Chapter 474

Evelyn wasn't the least bit surprised that Samuel would take Gabrielle's side. Without hesitation, she made her position clear.

"Mister Samuel, here's what happened. An hour ago, Miss Amelia and Miss Gabrielle insisted on going shopping and demanded I watch the child. I refused multiple times, but they wouldn't take no for an answer. I had no choice but to stay in the office while Ethan slept. I never laid a finger on him. As for how he got those injuries, I have no idea."

Amelia sobbed harder in Samuel's arms, clutching her son tightly. "Samuel! It's my fault! I never should've left Ethan with your secretary! I didn't think she'd hurt him like this!"

Gabrielle's face twisted in anger. "Samuel, don't listen to her! The moment we walked in, Ethan came running to us, crying and terrified! If we'd been any later, who knows what else she would've done to him? We should call the police right now—child abuse is a serious crime!"

Samuel ignored Gabrielle's outburst. His piercing gaze locked onto Evelyn. "How do you prove you didn't touch him?"

Still cradling Ethan, Amelia turned her tear-streaked face toward Evelyn, voice trembling. "Evelyn... why? Why would you hurt my child?"

Gabrielle sneered. "Is it because Ethan is Amelia and Nathaniel's child? Are you so jealous that you took it out on an innocent boy?"

Jealous? Evelyn scoffed, ignoring Gabrielle entirely. Instead, she fixed Amelia with a sharp look.

"Funny. Most mothers would rush their injured child to a hospital first, then figure out who hurt them. But you? You're more focused on blaming me than treating his wounds."

Amelia's eyes flickered, a flash of guilt crossing her face before she buried it in Samuel's shoulder. "I'm not blaming anyone! I'm devastated seeing Ethan like this! Samuel, please, get a doctor!"

Gabrielle jumped in. "She's just panicking! Of course she cares about Ethan! We all do! We'll take him to the hospital immediately. Stop trying to twist this—just confess and face the consequences!"

Evelyn barely spared Gabrielle a glance before addressing Samuel again. "You asked for proof, didn't you?"

Samuel's expression remained unreadable. "Do you have any?"

"Yes." Evelyn nodded calmly. "I don't know the first thing about childcare, so I started recording the moment I stepped into your office. My phone has been filming nonstop this entire time."

Amelia stiffened. She recorded everything?

Gabrielle's confidence wavered. What if Ethan's injuries weren't her doing?

Samuel narrowed his eyes. "Where's the video?"

Evelyn gestured toward his desk. "My phone's next to the photo frame. You can stop the recording and watch it yourself. The timestamp will match the surveillance footage at your door—no gaps, no edits. It'll prove I never touched Ethan."

Samuel gave Amelia a reassuring pat before handing her off to Gabrielle. He strode to his desk, picked up the phone, and ended the recording.

He fast-forwarded through the hour-long footage, watching every second of Evelyn's time in the office.

Finally, he returned the phone to Evelyn, his voice firm.

"This has nothing to do with you."