Chapter 297
Balfour sat up straight, leaning forward with his hands crossed between his knees, showcasing his serious demeanor. He slowly asked: “Before we proceed, may I ask Ms. Mendoza a few questions?”
Elinor casually responded, “Sure.”
Balfour began his interrogation: “Two nights ago, Ms. Mendoza, you visited the Trent River, correct?”
Elinor nodded. “Yes, I was at the Trent River two nights ago.”
Balfour continued, “May I ask why you went to Trent River, Ms. Mendoza? Were you feeling down and needed to clear your head?”
Elinor frowned. ‘Does my mood have anything to do with the case?”
A glint of meaning flashed in Balfour’s eyes. “Indeed, please don’t dodge my question, Ms. Mendoza. Speak honestly.”
Elinor considered her mood at the time a complex mix of emotions hard to put into words. “I was just bored and wanted a breath of fresh air at the river. Is there a problem?”
Balfour cracked a small smile and said, “That night just so happened to be when my sister returned from overseas. Your husband, Theo, an old friend of Patricia’s, arranged a feast for her at Pearl Moon. You were also at Pearl Moon that night, Ms. Mendoza. You saw it all, right?”
Theo’s eyes narrowed as he slowly sipped his water, watching Elinor’s reaction.
Elinor recalled the scene at Pearl Moon, full of pink tulips, and Patricia jumping out of the gift box and running towards Theo. She unconsciously frowned and fell silent.
“Ms. Mendoza, why aren’t you speaking? Don’t you want to admit you saw the grand and romantic feast your husband prepared for another woman?”
Balfour’s tone was mild, but his words stung.
Elinor felt the gaze of another man on her aside from Balfour.
She pulled herself together and looked at Balfour squarely, saying, “Yes, I was at Pearl Moon that day and saw what you’re talking about.
So what?”
Balfour’s smile disappeared as he abruptly stood up. “So, from that moment on, you considered Patricia your love rival and decided to hire a hitman to harm her, meeting Zachary at the Trent River and bribing him with money! You then informed Zachary about Patricia’s hospitalization immediately, letting him insult Patricia at the hospital in the middle of the night! Ms. Mendoza, am I correct?”
Elinor was taken aback, then lightly laughed, “No, you’re mistaken. I neither had the time nor the money, and I’ve never met this Zachary you’re talking about! Mr. Howard, if you have no substantial evidence and are just interrogating me based on your assumptions, this is not an inquiry but a forceful questioning!”
“Ms. Mendoza, please stay calm; I’ll present the evidence right away.”
With a wave of his hand, Balfour’s secretary handed him a phone.
“Do you remember the internet celebrity who parked in a non–designated area at the Trent River the other night? She was live streaming at the Trent River and accidentally caught you, Ms. Mendoza, meeting with the wrongdoer. The live stream video is right here on this phone!
With video, comes truth!”
