She Outshines 296


    Athena túrned to Adele, her expression thoughtful. “You’re absolutely right. Solving a case is a


    serious and meticulous task. No matter how agreeable, reasonable, or logical the analysis might be,


    there must be solid evidence to prove someone is the murderer. In Mrs. Graham’s case, neither Mr.


    Graham nor I found any concrete evidence.”


    Adele’s voice was slightly choked. “In that case, why did you say such a thing? I’m almost eighty


    years old. It’s cruel of you to say that about me…”


    “However, we will find a way to find evidence,” Athena interrupted her. “If we fail, we will make you


    hand it over.”


    The people present were shocked, not knowing what that meant


    Adele shook her head. “How can I hand over the so–called evidence for something I didn’t do?”


    Athena said, “The most important evidence that can prove that you’re the real murderer is the


    anonymous phone that you your hands.” sent messages to Mr. Graham’s many lovers back then, as


    well as the phone that Mrs. Graham used at that time. The former has probably been destroyed by


    you. Thetter was used to send a message some time ago. It should still be in


    She continued, “Speaking of Mrs. Graham’s phone, there’s something I think I need to rify.”


    “On the night of the murder, Mrs. Graham received a phone call just seconds before the lights went


    out. The moment she answered, her expression shifted dramatically. She nced around nervously,


    and then the lights plunged into darkness. Then she slipped away from the crowd and headed to the


    rooftop.”


    Athena’s gaze sharpened as she slowly scanned the crowd. “What could make a mother who loved


    her child to leave when her child was blowing the candle?


    “That night, Mr. Graham’s many lovers deliberately provoked Mrs. Graham’s actions. I guess that


    the phone call Mrs. Graham received probably told her that someone was having a date with Mr.


    Graham on the roof and asked her to check it if she didn’t believe it.


    Athena’s eyes were locked onto Adele’s face. “Mrs. Graham already knew who Mr. Graham was. So


    why was she so agitated by his secret rendezvous with his lover? She didn’t even seem to care that


    her son was blowing out his birthday candles. She insisted on heading to the rooftop to investigate!”


    Everyone knew the answer.


    Adele had watched Maggie be born and raised. She had even followed Maggie to Graham family.


    Maggie had practically lived with Adele all her life.


    Adele was one of the most important people in Maggie’s life.


    In addition, Adele was not only extremely conservative and self–disciplined, but she was also more


    than ten years older than Nics. No one would have thought that she had an affair with Nics.


    Maggie must have been surprised to know this too.


    On the night of the murder, Maggie, feeling tipsy, suddenly received a call informing her that Adele


    was having a rendezvous with her husband on the rooftop. Panic surged through her, and without a


    moment’s hesitation, she dashed out of the hall and ran to the roof to see for herself.


    No other woman would have been enough to lure Maggie away


    Everyone looked at Adele with vignce, shocked by her ruthlessness.


    Adele did not say anything. She only gripped her knees tightly with both hands, her body trembling


    uncontrobly. “I, I didn’t…”


    “I assume you were on the roof at that time. Perhaps you set up a small mechanism or took direct


    action, which caused Mrs. Graham to experience a severe shock and fall from the edge,” Athena


    continued. “At around sixty years old, you lived afortable life and prioritized your health. You


    didn’t have to worry about men, children, or even distant rtives and friends. Your physical


    condition was well–maintained, allowing you to easily move between the third floor and the rooftop.


    When Mrs. Graham fell, her phone may havended on the roof or been taken by you. You could


    have quickly grabbed her phone and hidden it somewhere no one would ever find it.”


    The Graham siblings had not been able to find their mother’s phone. However, they could not bear


    to cancel their mother’s phone number. They had been charging the phone, hoping to receive a call


    from their mother one day.


    “These are just your guesses,” Adele said in a trembling voice. “Are you trying to… create some


    fake evidence to frame me?”


    People were stunned for a moment before nodding secretly. With Matthew’s wealth and ability, it


    was not difficult to create witnesses or evidence, send Adele to jail, or even make hermit


    suicide.


    “Mr. Graham and I will not do such a thing,” Athena said calmly. If you are the real murderer, we will


    definitely be able to find evidence. If not, it can only mean that there is a problem with our analysis


    and investigation.”


    Farrah could not take it anymore. “Aren’t you talking nonsense?”


    Athena nced at her indifferently. “Ms. Johnson, you have plenty of time. You have more free time


    than everyone here, so why are you in a hurry?”


    Adele looked calm when she was publicly dissected and executed, but in fact, she must be sitting on


    pins and needles. Her heart was tormented.


    こちと


    Farrah was deliberately stalling for time so that Adele would suffer this formless torture.


    Farrah’s lips twitched and she suppressed her anger.


    Athena continued to stare at Adele. “Since we couldn’t find any evidence, we had to lure you to tell


    the truth. In fact, you have confessed your crimes


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Nics’s family were all confused.


    Adele’s expression changed rapidly.


    Then, she seemed to have thought of something and gasped softly. She raised her hand to cover


    her chest, and her breathing became rapid.


    A cold smile appeared on Athena’s face. “You understand now, right?”


    Nics sighed and said, “Miss Donovan, please tell me the truth and let me know what happened to


    Maggie.”


    Athena opened her palm, showed a small recording pen, and pressed the button.


    Adele’s old and slightly sorrowful voice came from the recording pen.


    “Mydy, I know you died with a grievance, but I had no choice. I’ve never thought of snatching your


    husband from you, let alone having anything shameful with him. I just want to maintain our life. With


    you, sir, and the two children. We could have lived peacefully and forever as a family of five.”


    People there were horrified when they heard that. It sounded like Adele treated Nics as her


    husband, Matthew as her child, and Maggie as her “sister“… Or rather, she treated Maggie as her


    incarnation or clone. That was insane.


    Adele’s voice continued, “But why are you dissatisfied with your life? You were born with everything:


    beauty, talent, a loving family, and a good education. Your family cared for you, and you had plenty


    of friends. Many men pursued and admired you, and you could easily get whatever you wanted. But


    I have nothing. I’ve done everything I can to get what I have, yet you can take it away at any


    moment. This family is all I’ve got. If you divorce, our family won’t be whole anymore, and I won’t be


    Mon,