Chapter 254 Key Evidence
Six years ago, at the homecoming banquet.
Vesper had already returned to the Elikin family and quickly grew accustomed to the privileged life of the wealthy.
However, the suffering she had endured for the first twenty years of her life had twisted her psyche.
The thought that all of it was a consequence of her and Candice's switched identities festered, breeding a deep-seated hatred for the girl who had lived her life.
When she approached Candice, Vesper lowered her voice to a venomous whisper. "So, this is the life you've been living for the past twenty years. But do you have any idea what my life was like?"
At that moment, Candice was oblivious to the scheme being woven around her.
She understood that Vesper's hardships were the result of the Elikin family's mistake at their birth, and she felt a sliver of compassion for her.
Yet, she couldn't comprehend why Vesper was choosing to unload this on her now.
After Vesper finished speaking, Candice paused, a flicker of confusion in her eyes, before nodding. "I have some idea. But the switch... it wasn't my choice."
"Yes, not your choice," Vesper echoed, her lips stretching into a smile that failed to mask the contorted malice in her expression.
"Do you think saying that absolves you of everything? A wrong is a wrong, Candice. You made me suffer for so long, and that is a debt you owe me."
Candice's brow furrowed. She chose not to argue, instead asking calmly, "Then what do you want from me?"
"I want you to pay me back, of course," Vesper said, her smile widening. "As for how, you've enjoyed so many years of fortune, Candice. It's time you had a taste of misery. It will make your life complete, don't you think? I want your reputation utterly destroyed."
As the last word fell, Vesper suddenly grabbed Candice's hand and forced it onto her own shoulder.
Before Candice could react, Vesper threw herself backward. The enormous splash drew the attention of countless guests, and the sight of Vesper in the water instantly created a sensation.
Uma paused her retelling there. "What happened next, Mr. Obelon, you probably already know. Ms. Vesper Elikin publicly accused Ms. Candice Elikin, claiming she was pushed into the water. Everyone began to condemn Ms. Candice, calling her vicious and heartless, suggesting she couldn't stand the real heiress's return and wanted to silence her for good. The Elikin family was no exception."
Brandon's face had grown dangerously dark. "If you knew the truth, why didn't you speak up at the time?"
Uma shook her head. "My wording just now was imprecise. I said we saw the dispute, but we saw it on the security footage, not in person."
"What does that mean?" Knox asked, his confusion evident.
"The day after Ms. Candice Elikin was framed," Uma explained, "my mother and I were organizing things in a storage room when we accidentally overheard the Elikin family—all three of them—reviewing the security footage."
"The recording was clear, showing what happened. But because there were so many people at the party that day, and they were far from the camera, the audio wasn't distinct. Mrs. Elikin asked Ms. Vesper exactly what she had said to Ms. Candice."
Vesper knew she absolutely could not afford to be cast out by the Elikins.
She had grown accustomed to, and indeed relished, her new life, and she was keenly aware of the guilt the family felt toward her.
So, after confessing the truth, she began a tearful performance, her eyes red as she feigned remorse. "Dad, Mom, I just felt it was so unfair. I suffered so much growing up, and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have had to endure any of it. I suffered in her place, while she bore nothing."
"Because of that, Mrs. Elikin's heart softened," Uma continued. "Then, my mother and I accidentally made a noise, and they discovered us."
"They were clearly unnerved, afraid we would expose the truth and cause Ms. Vesper to be ostracized and despised by high society. So they had us resign and arranged our current positions for us."
Uma left the rest unsaid, but Brandon and Knox didn't need to hear it to understand. The women had undoubtedly been paid for their silence by the Elikin family.
Brandon's expression was now a thunderous mask. Everything was painfully, undeniably clear.
From the very beginning, Candice had been a victim of Vesper's slander, framed and forced to bear the false accusation of attempted murder for more than six years.
"That Vesper is truly vicious, just evil!" Knox couldn't help but curse under his breath. "She resented Ms. Candice, but the initial mix-up was never Ms. Candice's fault. And when the Elikins brought her back, Ms. Candice didn't stand in her way at all. For her to be so malicious, to frame her like that..."
Brandon closed his eyes and drew a long, steadying breath, fighting to control the storm of emotions raging within him. The thought of all the suffering Candice had endured sent a dense, sharp pain radiating through his chest. In that moment, the urge to kill Vesper was almost overwhelming.
Knox, however, brought a dose of reality to the situation. "Mr. Obelon, while Echo and her daughter can serve as witnesses, we're still missing the most direct evidence. With only witnesses and no physical proof, clearing Ms. Candice's name will be difficult. The Elikin family could easily turn this around and claim we bribed them."
Brandon knew this was true. He turned his gaze to the two women. "Do you know what happened to that security footage?"
Uma shook her head. "I'm not sure about that. But I would think that if they wanted to leave no loose ends, they would have destroyed it long ago."
Brandon's heart sank. This was his greatest fear.
Suddenly, Echo, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Perhaps... you could ask someone. I have a feeling that the original footage might not have been destroyed."
At her words, a flicker of something shifted in Brandon's eyes. Knox, beside him, couldn't hold back his question. "What do you mean by that?"
Uma looked at her mother, equally puzzled. "Mom, what are you basing that on? Logically, they would have destroyed that kind of footage as soon as possible for their own protection."
Echo flinched slightly at her daughter's questioning, her expression becoming uncertain. Knox, sensing her hesitation, quickly offered encouragement. "It's alright, please tell us. This is incredibly important. Even if there's only a one percent chance, we can't give up. And don't worry, we won't blame you if it turns out to be nothing."
Reassured by Knox's promise, Echo finally continued. "That day, after they discovered us and made us promise to keep quiet, I was leaving down the hallway when I vaguely saw a figure. It looked like Mr. Mason Elikin. If it really was him, then he must have heard the truth as well. That's why I was thinking... maybe he kept the footage?"
Brandon frowned slightly. "Why would you think Mason would keep it?"
Knox was also skeptical. "Right. Vesper is Mason's own granddaughter. Shouldn't the Elikin family all be on the same side?"
"It's not like that!" Echo explained immediately. "Mr. Mason Elikin was actually very fond of Ms. Candice. When the incident happened, he was the one who stood up to defend her against all the accusations."
"But the situation was too chaotic, there was too much shouting, and Mr. Mason was dragged back into the house by Mrs. Tamsin Elikin and a few of the maids. That's why he couldn't protect Ms. Candice."
"Over the years, even though I've been working for another family, I've kept in touch with my old colleagues from the Elikin estate. I often hear that Mr. Mason keeps a photo of Ms. Candice hidden in his bedroom drawer. He secretly looks at it, his eyes full of nostalgia."
Echo paused for a moment before adding, "Perhaps I can ask one of my old friends to look for any trace of that security footage while they're cleaning Mr. Mason's room."
A wistful look crossed her face. "To be honest, back when I worked for the Elikins, I went through a period of poor health, with constant back pain."
"Ms. Candice, though she had just started her medical studies, was kind enough to consult her professor for me and brought me medicine."
"I never believed she could do something like that. It's a shame that people in our position have no voice. This has weighed on my heart for so many years. If I can help in some small way now, I would be very happy to."
A new resolve settled in Brandon. "If that's the case, I would be grateful if you could ask your friend to investigate. But it must be someone you trust completely. You understand what I mean?"
"Don't worry, sir," Echo affirmed. "I understand perfectly."