Allegedly

Chapter 8: Cecilia's Secrets

The weight of the night's events settled over the house like a thick fog. After the body had been discovered and the initial shock had passed, Cecilia found herself standing by the window in the living room, staring out into the cold darkness beyond. Her mind was a storm of conflicting emotions-grief, confusion, and something darker, something she wasn't ready to confront just yet.

She wrapped her arms around herself, the chill from outside seeping through the glass. Behind her, the faint murmur of voices carried from the kitchen where Yuthika, Rowan, and Ada were talking in low tones, trying to make sense of the horror they'd all witnessed. But Cecilia was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to listen.

Marcus is dead.

The words still rang in her ears, echoing with an eerie finality. She hadn't been close to him, not really. Marcus had been her mother's lawyer for years, a necessary figure in their lives, especially after Emma's blindness had set in. But Marcus's death wasn't just a personal tragedy-it was something else, something larger. Someone had killed him, and the reasons why were tangled up in the complicated web of their family's life.

Cecilia pressed her hand against the cool window, her thoughts drifting back to the moment she had first met Hui.

It had been nearly five years ago, during a TRWD rescue operation at Eagle Mountain Lake. Cecilia had been on duty with the Tarrant Regional Water District Law Enforcement Division, overseeing the safety of public infrastructure and waterways. That day had started like any other-routine patrols, ensuring the safety of boaters and maintaining the security of the lake's vast water system.

But then, everything had changed in an instant.

The distress call had come through just after noon. A boat had capsized near the deeper waters of the lake, and two people were trapped beneath the surface. Cecilia had responded without hesitation, coordinating the dive team and preparing for an underwater rescue. Time was everything in situations like that-seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

When she arrived at the scene, it was chaos. The wind had picked up, sending whitecaps across the water's surface, and the overturned boat rocked violently in the waves. Cecilia's team worked swiftly, diving into the frigid depths to free the trapped passengers.

That was when she met Hui.

He had been one of the divers on her team, but she hadn't known him well at the time. In the tense, adrenaline-fueled moments of the rescue, they had moved with precision, communicating with short, efficient commands. Hui had been the one to pull the unconscious man from beneath the boat, bringing him to the surface just as Cecilia had pulled the woman to safety.

It wasn't until later-after the emergency had passed and the victims were stable-that she had really noticed him. The quiet intensity in his eyes, the calmness he radiated even in the face of danger. He wasn't like the others. There was something about him that drew her in, and from that day on, they had been inseparable.

The memory of their first meeting was still vivid in her mind, as was the day Hui had proposed.

It had been at the Lakeshore Restaurant on Boat Club Road, a quiet evening overlooking Eagle Mountain Lake. The restaurant had always been a favorite of theirs-secluded, serene, with a perfect view of the water. Hui had waited until the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the lake's surface, before pulling out the small velvet box.

Cecilia had known it was coming, but that didn't make the moment any less special. She had said yes without hesitation, her heart full of love for the man who had stood by her side through everything.

But now, standing in her mother's house, with a murder looming over them, Cecilia couldn't shake the feeling that her life had taken a turn she hadn't expected.

Her thoughts shifted to her mother-Emma-and the ranch. The sprawling property had been in their family for generations, passed down from one generation to the next. But for Cecilia, it had always felt like more of a burden than a blessing. The land, the upkeep, the isolation-it was too much. Her life was in Dallas now, her career with TRWD, and the constant demands of Emma's ranch were becoming more than she could handle.

It had been months since she'd spoken to Emma about selling the property, about moving her mother somewhere smaller, somewhere more manageable. But Emma had resisted at every turn. The ranch was her life, her sanctuary, and even after her blindness had set in, Emma had refused to let go of it.

But now, with Marcus dead-her mother's trusted lawyer-Cecilia saw an opening. If there was ever a time to push for the sale of the property, it was now. Emma wouldn't be able to manage things on her own, and with Marcus gone, the estate would be in flux. Cecilia was her mother's only daughter, the sole heir, and she knew what needed to be done.

Yet, a part of her hesitated. Was this the right time? With a murder investigation looming, would it seem callous to push for the sale now? But then again, wasn't this exactly the kind of situation that made it clear her mother couldn't stay here alone anymore?

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her out of her thoughts. She pulled it out and saw a message from Hui.

Come upstairs. We need to talk.

Cecilia's stomach tightened. She glanced toward the stairs, where Hui had disappeared after the body had been found. He had been acting strange-distant, even more reserved than usual. Something about his reaction to Marcus's death hadn't sat right with her, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Taking a deep breath, Cecilia tucked her phone away and made her way upstairs, her mind racing with unanswered questions.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she found Hui standing near the window of one of the guest rooms, his back to her. The night outside was dark and quiet, the stars obscured by clouds. Hui didn't turn around when she entered the room, but she could feel the tension radiating from him.

"Are you okay?" Cecilia asked quietly, stepping closer.

Hui didn't answer right away. He stared out the window for a long moment before finally speaking, his voice low and tense.

"We need to be careful," he said. "This situation is... complicated."

Cecilia frowned. "What do you mean?"

Hui turned to face her, his expression guarded. "Marcus's death changes things. There are decisions that need to be made-about the property, about your mother. And we need to be smart about how we handle this."

Cecilia crossed her arms, a knot forming in her stomach. "You're talking about selling the ranch."

Hui nodded. "Yes. Marcus was one of the only people standing in the way of that. Now that he's gone, it might be the right time to start pushing for the sale."

Cecilia's heart raced. Part of her had thought the same thing, but hearing Hui say it out loud felt... wrong. "But Marcus was just murdered, Hui. Don't you think we should focus on finding out who did this before we start talking about selling the house?"

Hui's eyes darkened. "The police won't solve this. We need to think about our future, Cecilia. Your mother can't handle this property anymore, and you know it."

Cecilia bit her lip, uncertainty gnawing at her. She had always trusted Hui-he had always been her rock, the person who saw things clearly when she couldn't. But now, standing here in the aftermath of a murder, with so many questions unanswered, she wasn't sure if she could trust his judgment.

"I don't know, Hui," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This feels... wrong."

Hui stepped closer, his hand resting gently on her arm. "We'll get through this, Cecilia. Together. But we need to be smart."

Cecilia nodded slowly, but the doubt lingered in her chest. Something wasn't right. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Marcus's death was only the beginning of a much deeper mystery.