CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: No Evidence To Prove My Innocence

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: No Evidence To Prove My Innocence.

ELENA'S POV 

I didn't wait for the sun to rise before I left the hotel to begin my search for evidence. I couldn't remember the name of the hotel, but luckily, it was on the internet when I searched for Lucas Vance's name.

As I boarded a cab to the hotel, I had the strangest premonition that someone was following me but when I turned around to look, there was no one. It must all be in my imagination…

I finally arrived at the hotel and paid the driver before getting off as I walked into the brightly lit hotel. My heart pounded in my chest as I walked up to the receptionist and she greeted me with a smile on her face.

“What room will you be booking with us this morning?” She asked but before I could answer, her eyes widened in shock as she pointed at me, causing my heart rate to spike in shock.

“It's you, it's you!” She said and I stumbled backward as panic and anxiety started to take over me. How did they recognize me? I looked different, right?

“You're Elena Vance, right? Damien Vance's wife. It's you right?” She asked and my heartbeat slowly calmed down as I patted my chest in relief.

Damn, she nearly had me dead.

“Yes, that's me,” I replied with a smile and she giggled excitedly as she took out her phone, holding it up to me with a pleading expression.

“Can I please get a picture with you? No one will believe me if I say I met with you.” She said and I realized it was a perfect opportunity to get what I wanted.

“Of course… but I need your help. If you can help me, I'll take as many pictures as you want and even help you take one with my husband and me.” I offered and her eyes widened as bliss took over her, causing her to jump in excitement.

“Whatever you need, as long as I can do it, I will.” She replied enthusiastically and I smiled happily as I leaned closer to her.

“I need you to help me with the CCTV footage from ten years ago,” I whispered and her eyes widened as she shook her head profusely.

“I don't think I can do that… no one was allowed to talk about that incident. I could get fired.” She replied with a panicked expression and my brows creased in confusion.

This means that the owner of this hotel knew something as well… he covered up the whole incident and made sure no one talked about it. 

“Listen to me, I just want to investigate my husband's brother's case. I'll reward you very well and if you truly get fired, I'll reserve a spot for you at my husband's company. This is a promise I'm making to you.” I said to reassure her but she still looked scared as she shook her head in denial.

“I can't… this case has been closed for the past ten years and the killer is already in prison. Why are you suddenly digging up the past?” She asked with a skeptical expression and a frustrated sigh escaped my lips.

“Something just wasn't right… I've met this girl a couple of times and she vehemently denied doing such a thing. I just want to be extremely sure we're not leaving any stones unturned, what if she was innocent? Would you be happy to know that you could help her out but didn't? Would you like to live with that guilt?” I asked and I could see the conflicted expression on her face as she played with her fingers.

“If I help you, how am I sure you'll stick to your promises? What if you end up stabbing me in the back for helping you?” She asked warily and I thought of a solution while she stared at me.

“You can take a video of me saying these words. If I don't fulfill my promise, you can use it against me.” I said with confidence and she stared at me for a while before she finally nodded. 

She took out her phone and started to record while I repeated the exact promises I had made to her earlier. She was finally at ease as she led me to the footage room where all the guards were still asleep.

“You have to be quiet.” She whispered as we entered the footage room and I immediately searched the footage of the day Lucas died ten years ago.

To my uttermost surprise, there was nothing. Everything had been wiped out like it never existed. It was all gone.

How could this happen? 

Adrian and Charlotte did not only kill Lucas, they also had assistance from the owner of the hotel to cover up their damn tracks.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” She whispered, her legs bouncing nervously and I shook my head while we left the room.

“Thank you for your help. I owe you one. Here's my number, you can contact me for those promises in the future.” I said as I wrote down my number and walked out of the hotel.

I knew that she could suddenly turn my words against me and try to sabotage me with it. People are that dubious so while I was in the footage room, I cleared the history of me walking into this hotel like it was never there.

I also turned off the cameras for five minutes, giving me enough time to leave the premises before it came back on. That way, if she ever tried to use that video against me, I could easily deny her accusation and claim that it was photoshopped by AI.

There'll be no evidence anyway.

I returned back to the hotel I was lodged in, and when I got to my room, I collapsed on the bed. Every evidence of what happened that night had been erased, how was I supposed to find evidence now?

Was I really going to return to prison?

Then it suddenly hit me hard. There was one place I never thought of checking…

Lucas' house!