Chapter 2: The Woman Behind the Smile
I waited until Vanessa left the room before I moved.
The moment the door closed, I stood.
Sophia stared at me.
Her crying stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"Daddy?""
I knelt beside her.
The movement was easy.
Natural.
The same movement I had hidden from everyone for weeks.
She looked down at my legs.
Then back at my face.
"You can walk?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
Her little face filled with confusion.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
That question hurt more than anything Vanessa had done.
Because Sophia deserved the truth.
She deserved to know her father was strong.
She deserved to know she was safe.
But instead, I had played a dangerous game.
"I was trying to find out who really cared about me," I whispered.
Sophia wiped her tears.
"Mommy doesn't care about you.""
The word "Mommy" sounded strange coming from her.
Because Vanessa wasn't her real mother.
Sophia's biological mother had passed away years earlier.
Vanessa entered our lives when Sophia was four.
At first, she seemed perfect.
She brought Sophia dresses.
She helped her with homework.
She held her hand at school events.
Everyone said I was lucky.
But children notice things adults ignore.
I should have listened sooner.
"What else did she do?"" I asked.
Sophia looked nervous.
"She told me not to tell you.""
"Tell me anyway.""
She looked toward the door.
Then whispered.
"Sometimes she puts things in your food too.""
My stomach turned.
"How long?""
"I don't know.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Her eyes filled with tears again.
"Because she said if I told you, she would send me away.""
I pulled her into my arms.
"You should have told me.""
"I'm sorry, Daddy.""
"No.""
I held her tighter.
"Never apologize for trying to save me.""
A small sound came from the hallway.
I immediately looked up.
Someone was standing outside.
The door handle moved slightly.
Sophia froze.
I grabbed her and moved silently.
The door opened.
Vanessa stepped inside.
She smiled.
"What are you two doing?""
I was already back in my wheelchair.
Sophia sat beside me.
The performance continued.
"I was just calming her down," I said.
Vanessa looked at Sophia.
A warning passed between them.
Sophia lowered her eyes.
Vanessa walked closer.
"I'm sorry I lost my temper.""
She reached toward Sophia.
I noticed something.
Sophia flinched before Vanessa even touched her.
That told me everything.
A child doesn't fear someone without a reason.
Vanessa turned back to me.
"You know how emotional children can be.""
I forced a smile.
"Of course.""
She kissed my cheek.
"I love you.""
The words almost made me sick.
After she left, I called my closest security adviser, Marcus.
He arrived within twenty minutes.
When he entered my private office downstairs, he looked shocked.
"Boss... you're standing.""
I closed the door.
"Nobody knows.""
Marcus stared at me.
"What happened?""
I placed the orange juice glass on the table.
"Find out what's inside this.""
His expression changed.
"Vincent...""
"Quietly.""
He nodded.
Then I handed him another item.
A small camera hidden inside my watch.
"I want every recording from this house.""
Marcus looked serious.
"You think she knows?""
"I think she knows exactly what she's doing.""
That night, I watched hours of footage.
Vanessa smiling.
Vanessa pretending.
Vanessa playing the perfect wife.
Then Marcus stopped the video.
"Boss.""
His voice was different.
I looked at the screen.
The footage showed Vanessa entering my room after midnight.
She wasn't carrying medicine.
She wasn't checking on me.
She was searching through my desk.
Then she opened a locked drawer.
My drawer.
And pulled out documents.
I leaned closer.
"What is she looking for?""
Marcus zoomed in.
The paper in her hand became clearer.
My blood went cold.
It wasn't about the money.
It wasn't about my business.
It was a document I had hidden years ago.
A document connected to Sophia.
Then Marcus whispered the words that changed everything.
"Vincent... she's not trying to kill you.""
May you like
He looked at me.
"She's trying to take your daughter.""
