Chapter 3: The Person Behind Vanessa
That night, I didn’t sleep.
I sat in my study with the lights off, watching security footage from the hidden cameras I had installed.
Lily was asleep upstairs.
A security guard was stationed outside her bedroom.
And Vanessa was locked out of my private office.
But I knew that wasn’t enough.
People like Vanessa didn’t give up when they were cornered.
They became more dangerous.
At midnight, my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*You should have stayed in the wheelchair.*
I stared at the screen.
My hands tightened.
Someone knew.
Someone knew everything.
I immediately called my head of security, Marcus.
He answered after one ring.
“Sir?””
“Check every camera recording from the last thirty days.””
“Is something wrong?””
“Someone inside this house is working with Vanessa.””
There was silence.
Then Marcus spoke carefully.
“I’ll start now.””
I looked toward the dark hallway.
“Marcus.””
“Yes, sir?””
“Do not tell anyone.””
“Understood.””
The next morning, Vanessa appeared at breakfast wearing a completely different face.
The victim.
She sat at the table with tears in her eyes.
“I can’t believe you would accuse me after everything.””
I looked at her.
“You tried to inject me with something.””
“No, I tried to help you.””
Lily sat beside me quietly.
Vanessa noticed her.
“You see? Even your daughter is afraid of me now.””
I immediately responded.
“Don’t involve Lily.””
Vanessa placed a hand over her chest.
“I love that child.””
Lily looked down.
“You slapped me.””
Vanessa’s expression hardened for a moment.
Then she recovered.
“I lost control.””
“No,” I said.
“You showed who you are.””
She stood.
“You’re making a huge mistake.””
“Maybe.””
I picked up my coffee.
“But at least now I’m making it while standing.””
Her eyes dropped to my legs.
The anger returned.
“You think walking changes everything?””
“No.””
I looked directly at her.
“But it changes one thing.””
“What?””
“I’m no longer helpless.””
Vanessa smiled faintly.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Understand what?””
“That this house, this company, this entire life you built…”
She paused.
“None of it is as secure as you think.””
Before I could answer, Marcus rushed into the room.
His face was serious.
“Sir.””
I immediately knew something was wrong.
“What did you find?””
He looked at Vanessa.
Then at me.
“I found deleted footage from the night of your accident.””
Vanessa’s face lost color.
I stood slowly.
“What was on it?””
Marcus swallowed.
“A person meeting with the driver before the crash.””
The room became silent.
“Who?””
Marcus hesitated.
Then he placed a photograph on the table.
My eyes moved to the image.
A man standing beside the vehicle.
A man I recognized.
Someone who had been around my family for years.
Someone Vanessa trusted completely.
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Sir…”
I looked at him.
“Say it.””
He pointed at the photograph.
“The person helping Vanessa wasn’t a stranger.””
My heart stopped.
Because the man in the picture was the last person I ever expected.
And when Vanessa saw that I recognized him, she whispered one sentence that changed everything.
“He was never working for me.””
May you like
She smiled.
“He was working for you.””
