Chapter 4 - Colton’s Plan
Colton heard his parents arguing three nights before Christmas.
He sat on the stairs while Trevor told Elena that she was becoming unstable.
“You are turning our children against me,” Trevor said.
“I’m protecting them.”
“From what?”
“From the people teaching them that silence is safer than honesty.”
Trevor lowered his voice.
“You have no evidence.”
“Maybe I’ll find some.”
Colton returned to his room before they saw him.
He understood one thing clearly.
His mother needed proof.
The next afternoon, Judith called Elena and demanded that Colton come to the villa to help prepare the entertainment system.
Elena initially refused.
Trevor overruled her.
“He will be with me,” he said. “Stop treating Mother like a criminal.”
Elena considered following them but feared that open resistance would make Trevor more cautious.
Before Colton left, she knelt beside him.
“You do not have to search for anything.”
“I know.”
“You do not have to be brave for me.”
“I know.”
“If anyone makes you uncomfortable, call me immediately.”
Colton hugged her.
At the villa, Trevor disappeared into the library with Judith.
Colton was told to organize cables in the adjoining sitting room.
He carried his tablet with him.
Earlier that year, Elena had installed a simple recording application so he could make videos for school assignments.
Colton placed the tablet inside an empty shelf, aiming the camera through a gap between books.
Then he returned to the sitting room.
The recording captured nearly twenty minutes.
Judith spoke about replacing the final page of Margaret’s will.
She admitted that the loan agreement had been created after Margaret died and backdated.
She told Trevor that the original documents remained inside the blue archive box because she had been afraid to destroy them while Judge Alden was investigating the estate.
Trevor insisted they burn everything after Christmas dinner.
Then Judith said something worse.
“If Elena continues questioning you, take the children and have a doctor declare her emotionally unstable. Grieving women are easy to discredit.”
Trevor did not object.
He only asked, “What doctor?”
Colton covered his mouth to stop himself from making a sound.
When Judith and Trevor left the library, Colton retrieved the tablet.
But Judith returned unexpectedly.
He barely had time to slide it beneath his sweater.
She noticed his nervous expression.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
Judith searched the shelves and found the recording application open on a second device Colton had accidentally left connected to the television.
She realized what had happened.
Colton ran.
He reached the hallway before Judith caught his arm.
“Give it to me.”
He clutched the tablet against his chest.
Trevor appeared at the end of the corridor.
“What is going on?”
“Your son recorded us.”
Trevor’s face hardened.
He took the tablet from Colton.
“You will never do this again.”
“Mom deserves to know.”
Trevor deleted the video.
At least, he believed he did.
Colton’s school account automatically backed up every recording to cloud storage.
He said nothing.
That night, after returning home, he downloaded the file onto the villa entertainment system using the remote access account Judith had asked him to set up.
He named the file Christmas Project.
May you like
Then he hid the silver remote inside the side table beside the dining room.
All he needed was one chance to play it.
