Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a young girl named Cinderella. She lived with her wicked stepmother and two stepsisters, whose sole occupation in life seemed to be the act of tormenting Cinderella through every second of her existence. Her life seemingly just encompassed washing dishes, cooking, cleaning and toiling away from day to day.
One fateful evening, as the kingdom buzzed with excitement for the much awaited Grand Royal ball, Cindrella rushed around the house trying to complete her work as soon as possible. Her stepmother had not come for breakfast that morning and hence she decided to give her stepmother breakfast in bed to try and get in her better books. She knocked twice but there was no reply. Tentatively pushing the door open; afraid of being castigated, she stepped inside the room to find it seemingly deserted. She walked across the room, half expecting her step mother to jump out of the shadows; when a thin strand of blue fabric draped on the floor, disappearing under the bed. She had washed and wrung it far too many times to not recognize it as being a part of none other than her stepmother’s wardrobe.
“Step mother?”, she said, inching closer to the bed, apprehension quickening her breath. Something was definitely awry, and as she knelt by the bed, ready to raise the bed sheets that held the answer to her unease; she noticed a faint rivulet of crimson oozing into the starched bed sheets. Taking a deep breath, she raised the sheets to uncloak the truth.
The house resounded in a high pitched scream as the lifeless eyes of her stepmother stared into the depths of her soul.
***
A very shaky Cinderella had explained the situation to horrified servants and neighbours, all of whom were now a part of the ever growing list of suspects.
News of the murder reached the Prince. Determined to uncover the truth, the Prince summoned a renowned detective to aid in the investigation. Cinderella, despite her mistreatment, possessed a keen mind and a strong sense of justice and did all she could to aid the investigation; from debunking rumours to listing alibis.
The detective appreciated her work exclaimed, “Amazing job Cindrella. You have a knack for solving mysteries. After all of this is over I would request you to consider joining as my assistant. Please go and check your mother's room. You might find something there.”
Cinderella replied, “Thank you Sir, you are too kind.”, her cheeks reddening.
She then proceeded to go through her stepmother's personal belongings together, taking time to examine each individual item with deliberate scrutiny. In the process of doing so, she discovered a hidden compartment in a jewellery box.
She exclaimed, “What is this I find here? It seems hollow: there must be more inside”
Inside, she found a secret letter, revealing that her stepmother was involved in a dangerous plot to overthrow the king. This revelation deepened the mystery surrounding her murder.
Together with the detective, Cinderella embarked on a quest to unravel the truth. They interviewed the household staff, including the conniving head housekeeper and the envious kitchen maid, who all had reasons to resent the stepmother. Cinderella's stepsisters, who were driven by jealousy and envy, became prime suspects as well.
As Cindrella was walking around the palace, her head buried in her book trying to find something to connect the dots with the last piece of information, she crashed into a tapestry. They tapestry flung away and there stood a dark dusty corridor. Cinderella had uncovered a series of hidden passages within the castle. These secret corridors revealed a dark underworld where secret meetings and clandestine deals took place. It became evident that the murder was not a random act, but a result of the stepmother's involvement in a treacherous conspiracy.
As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Cinderella and the detective uncovered more clues, piecing together the puzzle of her stepmother's murder. She went back to her stepmother's room to see if she had missed anything and over there under the box, in the tiniest font ever there it was written Kane. Kane was one of the last of the ancient noble bloodlines; and although the current estate was barely a fraction of what it once was; the name was still well reputed across town. That meant that the jewellery box had been given to her by someone from that family for this particular purpose. Their investigation further led them to a powerful nobleman, who had once been involved with Cinderella's stepmother in the plot against the king. His name was Andrew Kane.
Cinderella confronted the nobleman at the stroke of midnight, just as the castle's clock chimed. The nobleman, cornered and desperate, confessed to the murder, revealing that he had killed Cinderella's stepmother to ensure her silence about their past deeds. Andrew said, “I could not afford a leak and the Prince was this close to uncovering the truth. You must know that your mother was a scaredy cat. One threat and she would have blabbered everything out. I only did what was necessary to maintain my integrity in society.”
With the mystery solved and the true culprit captured, Cinderella's wicked stepmother's dark secret was exposed, clearing her name of any involvement in the conspiracy. The Prince, impressed by Cinderella's courage and intellect, offered her protection and a chance to start anew.
Cinderella's kindness and bravery had not gone unnoticed by the Prince. He helped Cinderella start her own detective company and she became a private investigator. Cinderella was overflowing with gratitude for the Prince's compassion and understanding. They became the best of friends and helped each other through their highs and lows.
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