"Anything else?" This was getting interesting, Lilah thought.

The man shook his head again, and then a jolt of memory seemed to strike him.

"She picked up the spring-loaded knife and examined it."

"Tess touched the knife?" Lilah leaned forward, eager to absorb every detail.

"Right," the man confirmed. "Then someone called my name. Before leaving, I told her to put the knife back."

Lilah suspected she knew where this was going, but she kept her poker face on. "Didn't you double-check the props in the box when you returned?"

"No," the man replied honestly.

The answer, it seemed, lay within that box. Lilah pondered for a moment before asking, "Can I see the box?"

The man's shoulders slumped slightly. “After Tess' accident, the police took me in before I could finish sorting. I have no idea if anyone's tidied it up since."

"Understood," Lilah said, standing up.

Seeing her about to leave, the man blurted out, “What about me..."

Lilah anticipated his concern. "Don't worry," she assured him. "I'll get you out of this."

"Thank you."

"It's alright." She turned around and exited the interrogation room.

She realized the next clue was on the filming set.

With a renewed sense of purpose, she headed back to the company.

Back in the hospital ward, Tess, having regained some strength after several hours of rest, sat up with a triumphant smirk.

This was going according to plan. All she had to do now was wait for Effie's career to implode before disappearing from the entertainment industry altogether.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed.

Squinting at the caller ID, Tess scanned the room and pressed the answer button, a sly smile playing on her lips.

"Hello?" she chirped.

On the other end, Milly's voice dripped with satisfaction. "Well done, Tess. You exceeded my expectations."

"This time," Tess declared, a hint of smugness creeping into her voice, "I'm absolutely sure Effie will never turn the tables."

Milly expressed her contentment, saying, “Then I'll eagerly await your good news—"