Chapter 3: The Secret Vanessa Buried

I couldn’t move.

The words hung between us.

They’re yours.

For almost a year, I had believed Claire had betrayed me.

For almost a year, I had hated the woman who was carrying my children.

I looked at the two babies.

My children.

My hands shook.

“Why didn’t you tell me?””

Claire held the baby closer.

“I tried.””

“When?””

“The day you signed the divorce papers.””

I remembered that day.

I remembered Claire standing outside the courthouse.

I remembered ignoring her calls.

I remembered Vanessa telling me Claire was only trying to manipulate me.

“She called me a liar,” Claire whispered.

“Who?””

“Vanessa.””

My stomach tightened.

Claire looked exhausted.

“She told me if I contacted you, she would make sure everyone believed the babies weren’t yours.””

I stepped closer.

“What did she have against you?””

Claire gave a sad smile.

“You still don’t understand?””

I said nothing.

She looked down.

“Vanessa wanted your life.””

The sentence was simple.

But it explained everything.

The divorce.

The accusations.

The missing money.

The necklace.

A plan.

A carefully designed plan.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

I looked down.

A message.

From an unknown number.

I opened it.

My blood froze.

It was a photograph.

A picture of Claire and me from years earlier.

Our wedding day.

But someone had written across the image:

*YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO FIND HER.*

I looked at Claire.

She saw my face.

“What happened?””

I showed her the phone.

The color drained from her cheeks.

“She found us.””

“Who?””

Claire didn’t answer.

Because another message arrived.

This time, it included a video.

I pressed play.

The screen showed my old house.

The Bellmere mansion.

The camera angle was from inside my own bedroom.

Someone had been there.

Watching.

Recording.

Then a voice appeared.

A woman’s voice.

Vanessa.

“Adrian always chooses me.””

The video ended.

I stared at the screen.

A cold anger replaced my confusion.

Claire stepped closer.

“She knows you’re here.””

I looked toward the road.

My instincts told me we were no longer alone.

A black sedan slowly passed the gas station.

Then stopped.

The driver didn’t get out.

He just watched.

Claire grabbed my arm.

“Adrian, you need to leave.””

“No.””

“You don’t understand.””

“I understand enough.””

She shook her head.

“No, you don’t.””

Her voice became urgent.

“The necklace wasn’t the only thing Vanessa planted.””

I looked at her.

“What else?””

Claire’s face turned pale.

“The night your mother died…”

She stopped.

The black sedan’s door opened.

A man stepped out.

Claire immediately pulled the babies behind her.

And whispered the words I never expected to hear.

“Adrian…”

“That man was there.””

I looked at the stranger walking toward us.

“Who is he?””

Claire stared at him.

“The person Vanessa hired to make sure I disappeared forever.””

The man kept walking.

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