Allegedly

Chapter 13: Confrontation

The atmosphere in the house had shifted, the air heavy with a tension that seemed to seep into every corner. Rowan felt the weight of the gloves in his hand as he walked back from the stables, Ada by his side. His mind raced, trying to make sense of everything—Emma’s confession, Marcus’s murder, and now this strange new clue that seemed to tie everything together.

Dark gloves, coated with fresh grass—the same grass they had found near the window where Marcus’s body had been discovered.

The murder wasn’t just about power or property anymore. Someone in the house had been directly involved, and Rowan was determined to find out who.

He pushed open the door to the main house, stepping into the living room where the others were gathered. The room went quiet as Rowan entered, his face grim, the gloves still clutched in his hand. Cecilia sat on the couch, her arms wrapped around herself, while Hui stood by the window, his expression unreadable. Yuthika was at the table, her fingers nervously playing with a napkin, while Emma sat in her usual chair, silent and withdrawn.

Rowan stopped in the middle of the room, his eyes scanning each of them carefully. He could feel the tension radiating from every corner of the house, as if everyone was waiting for something to snap.

"I found these in the stables," Rowan said, his voice low and cold as he held up the gloves for everyone to see.

Cecilia’s eyes widened, and Yuthika’s hands stilled. Hui turned, his gaze locking onto the gloves, his expression hardening.

"What are you talking about?" Cecilia asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"These gloves," Rowan said, stepping forward, his eyes never leaving theirs. "They were in the trash behind Aithon’s stall. Covered in fresh grass. The same kind of grass that was found near Marcus’s body. The same kind that was tracked into the room through the window."

The room went still. No one spoke for a moment, but the tension in the air was palpable, thick with suspicion and fear.

Hui was the first to break the silence, his voice steady but cold. "You think one of us had something to do with Marcus’s death?"

Rowan’s gaze narrowed, his jaw tightening. "I don’t think this was an accident, Hui. Whoever left these gloves in the stables was involved in the murder. It’s time for the truth."

Cecilia’s face drained of color, her hands trembling as she spoke. "I... I don’t understand. Why would someone kill Marcus? And why are you looking at us like we’re suspects?"

Rowan’s heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his voice calm. "We all know that Marcus wasn’t an innocent man. He was blackmailing Emma, using the ranch as leverage. Someone in this house had a reason to want him dead."

Yuthika stood up slowly, her face pale. "Rowan, are you sure about this? This is serious. You’re accusing one of us of murder."

"I’m not accusing anyone," Rowan said, his voice growing sharper. "But we need to face the facts. Marcus didn’t just die. He was killed. And those gloves are a clue—someone here knows more than they’re letting on."

Emma, who had been sitting quietly in her chair, finally spoke, her voice low but firm. "He’s right." Her blind eyes, though unseeing, seemed to pierce through the room. "Someone in this house wanted Marcus gone. He was a danger to all of us. He would have destroyed everything."

Cecilia stared at her mother, her voice shaky. "What are you saying, Mom? Do you think one of us...?"

Emma turned her head toward the sound of her daughter’s voice, her expression unreadable. "I don’t know. But I do know that Marcus was a threat. He wasn’t just here for the property—he was here to ruin us."

Hui stepped forward, his eyes cold and calculating. "This is absurd. Are we really going to tear each other apart over some old gloves? Marcus is dead. We should be focused on finding out who else might have wanted him gone."

Rowan’s temper flared at Hui’s dismissive tone. "And what if the person responsible is right here? What if it’s not some outsider? These gloves didn’t just appear out of nowhere, Hui. They were hidden. Someone in this house is hiding something."

Hui glared at Rowan, his voice hard. "Are you accusing me, Rowan? Is that what this is about?"

Rowan’s pulse quickened, his fists clenching at his sides. "I’m not accusing anyone yet. But we all know you’ve been pushing to sell the ranch. You’ve been manipulating Cecilia from the start. What else are you willing to do to get what you want?"

Cecilia’s eyes darted between Hui and Rowan, her face pale with shock. "Rowan, stop. Hui had nothing to do with this. He’s been trying to help me. You can’t just throw accusations like that."

Rowan took a step closer to Hui, his voice low and dangerous. "You’ve been playing everyone in this house, Hui. I don’t trust you."

Hui’s eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, it looked as if he might retaliate. But then, a faint smirk crossed his lips, his voice dropping to a mocking tone. "You don’t trust anyone, Rowan. That’s your problem. You’re too wrapped up in your own head to see what’s really going on."

Before Rowan could respond, Ada spoke from the corner of the room, her voice cutting through the tension. "Enough." She stepped forward, her gaze steady and calm, though Rowan could see the worry etched in her eyes. "Fighting each other isn’t going to solve this."

Rowan glanced at her, the intensity of the moment dimming slightly as her words sank in. She was right. Arguing wasn’t going to get them anywhere.

"We need to figure out who the gloves belong to," Ada said, her voice calm but insistent. "Rowan’s right about one thing—someone in this house is hiding something. And until we figure out who, we’re all in danger."

Yuthika nodded slowly, her face filled with concern. "I don’t understand why someone would leave the gloves behind. Why not just get rid of them? Why leave them where they could be found?"

"Maybe they didn’t think anyone would look in the stables," Rowan said. "Or maybe they panicked."

Hui crossed his arms, his expression cold. "Or maybe this whole thing is just a distraction. Someone trying to throw us off."

Rowan’s jaw clenched, his mind racing as he considered the possibilities. Hui’s arrogance was infuriating, but something about the gloves didn’t sit right with him either. Why leave them behind? And why in the stables?

As he stood there, deep in thought, something else clicked in his mind—something Emma had said earlier.

"Emma," Rowan said, turning to her. "You said Marcus was a threat. What exactly did you mean?"

Emma tilted her head slightly, her expression grave. "Marcus wasn’t just here for the money, Rowan. He knew things. Secrets. He was going to use them to destroy us."

Rowan frowned. "What kind of secrets?"

Emma’s face hardened. "Marcus found out about his father’s death. He knew I was responsible. He wanted to blackmail me—to take everything I had left. And he wouldn’t have stopped until I was ruined."

The room fell into a heavy silence. The weight of Emma’s words hung in the air, casting a dark shadow over everything.

"Marcus had enemies," Emma said quietly. "But he also had power. And someone in this house... someone couldn’t let him have that power."

Rowan’s heart raced as the pieces started to fall into place. The gloves, the murder, Marcus’s blackmail—everything was connected. But there was still one missing piece, something that eluded him.

And until they found it, no one in the house was safe.