Chapter 5: The Woman Behind the Mask
The detective's words followed me all night.
*The report was filed by your daughter-in-law.*
I couldn't make sense of it.
Danielle had spent months making me believe she was my enemy.
She had pushed me toward anger.
She had set a trap at my birthday party.
So why would she report the fraud herself?
Unless...
Unless there was another layer.
The next morning, I sat at my kitchen table surrounded by papers.
The cake was gone.
The decorations were still hanging.
My birthday had become a crime scene.
Andre sat across from me.
Neither of us had slept.
"Mom.""
I looked up.
"I need to tell you something else.""
I sighed.
"Is there more?""
His face tightened.
"Yes.""
I waited.
"Danielle wasn't the one who introduced Vanessa to us.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Vanessa contacted me first.""
The room went quiet.
"Why?""
Andre looked uncomfortable.
"She said she had worked with Dad before.""
My stomach turned.
"Worked with your father?""
He nodded.
"She said Dad trusted her.""
I looked at Robert's letter.
A horrible thought entered my mind.
"Did your father know Vanessa?""
Andre shook his head.
"I thought he did.""
I stood.
"No.""
I walked to the folder.
"Robert wrote that someone I trusted was helping Danielle.""
I looked at the forged document.
"Maybe Vanessa wasn't helping Danielle.""
Andre looked at me.
"Then who?""
Before I could answer, there was a knock at the door.
Both of us froze.
Andre walked toward it.
I stopped him.
"Wait.""
After everything that happened, I trusted nobody.
He looked through the window.
"It's Rebecca.""
I opened the door.
The woman standing outside looked older than I remembered.
But her eyes were the same.
Kind.
Tired.
"I'm sorry I came without warning," Rebecca said.
I stepped aside.
"Come in.""
She entered slowly.
Her eyes moved around the house.
Then she looked toward Robert's office.
"He really did leave it.""
I stared at her.
"You knew?""
Rebecca nodded.
"I helped him hide it.""
Andre looked shocked.
"You knew about the folder?""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell us?""
She looked at him sadly.
"Because I promised your father I would only reveal it if your mother was in danger.""
Andre looked down.
The guilt returned to his face.
Rebecca placed a small envelope on the table.
"This is why I came.""
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
My breath caught.
It showed Danielle.
Standing outside a building.
With a man I didn't recognize.
Rebecca pointed.
"That man is the reason I contacted you.""
"Who is he?""
She hesitated.
"Your husband's business partner.""
I frowned.
"Robert never had a business partner.""
Rebecca looked at Andre.
"That's what he wanted everyone to believe.""
My son stepped back.
"What?""
Rebecca sat down.
"Before Robert died, he discovered money was missing from one of his accounts.""
I stared.
"How much?""
"Almost two hundred thousand dollars.""
Andre looked horrified.
"Who took it?""
Rebecca pointed at the photograph.
"That man.""
I looked closer.
The man's face seemed familiar.
Then I remembered.
A name from years ago.
"Thomas.""
Rebecca nodded.
"You know him?""
"He worked with Robert twenty years ago.""
Andre looked confused.
"Why would Danielle be meeting him?""
Rebecca didn't answer.
Because she didn't need to.
The implication was clear.
A knock interrupted us.
Again.
This time, nobody moved.
Then a voice came from outside.
"Margaret?""
I knew that voice.
Danielle.
Andre looked at me.
"What is she doing here?""
I didn't answer.
Because something felt wrong.
Danielle never arrived without a plan.
I opened the door halfway.
She stood there holding a folder.
No makeup.
No smile.
For the first time, she looked scared.
"Margaret, I need your help.""
I almost laughed.
"After everything?""
She looked past me.
At Rebecca.
Then back at me.
"Please.""
Andre stepped forward.
"You have some nerve.""
She ignored him.
"I know what you're about to discover.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Meaning?""
She handed me the folder.
"Meaning Vanessa has been lying to both of us.""
Nobody spoke.
I looked down.
Inside were bank records.
Emails.
Photos.
Evidence.
"Why are you giving me this?""
Danielle's face changed.
And for a second, I saw something real.
Fear.
"Because I thought I was helping myself.""
She swallowed.
"But I didn't realize I was helping someone who planned to destroy all of us.""
Rebecca stood.
"Who?""
Danielle looked at her.
Then whispered:
"Thomas.""
My blood ran cold.
The man in the photograph.
Danielle continued.
"He was the one who convinced me your family needed a legal plan.""
Andre stared.
"You knew him?""
She nodded.
"I thought he was helping me get what I deserved.""
Her voice cracked.
"But he was using me.""
I looked at the folder.
"Why should I believe you?""
She looked at me.
"Because Vanessa is meeting Thomas tonight.""
I frowned.
"How do you know?""
Danielle pulled out her phone.
"Because she sent me the invitation.""
She showed us the screen.
A message.
A location.
A time.
And one sentence.
*Once Margaret is removed, the house is ours.*
Andre's face turned pale.
But before anyone could speak...
Rebecca's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed instantly.
"What?""
She looked at me.
"Margaret...""
"What happened?""
She slowly lowered the phone.
"The police just found Thomas.""
My heart stopped.
"Where?""
Rebecca looked at the three of us.
"He was found unconscious.""
May you like
A pause.
"And someone left your husband's forged will beside him.""
