"I mean, how could she have the heart to tell you to drop the case after seeing Ms. Seraphine in that condition?" Zara demanded, her voice rising with anger. She still couldn't believe it was Virema who had persuaded Valessia not to press charges over the poisoning.
Valessia's gaze faltered. "Because she was the one who made and served the cookies Sera ate before she slumped at the bakery…"
Zara's eyes widened, her mouth parting in disbelief. "She was the one who poisoned Ms. Seraphine?" she blurted out, her eyes bulging as if they might leap from their sockets.
"No. Rema would never… never do any harm to me or Sera," Valessia said quickly, her voice firm but trembling at the edges. "Not in a million years. She probably said that because she does not want to get implicated."
"And why would she worry about being implicated if she's innocent?" Zara shot back, her voice sharp with suspicion, unwilling to let the matter slide.
