EPISODE- 2 – STAGE SET

Episode 2 – Stage Set

Just as the officers finished securing the crime scene, Crescencia calmly walked toward her mother and sister-in-law.

"Mom. Sister-in-law."

The moment Esthera saw her, she hurried over and tightly held her shoulders, relief flooding her face.

"Encia... Thank God you're safe!"

Tilting her head slightly, Crescencia smiled.

"Mom, what could have happened to me?"

Before Esthera could answer, Crescencia explained casually,

"I was in the washroom cleaning my dress. During all the pushing and shoving, someone spilt wine on it. Luckily, my dress is dark, so it wasn't very noticeable."

Esthera finally let out a long breath.

"You frightened me. Stay with me from now on."

"Hm."

Standing nearby, Auristella silently glanced between Crescencia, the crowd, and the upper floor. Worry clouded her eyes.

I hope Alexander is alright up there...

Crescencia followed her gaze toward the upper floors, her expression turning cold.

Soon, the terrified atmosphere gradually settled after the police arrived. Although the guests remained anxious, order was slowly restored. Several officers examined the servant girl's body while armed police officers spread throughout the hotel, searching every corner.

Not long afterwards—

Bang!

The unmistakable sound of gunfire echoed from upstairs.

The entire ballroom froze.

Kim Jiu looked toward Crescencia.

"Is this the show you were talking about?"

The corner of Crescencia's lips curled upward.

"Only half of it."

"The rest..."

"...is yet to come."

Kim blinked.

"There's more?"

A sweet smile appeared on Crescencia's face.

"Have you ever watched monkeys dance?"

Kim leaned back in her chair.

"No. But I've heard about it."

A chuckle escaped Crescencia.

"Then let me show you a monkey performance after this."

Kim burst into laughter.

"My friend... you really have many tricks hidden up your sleeves."

Crescencia's smile remained gentle, but her eyes were ice cold.

"Just enough to slap those shameless people pursuing evil."

Her gaze remained fixed on a certain place upstairs.

"Encia."

Auristella walked over.

"Yes, First Sister-in-law?"

"Why don't you go home first? It's not good for you to stay here."

Crescencia shook her head.

"I can't. Today is Clara's big day. After everything that's happened, how could I simply leave?"

Auristella hesitated before asking, "Why did you ask me to change my dress in the middle of the banquet? And why did you ask Caliste to escort the Lopez family's old matriarch?"

Crescencia blinked innocently.

"Grandmother asked me to tell you. She wanted you and Second Sister-in-law to accompany her. Since she's returning to Mountain Valley tonight, she wanted to see you before leaving."

Relief washed over Auristella's face.

She smiled gently and patted Crescencia's head.

"I see."

"Stay here with Jiu. I'll take care of Mom."

"Okay."

Watching Auristella disappear into the crowd, Crescencia's smile slowly deepened.

Suddenly...

A man was dragged into the ballroom by four armed officers.

His mouth was gagged.

His wrists and ankles were tightly bound.

He struggled violently, producing nothing more than muffled groans.

The crowd instantly recognised him.

Runaway criminal John.

A notorious criminal whose crimes ranged from serial murder to cannibalism. He had escaped from West Prison after severely injuring several guards, yet somehow had managed to infiltrate one of the city's most heavily guarded banquets.

Everyone's expressions darkened.

How had such a dangerous criminal entered so easily?

The hotel was packed with servants, guards, and private bodyguards belonging to influential families. It should have been impossible.

Unless...

He had received help from someone inside.

The only question remaining was—

Was his target the Lopez family...

Or one of tonight's guests?

"Encia... Are you alright?"

Someone rushed over anxiously.

Crescencia had just taken another bite of her cake when hurried footsteps approached.

"Encia, you are here?" a familiar voice called anxiously.

She looked up, swallowed the bite in her mouth, and smiled. "Fourth Sister. If I'm not here with everyone, then where should I be?"

Charlotte froze for a moment before forcing a smile. "I... I didn't mean it that way. I was just worried a little."

"Really?" Crescencia tilted her head innocently. "In a situation like this, staying close to family and the people around us is the wisest choice."

Charlotte lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling as though she were about to cry.

"I..thought you would come to...me, to take me, but you..."

Before she could finish, Crescencia let out a soft chuckle with a hint of naivety.

"Fourth Sister, you truly amaze me." Her smile remained gentle, but her words were anything but. "Despite everything that's happened tonight, you don't even have a scratch on you. Yet instead of worrying about the murderer still roaming around, you found the time and energy to run here and question me about why I'm here with everyone and not alone."

The colour drained from Charlotte's face.

Kim Jiu Xyl clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Fourth Sister, as Encia's elder sister, you should be relieved that she's safe. Instead, the first thing you do is accuse her and find fault with her. That's not good conduct of a good elder sister."

Charlotte stiffened with a pale face before hurriedly shaking her head in a flustered manner.

"I-It's not like that. Of course I'm happy she's safe." She forced another smile. "I'll go check on Mom and my first sisters-in-law."

Without waiting for another response, she turned and left with hurried steps.

Kim watched her retreating figure with unconcealed disgust and a questioning gaze.

"Encia... what's wrong with your fourth sister?" she muttered. "She should be worried about you, yet she keeps looking at you like you're some kind of enemy and have done something which you were not supposed to do. Does she not care about you at all?"

''Let me be honest, I used to have a feeling that she treats you a little off, but is it true that she does not care about you?''

Crescencia calmly finished the last bite of her cake before answering in a casual tone, not taking this comment seriously.

"How can that be? We're all siblings."

She glanced toward Charlotte's disappearing figure and let out a quiet laugh.

"Fourth Sister has been under quite a bit of pressure these days. Perhaps she's simply... not thinking very clearly."

Kim narrowed her eyes but said nothing more.

Meanwhile, the medical staff carried away the servant's body as the police recorded statements from every guest. Despite the dignified status of those present, none dared object. With a murderer still at large, no one could be ruled out as a suspect. Whether intentional or not, anyone who had lured a criminal into the mansion would bear responsibility.

Kim leaned closer and whispered, "Where's the next half of the show?"

Crescencia's lips curved upward.

Without answering immediately, she slowly raised three fingers.

Kim followed her gaze.

One finger folded down.

Then another.

Only one remained.

Just then—

"HELP...! SOMEONE...!"

A weak cry echoed from upstairs before abruptly cutting off.

The entire hall fell silent.

Officer Gabriel Briggs immediately looked up toward the second floor, his expression turning grave.

Another incident.

He hurried upstairs with several officers following close behind.

Kim gasped dramatically. "Oh, my God! Another one? Who could those people upstairs be?"

Clara Lopez's expression turned cold.

"Go and bring them out."

Officer Briggs gave a respectful nod. "Miss Lopez, I apologise, but I need to question everyone upstairs first."

"Of course," Clara replied. "Do your job."

After the officer disappeared upstairs, Kim quietly nudged Crescencia.

"You seem awfully relaxed."

A faint smile played on Crescencia's lips.

"Just wait," she whispered.

Kim leaned closer.

"Clara knows?"

Crescencia shook her head.

"Not this part of the show."

Moments later, confused voices drifted downstairs.

"Ah..."

"W-Who are you people?"

Soon, Clara frowned at the trembling young woman wrapped tightly in a quilt.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

The woman looked up nervously facing so many people in front of her.

"My name is Luna... I'm just a service girl. What's happening?"

Before Clara could question her further, another woman's shrill voice filled with anxiety rang through the hallway.

"Oh, my God! My brother was resting here! What happened? I heard someone was committing adultery here. Who is that shameless vixen seducing my brother?"

Crescencia slowly turned her head toward the elegantly dressed woman swaggering into the room.

A knowing smile appeared in her eyes.

Finally...

The last act of the show has begun.

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