Chapter 7: The Truth Behind the Accident
For several seconds, I couldn’t understand the words Vanessa had just spoken.
The abandoned warehouse.
The hidden room.
The files my wife left behind.
None of it mattered anymore.
Because Vanessa had just blamed my six-year-old daughter for her own mother’s death.
I stepped forward.
“Say that again.””
Vanessa didn’t flinch.
“She was the reason your wife got involved.””
My hands curled into fists.
“Don’t you dare talk about my daughter like that.””
Vanessa sighed.
“You still don’t understand.””
“No. I understand perfectly.””
I held up the file.
“I understand that you lied to me.””
Her expression hardened.
“I never lied about loving you.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“Your wedding ended because I found my daughter crying in a torn dress while you threatened her.””
“That was complicated.””
“No. It wasn’t.””
I pointed at the hidden room.
“This was planned.””
For the first time, Vanessa looked uncomfortable.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You don’t know what your wife was involved in.””
“My wife was a good person.””
Vanessa looked away.
“She was.””
The answer surprised me.
I expected anger.
Denial.
But instead, Vanessa sounded almost sad.
That made me even more suspicious.
“What happened between you two?””
She stayed silent.
Then she walked toward the files.
I blocked her.
“Don’t touch anything.””
“You think I came here to destroy evidence?””
“What else would you come here for?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“To stop you from making the same mistake she did.””
I stared at her.
“What mistake?””
She reached into her purse and pulled out a photograph.
She handed it to me.
It was my wife.
Holding baby Lily.
But behind them was another person.
A man I didn’t recognize.
“Who is he?””
Vanessa’s eyes stayed on the picture.
“The man who wanted Lily gone.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“Because Lily was connected to something he spent years hiding.””
I shook my head.
“This makes no sense.””
“It will.””
She looked at me.
“But you need to understand something first.””
“What?””
“Your wife wasn’t killed because of a random accident.””
The room became silent.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“You said you knew.””
Vanessa nodded.
“I knew the truth.””
“And you said nothing?””
Her face changed.
“I was afraid.””
I stared at her.
“Afraid of what?””
Before she could answer, headlights flashed through the broken windows.
Someone had arrived.
Vanessa looked toward the entrance.
Her face went pale.
“They found us.””
“Who?””
She grabbed my arm.
“We have to leave.””
I pulled away.
“You don’t get to give me orders.””
“Ethan, listen to me.””
Her voice cracked.
Not angry.
Terrified.
“If they find Lily, you won’t get another chance.””
My blood ran cold.
“You know where Lily is?””
“No.””
“Then why did you say that?””
Vanessa looked at the files.
“Because they already know about her.””
The warehouse door suddenly slammed open.
A man stepped inside.
Tall.
Dark coat.
Calm expression.
He looked directly at me.
Then at Vanessa.
“You were supposed to handle this.””
Vanessa stepped back.
“I tried.””
The man’s eyes moved to me.
“And now Ethan knows.””
I didn’t know who he was.
But I knew one thing.
He was the reason Vanessa was afraid.
The man smiled.
“Six years ago, your wife thought she could hide the truth.””
He took another step.
“She was wrong.””
I tightened my grip on the file.
“What do you want?””
His smile disappeared.
“What your wife protected.””
May you like
He looked toward me.
“Your daughter.””
