Chapter 20

Nicholas stared at Sonia in astonishment for what felt like an eternity. So lost in thought, he hardly noticed the passing moments until Sonia snapped her fingers in front of his face, jolting him back to reality. He had been contemplating whether it was even possible for Sonia to discern what he had struggled with for hours.

With a sense of urgency in his voice, Nicholas placed his hands on Sonia's shoulders and asked, "Who is it?"

Sonia's eyes fixated on an invisible point in space, her gaze focused intently. "This about this..." She shifted her attention back to Nicholas, her tone earnest, "Think about who stands to gain the most from all of this. There's just one person, Nicholas, one individual who would elicit sympathy from others."

Nicholas's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Are you suggesting that Jessica might be involved in this?" The words felt foreign as they left his mouth; he had known Jessica for years, and the idea that she could be involved in such an act s