Chapter 5: The Secret Vanessa Hid
I didn’t open the front door.
Not immediately.
I stood there with my phone in my hand, staring at the picture.
Noah’s room.
His crib.
His blanket.
A photo taken from a place where nobody should have been.
“Daniel?”” Maria asked softly.
I turned around.
“Did anyone come into this house today?””
She shook her head.
“No, sir.””
“What about yesterday?””
“No.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She was sitting on the edge of the couch, holding her arms around herself.
“You knew.””
Her eyes lifted.
“Knew what?””
“Someone was watching us.””
She looked away.
That tiny movement confirmed it.
I walked closer.
“Vanessa.””
She didn’t answer.
“Tell me the truth.””
For a long moment, the only sound was the air conditioner humming.
Then she whispered:
“Marcus has been helping me.””
My jaw tightened.
“Helping you do what?””
She looked exhausted.
“After we started fighting, I didn’t know what to do.””
“So you went to your brother?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he said you were controlling everything.””
I laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Controlling everything?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“You never listened when I said I was unhappy.””
“And your solution was to scare me with our son?””
“No.””
“Then what was the solution?””
She closed her eyes.
“I don’t know anymore.””
That was the first honest thing she had said.
I walked back to the security monitor.
“Why was Marcus here?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she reached into her pocket.
She pulled out a small envelope.
My name was written on the front.
“What is that?””
She looked ashamed.
“Marcus gave me that.””
I took it.
Inside were printed documents.
Bank records.
Emails.
Photos.
I scanned the pages.
My confusion turned into anger.
Because they were about me.
About my company.
About private information that only a few people knew.
“Where did he get these?””
Vanessa’s voice dropped.
“He said he had contacts.””
I looked up.
“Marcus has been collecting information about me?””
“He said he was protecting me.””
“No.””
I threw the papers onto the table.
“He was using you.””
Vanessa started crying.
“I know that now.””
The front door suddenly shook.
A loud knock.
Everyone jumped.
A man’s voice came from outside.
“Daniel! Open the door!””
Marcus.
My body went still.
Vanessa stood up.
“Don’t.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“Don’t open it.””
“Why?””
She stared at the door.
“Because he knows.””
“Knows what?””
Her lips trembled.
“He knows about the camera.””
Another knock.
Harder.
“Daniel, I know you’re inside!””
Maria stepped closer to Noah.
“I can take him upstairs.””
I nodded.
“Stay with him.””
Maria carefully carried my son away.
For the first time since this nightmare began, I trusted her completely.
I walked toward the door.
Marcus shouted again.
“You’re making a mistake!””
I opened it.
He stood there in a perfect suit, his usual confident smile gone.
For several seconds, we just stared at each other.
Then he looked past me.
At the security monitor.
And his expression changed.
“You watched it.””
I said nothing.
Marcus sighed.
“Daniel, you have no idea what you’re dealing with.””
I stepped outside.
“No. I think I finally do.””
He lowered his voice.
“You think Vanessa is the villain?””
I stared at him.
“You manipulated my wife.””
He shook his head.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Marcus looked toward the house.
Toward where my son was sleeping.
Then he said something that made my blood freeze.
“I didn’t come here to protect Vanessa.””
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A pause.
“I came here because Noah is the reason everything started.””
