Chapter 10 - The Voice Behind the Staircase Door
The officer played the recovered audio through a secure device.
Sienna’s voice came first.
“You moved company money into private accounts.”
Garrick answered sharply.
“You had no right to enter my office.”
“I’m your wife.”
“You are becoming a liability.”
Paper rustled.
Sienna said she would give the statement to the board.
Then Miriam’s voice sounded from somewhere nearby.
“Take the phone from her.”
Everyone in the dining room turned toward Miriam.
She remained frozen in her chair.
On the recording, Sienna asked, “How long have you been standing there?”
Miriam replied, “Long enough to know you are ungrateful.”
Garrick demanded the bank statement.
Sienna refused.
Footsteps moved toward the staircase.
Then Garrick said, “Give it to me before you hurt yourself.”
A struggle followed.
Sienna cried out.
There was a heavy impact.
Then silence.
Garrick’s breathing filled the recording.
Miriam spoke next.
“You pushed too hard.”
“I barely touched her.”
“She’s pregnant.”
“You wanted the statement.”
“I didn’t tell you to throw her down the stairs.”
Sienna’s body went cold.
For three weeks, Miriam had looked her in the eyes and asked whether her shoulder still hurt.
She had sent flowers.
She had chosen the sling that matched Sienna’s dress for Sunday dinner.
And she had been there.
“You left me on the floor,” Sienna said.
Miriam’s lips trembled.
“I called the ambulance.”
“After you removed the statement.”
Miriam could not deny it.
The recording continued.
Garrick wanted to call emergency services immediately.
Miriam stopped him.
She instructed him to move the bank statement, unlock Sienna’s phone, and decide what story they would tell.
Only after several minutes did she call for help.
Those minutes could have cost Sienna her baby.
Evelyn’s calm expression disappeared.
She looked at Miriam with pure contempt.
“You stood over my injured daughter and protected a financial document.”
Miriam’s eyes filled with tears.
“I panicked.”
“No,” Sienna said. “You calculated.”
The officers separated Garrick and Miriam.
Both were informed that they were being detained for questioning.
But before Miriam was escorted from the dining room, she turned toward Sienna.
“There is something you don’t know about Evelyn.”
Garrick smiled faintly.
May you like
Even cornered, they had one final secret.
👉 Miriam claimed Evelyn had once hidden evidence for William Ashford—and Garrick believed that secret could still destroy Sienna’s mother.
