Your Guise Is Slipping, Miss Pearl

Pearl lifted her chin, making it clear she was there to stand by her best friend.

However, Richard was calm. "What happened?"

"I'm afraid Esther has something to do with Sabrina's accident earlier."

Esther thought back to that morning. She was really upset when she felt Claude didn't trust her. "No, Claude. Why would you think that? I was only trying to help her because it was the right thing to do. But now you're accusing me? That's not fair!"

"You think I'm being unfair? Seems like you'd have the most reason to do something like that."

Claude made a phone call, and soon a man came running over. He looked scared and didn't dare to speak up.

Pearl looked at him closely. He was strong but short, with tanned skin that shone.

Claude introduced him, "This is the guy. Miss Esther, do you know him?"

Esther glanced at him and scoffed. "Who is this? Are you trying to say he saw something?"

The man looked terrified when he heard that. "Miss Esther, you told me to do it, and now you're pretending you don't know me?"

"When did I ever ask you to do anything? Stop trying to paint me as the bad guy!" Esther turned to James, looking very upset. "I didn't do anything. I don't even know him."

James took a moment, then asked the man, "Diego, why are you making up stories about my future wife?"

Diego Avey was really nervous and started talking with a strong accent. "I'm not lying. I did something terrible. pushed Miss Sabrina into the water because I was being greedy. I'm so sorry, Mister James. Please punish me!"

He was so upset that he banged his head on the floor, as if he were admitting his guilt.

"Did you hear that? A witness is testifying against you. What else can you say? You should just admit to what you did." Claude had lost his patience.

"I didn't do it! How many times do I have to repeat myself?" Esther, enraged, approached Diego and grabbed his shirt. "I don't even know you. Tell the truth. Who's making you lie about me?"

"Just own up to it, Miss Esther." Diego looked guilty as he spoke to James and Claude. "I feel awful for lying."

"How can you talk about feeling bad for lying when you're lying right now? What a joke! James, your boatman sure is something," Esther said.

Pearl covered her mouth and couldn't help but laugh. The sound of her laughter was so loud in the quiet hall.

"How did you know he was a

boatman? I didn't say anything about that." Claude became suspicious. Pearl's laughter and knowledge that Diego was a boatman without being told made him think she might be involved in the plot too.

"Don't give me that look, Mister Claude. It's not hard to guess. He's dressed like someone who works on boats, and his skin shows he's

outside a lot. Plus, his accent

suggests he's from the South, right?"Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Pearl grinned at Diego, as if she could see through his mind. It was unsettling for him.

Diego felt even more nervous under Pearl's gaze.