"It's better if we make sure everyone trusts that I didn't do it either," Sophia replied curtly.

Wilma studied Tamara's and Danny's faces, her expression thoughtful.

Ten minutes later, Graham came back with a troubled expression. "Mdm. Wilma, Ms. Sophia, the security camera facing the garden isn't working."

"It's not working?" Wilma frowned. "Since when?"

"Since yesterday," Graham replied. "I wouldn't even have realized it if Ms. Sophia hadn't asked to see the footage."

In other words, there was no proof to confirm what had truly happened out in the garden today.

"Let's just forget about it," Tamara piped up thoughtfully. "I know this had nothing to do with you, Sophia. I was just too anxious earlier. Let me apologize to you."

She started to bow her head in apology, but the moment she started to move, Benjamin grabbed her wrist.

Sophia's eyes had only just landed on their hands when she heard Benjamin say, "Apologize, Sophia."

"Apologize for what?"

Margaret Fuller, Benjamin's grandma, came in with a walking stick, coughing as she did. She smelled faintly of herbal medicine.

Without a word, Sophia walked over and held her hand to support her.

Ever since Margaret's husband, Vernon Hartman, died, her health had grown frail. She spent all her time on the third floor of Hartman Manor, nursing her health.

Because of her condition, the family usually avoided disturbing her over trivial matters. Bryan's death had been a heavy blow to her, worsening her health. Everyone was now even more careful around her.

"Why did you come down, Mom?" Wilma hurried over to support her as well. "It's cold down here, and your health isn't the best. I don't want you to catch a chill."

Margaret brushed off her concerns with a wave of her hand and coughed a few more times before asking, "Apologize for what? Who does Sophia need to apologize to?"

Benjamin gave her a summary of the previous situation.

Margaret's gaze swept over Tamara and Benjamin before finally landing on Sophia. "Is that true, Sophia?"

"Grandma," Sophia said remorsefully, her head bowed. "We can handle this ourselves. Let me take you back to your room for some rest."

But Margaret didn't move. She had no intention of going back up right now. She looked at Benjamin and asked, "Benjamin, do you think Sophia did it?"

"It's not about what I think, Grandma. It's—"

"I see how it is." Margaret coughed again before instructing Graham to retrieve the security footage from the third floor.

Tamara's heart immediately jumped to her throat. How did she forget about the camera on the third floor?

But it was too far from the garden, so surely the footage would be way too hazy to catch anything incriminating, right?

Even though she was quaking on the inside, she pretended to be completely calm.

Soon, Graham brought over the footage and played it on a laptop.

Only a small portion of the garden was visible in the footage, but it was enough to prove that Sophia had been quite a distance away from the fountain. There was no way she could have pushed Daniel into the water.

Unfortunately, the footage also failed to capture the moment when Daniel shoved her.

After confirming that nothing unfavorable for her had been recorded, Tamara exhaled in relief.

"See that?" Margaret looked at Benjamin.

"I already said that Sophia wouldn't do such a thing," Tamara quickly chimed in with a smile. "I was just too anxious earlier. I'm sorry, Sophia. I misunderstood you."

She showed no hesitation in apologizing.

Pursing her lips, Sophia looked at Benjamin to see what his reaction was.

Having realized he had wrongly blamed Sophia for the situation, Benjamin cleared his throat and said, "I was wrong to blame you just now, Sophia."

"Do you forgive him, Sophia?" Margaret asked with a smile.

"I feel bad that you had to get involved in something this insignificant, Grandma." Sophia quietly switched the subject. "Let me take you back to your room."

"If you feel bad, you should hurry up and give me a great-granddaughter. I'd be thrilled to have one as sweet and thoughtful as you…"

Their voices grew fainter as they walked away, but everyone heard Margaret urge Sophia to have a child.

Tamara instinctively lowered her gaze, her eyes tinged with sadness.

Wilma deliberately cleared her throat. After shooting Tamara a warning look, Wilma reminded her, "It's getting late. Tamara, look after Danny."

Then, she turned to Benjamin, "As for you, Benjamin, go home with Sophia. Didn't you hear what your grandma said? She wants you and Sophia to have a child as soon as possible."

She gave Tamara another warning glance before leaving the room.