Chapter 7: The Photograph From Before
I stared at the picture until my eyes started to burn.
It was impossible.
There was no reason Vanessa should have been there.
The photo showed a younger version of me standing outside a small coffee shop. My hair was shorter. My smile was different.
I remembered that day.
I remembered the friend who took the picture.
I remembered the stranger standing several feet behind me.
But I didn’t remember Vanessa.
Daniel leaned closer, his hands shaking.
“Where did you get this?””
I looked at my phone.
“Someone sent it to me.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
Daniel stared at the screen again.
The fear on his face told me more than his words ever could.
“You recognize her.””
He immediately shook his head.
“No.””
“Daniel.””
“I said no.””
But his voice was weak.
Not angry.
Scared.
I pushed myself up slightly.
“Look at me.””
He did.
“Have you seen this picture before?””
A long pause.
Then:
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“When?””
Daniel looked away.
“After I met Vanessa.””
The room felt colder.
“She showed it to you?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel rubbed his face.
“She said she had seen you before.””
“Where?””
“She wouldn’t tell me.””
I stared at him.
“And you didn’t think that was strange?””
“I did.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
His eyes filled with guilt.
“Because by then, I was already involved with her.””
There it was.
Another truth.
Another piece of my marriage that had been hidden from me.
I looked toward the window.
“I don’t even know which part hurts anymore.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Sarah…”
“Stop.””
He stopped.
“You keep saying my name like it fixes something.””
I looked back at him.
“It doesn’t.””
The door opened.
Detective Harris walked in holding a tablet.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.””
Daniel immediately stepped back.
The detective looked between us.
“I found something connected to the photograph.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
He placed the tablet on the table.
A file appeared.
“Vanessa Reed’s background investigation.””
I looked at the screen.
“She changed her name.””
Daniel frowned.
“What?””
Detective Harris nodded.
“Vanessa Reed was not her original name.””
I felt a chill.
“What was it?””
He tapped the screen.
“Victoria Lane.””
The name meant nothing to me.
But Daniel suddenly went still.
“You know that name.””
Detective Harris noticed.
“I thought you might.””
Daniel’s face lost all color.
“I heard it once.””
“From who?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
I looked at him.
“From who?””
He swallowed.
“From my father.””
I froze.
Daniel’s father had died years ago.
“What does your father have to do with Vanessa?””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“I don’t know.””
Detective Harris leaned forward.
“Mr. Carter, your father had a business dispute with a woman named Victoria Lane five years ago.””
“What kind of dispute?””
“A lawsuit.””
My heart sank.
Another lawsuit.
Another hidden connection.
Detective Harris continued.
“Victoria Lane accused your father’s company of destroying her family business.””
Daniel shook his head.
“My father never mentioned her.””
“Are you sure?””
Daniel went silent.
I watched his face.
And suddenly I realized something.
Daniel wasn’t remembering.
He was searching.
Like he had buried something deep.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
The name appeared.
Vanessa.
Nobody spoke.
The phone kept vibrating.
Detective Harris said quietly:
“Answer it.””
Daniel hesitated.
Then picked up.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then Vanessa spoke.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Daniel.””
His expression changed.
“What do you want?””
I could hear her faintly through the phone.
“You found out, didn’t you?””
Daniel stood frozen.
“Found out what?””
A small laugh came from the speaker.
“About Sarah.””
My blood ran cold.
Daniel gripped the phone tighter.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa’s voice dropped.
“Ask your wife who she really is.””
The call ended.
I stared at Daniel.
Neither of us moved.
May you like
Because Vanessa wasn’t just trying to destroy my marriage anymore.
She was trying to destroy the person I thought I was.
