He vividly recalled being by his motherâs side when she fell ill.
It was cancer, a tangible ailment that contradicted any notion of madness.
Furthermore, his mother had been aware of Valerie and her motherâs existence since Valerieâs birth.
She understood her husband well enough to know that he was philandering and she couldnât control him in any way.
Moreover, his mother, driven by a strong career focus, prioritized avoiding the complications of divorce and property division.
Consequently, she chose to turn a blind eye to his fatherâs affairs, feigning ignorance to maintain stability.
And Valerie, still a child at the time, couldnât have orchestrated such a scheme.
After much contemplation, Graham reached a troubling conclusion.
With deliberate intent, Valerie exploited his motherâs death as a pretext to lure Lucinda into the villa, attempting to perish alongside her.
Even after the failed attempt, she resorted to gunfire, fully aware that it wouldnât succeed in killing Lucinda and that her true motives would inevitably come to light.
Was her aim to repay his kindness and help mend the strained relationship between him and Lucinda?
Or was her actions driven by guilt over his mistreatment by Lucinda just a few days prior?
Perhaps the only way to uncover the truth was to confront Valerie face-to-face.
However, Lucinda was adamant about preventing private meetings between him and Valerie.
If she discovered Grahamâs intentions, it could lead to further misunderstandings between them.
Graham hesitated, pondering whether he should disclose the truth to Lucinda or not.
As anxiety gripped him, Violeta entered the room and settled beside him.
âDid something happen between you and Lucinda? She seemed upset when she left,â she inquired.
Graham shook his head, grappling with the dryness in his throat as he struggled to speak.
âI simply wanted to inquire about what Valerie had said to her on the island.
Moreover, I wished to share something left by our mother with her.
However, she misconstrued my intentions, believing I intended to intercede for Valerie, and thus, she became upset.
â
âWhat?â Violetaâs eyes widened in disbelief.
âWhy not clarify things with her? Lucinda is sensitive to the fact that youâve assisted Valerie in the past.
Since you didnât explain things to her, the misunderstanding between the two of you will only deepen.
â
A cough escaped Grahamâs throat, and a pallor swept over his face.
It wasnât reluctance that held him back but the irreversibility of Lucindaâs conviction.
He had no opportunity to explain, not after Lucinda had shown him Valerieâs damning confession.
Violeta sighed heavily, her words tinged with empathy.
âBuilding a rapport with Lucinda hasnât been easy for you.
She seemed willing to forgive after you took a bullet for her that day.
But now, it feels like all that effort has been in vain again.
â
After a brief pause, Graham silently passed the statements provided by Valerie to Violeta.
âValerie claimed that she was responsible for my motherâs death and deliberately provoked Lucinda.
However, I am convinced that Valerie never had the opportunity to harm Lucinda.
The final gunshot on the island was meant to help me.
â
His words tumbling out, Graham broke into another fit of cough before managing to continue, âDarling, do you think I should tell Lucinda the truth?â
Violeta weighed the situation with a serious demeanor.
âLucindaâs feelings toward you are strained.
If you defend Valerie, she may not believe youâre being truthful.
Instead, she might perceive it as a deliberate attempt to aid Valerie.
She could even suspect collusion between you two on the island, casting doubt on the authenticity of the gunshot you received.
â