That girl was Mavis’ best friend, Raelyn Conner.

In front of everyone, Raelyn said, “Ms. Lance, I can testify. Mavis was depressed. She’d talked about hurting herself before.”

Her words made my body turn stiff.

I was in disbelief. It took me a long moment to regain my senses.

I stared at Raelyn. Her expression held a trace of evasiveness. My chest tightened with a sharp, suffocating pain.

How could Mavis’ best friend stand here and give false testimony? Raelyn often came to my home for meals and shared a bed with Mavis to talk about everything.

Just the day before the incident, Mavis had excitedly told me she and Raelyn had gotten into the same university. They had already made plans to visit Bencraft Castle and try the local pizza in Nexopolis once the semester began.

Mavis had sounded excited when she told me this. How could a person who looked so cheerful suffer from depression and have suicidal thoughts?

“Raelyn,” I said as my hands were trembling, but I tried to keep calm.

“Look at me and tell me the truth. When did Mavis ever say she was depressed? Did she ever see a therapist? Do you have any proof?”

Raelyn averted my gaze. She said in a soft voice, “Before the SATs, Mavis was scared she wouldn’t get into a university in Nexopolis. She was worried she’d disappoint you. She said the pressure was too much, and that life felt pointless.”

“Nonsense!”

I abruptly raised my voice and cut Raelyn off.

“Mavis was a straight-A student. Getting into a university in Nexopolis was everything to her. Why would she stress over it? You’re lying! Who put you up to this? The murderer? Mr. Elkin? Or maybe...”

I paused. I shifted my gaze to Gabriel and asked, “My wonderful mentor?”

Raelyn shook her head and pulled an envelope from her pocket.

She opened it and took out a piece of paper.

“Ms. Lance, no one forced me. Mavis really did take her own life. Here’s her note.”

Raelyn unfolded Mavis’ note and held it up close to the camera for me to see.

[Mom, I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.]

My heart ached as I stared fixedly at the note.

The handwriting on the note was indeed Mavis’, and the police had verified it.

For a moment, I wavered.

Was Mavis truly depressed? Did she really take her own life? Had I failed to notice she was mentally ill?

In my dazed state, I saw one sentence within the note.

That single sentence made me finally understand why Mavis’ death had been ruled a suicide.