Chapter 2 - Thirty-Seven Seconds
The pediatrician arrived at the estate twelve minutes later.
Dr. Samuel Greene had treated Leo since infancy, and Adrian trusted him more than almost anyone.
Leo had swallowed some water, but his breathing was stable.
His lungs sounded clear.
His oxygen level was normal.
Dr. Greene still recommended observation for several hours.
Grace refused to leave Leo’s side.
Adrian did not ask her to.
Vivian remained downstairs.
Marcus arrived while the doctor was still examining Leo.
He stood in the hallway outside the nursery.
“We have the footage.”
Adrian looked toward Grace.
She was sitting beside Leo’s crib, holding his hand.
“Play it here.”
Grace turned.
Marcus hesitated.
“Sir, perhaps downstairs would be better.”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice was quiet.
“Grace watches with me.”
Marcus opened his tablet.
Vivian entered the frame at 2:16 p.m.
Leo was toddling beside her.
Grace was nowhere near the pool.
Vivian carried a red plastic ball in one hand.
She rolled it toward the water.
Leo followed.
Grace appeared from the far end of the garden seconds later.
She was carrying folded laundry.
Vivian looked directly toward the camera.
Then she moved closer to Leo.
Grace dropped the laundry.
“Leo!”
The microphone captured her voice.
Vivian reached down.
Her hand touched Leo’s back.
Then she pushed.
Not hard.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
Leo lost his balance.
His small body disappeared into the pool.
Grace screamed.
She ran.
She jumped into the water without removing her shoes.
Vivian did nothing.
For thirty-seven seconds, Vivian stood beside the pool watching Grace fight to keep Leo’s head above water.
Then she began screaming.
Only after Adrian appeared.
Marcus stopped the footage.
Nobody spoke.
Adrian stared at the frozen image.
Vivian’s hand was still extended.
Grace looked down at Leo.
She seemed strangely calm.
Too calm.
Sometimes pain was so complete that there was nowhere left for tears to come from.
Adrian whispered, “Play it again.”
Marcus did.
Adrian watched Vivian roll the ball.
Watched his son follow.
Watched her check the camera.
Watched her hand move.
Watched Grace run.
Watched Grace save Leo.
Again.
“Enough.”
Adrian’s voice cracked.
Marcus lowered the tablet.
Adrian looked at Grace.
“I’m sorry.”
Grace said nothing.
“I should have listened.”
Still nothing.
“I saw him wet and crying, and I panicked.”
Grace finally looked at him.
“You didn’t panic.”
Adrian froze.
“You judged me.”
“Grace.”
“You looked at me like I was dangerous.”
“I was afraid for him.”
“So was I.”
She stood.
“I was the one inside that pool.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
She continued.
“I was the one who saw him disappear under the water.”
“Grace, please.”
“And while I was still shaking from pulling him out, you demanded that I give you your son.”
Adrian remembered his exact words.
He wished he could pull them back.
He could not.
Grace looked at Leo.
“I have loved him every day since he was six months old.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Adrian had no answer.
Marcus shifted near the door.
“There is something else.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“The camera feed was supposed to be disabled today.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“It was scheduled for maintenance.”
“By whom?”
Marcus unlocked another screen.
“The request came from Mrs. Vale’s account.”
Grace looked at him.
Mrs. Vale.
Vivian.
Adrian’s late wife’s older sister.
Vivian had requested that the camera overlooking the pool be switched off.
It should have been blind.
Only it wasn’t.
Marcus explained that a new technician had forgotten to disconnect the backup recorder.
That mistake had saved Grace.
Perhaps Leo too.
Adrian stared at the footage again.
The incident had not been spontaneous.
Vivian had checked the camera because she believed it was off.
She had planned it.
May you like
And suddenly Adrian was no longer wondering whether Vivian had lied.
He was wondering how long she had been planning to destroy Grace.
