My Wife Crushed My 72-Year-Old Mother’s Handmade Gift—So I Destroyed Her Five-Tier Birthday Cake and Took Back My Engagement Ring

Richard ended the call and immediately dialed another number.

“Lock down the old headquarters,” he ordered.

“Nobody removes anything. Nobody touches the records. Get the security footage from the last forty-eight hours.””

He listened, then swore under his breath.

“Then call the police.””

He hung up.

I stepped toward him.

“Who was in the building?””

“They don't know. The security system was disabled sometime last night.””

Jessica had gone completely pale.

I watched her face.

“You knew this was going to happen.””

“No,” she whispered.

“Then why do you look terrified?””

She shook her head.

Richard turned toward us.

“The building was converted into a mixed-use development five years ago. The original executive offices were supposed to be demolished, but one section of the basement was retained for archival storage.””

He looked at the ledger.

“If someone opened that safe, they may have found the original recording.””

“What's on it?”” I asked.

Richard hesitated.

“I don't know.””

My mother gripped my arm.

“Thomas recorded important meetings. He kept a small cassette recorder in his briefcase because he believed people were making promises they would later deny.””

“Did he tell you about the recording?””

“No. But he mentioned that he'd kept a record of his final meeting with Arthur.””

I felt my heart pound.

“If the recording exists, it could tell us what happened that night.””

Richard nodded.

“And if someone has it, they'll have considerable leverage over the company.””

Jessica suddenly moved toward the exit.

I caught her eye.

“Where are you going?””

“Home.””

“Why?””

“Because I can't do this anymore!””

She sounded desperate.

I took a step toward her.

“You don't get to walk away every time the truth gets uncomfortable.””

She glared at me.

“You think you're some kind of hero because you defended your mother? You destroyed my birthday, humiliated me in front of everyone I know, and took my engagement ring!””

“You humiliated my mother first.””

“And now you're using a family tragedy to punish me!””

I stared at her.

“No. I'm finally refusing to let you use my trust against me.””

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

For the first time, I saw the possibility that she understood our marriage was over.

But instead of admitting what she'd done, she reached into her purse and pulled out her phone.

“I have to make a call.””

“Who?””

She ignored me.

Richard snatched the phone from her hand before she could dial.

“Enough, Jessica.””

She stared at him in disbelief.

“Give it back!””

“Not until you tell us who you've been speaking to.””

“Nobody!””

Richard turned the screen toward me.

The last outgoing call was to a number saved under a single initial.

*V.*

I frowned.

“Who is V?””

Jessica lunged for the phone.

Richard pulled it away.

“Vanessa?”” I asked.

Jessica's expression changed.

That was all I needed to see.

I remembered Vanessa at the birthday party, quietly setting down her champagne glass. I remembered her saying Jessica had asked her to witness a declaration concerning my mother's ownership rights.

She'd known more than she'd admitted.

“Call her,” I said.

Jessica shook her head.

“No.””

“Why not?””

“Because she doesn't know anything.””

“Then you have nothing to worry about.””

Richard called the number himself.

It rang four times.

Then a woman's voice answered.

“Jessica? Did you get it?””

Richard closed his eyes.

“Vanessa, this is Richard Whitmore.””

Silence.

Then Vanessa whispered, “Oh, God.””

Richard put the call on speaker.

“Where is the recording?””

“I don't have it.””

“Who does?””

“I can't tell you.””

“You may already be involved in a criminal investigation. If you know where evidence concerning Thomas Ellis's death is located, you need to cooperate.””

Vanessa began crying.

“I didn't know what it was when Jessica first asked me to help. She said it was a business dispute. She told me Daniel's mother had signed away her rights years ago.””

I looked at Jessica.

She stared at the floor.

Richard continued.

“What did Jessica ask you to do?””

“Six months ago, she asked me to witness a document. Then, last week, she told me to help retrieve a box from the old headquarters.””

“What box?””

“A cassette recorder. She said it contained a conversation that could destroy the company.””

My mother covered her mouth.

“Thomas's recording,” she whispered.

Vanessa heard her.

“Margaret? Is that you?””

“Yes.””

“Oh, God. I'm sorry. I swear I didn't know what happened to your husband.””

“Where is the recording?”” I asked.

Vanessa took a shaky breath.

“Jessica gave it to someone else.””

“Who?””

“I don't know his full name. She called him Mr. Vance. He was supposed to erase the recording after listening to it.””

Richard's face darkened.

“Vance?””

He looked at Jessica.

“Victor Vance?””

She said nothing.

Richard turned back to the phone.

“Vanessa, did you hear the recording?””

“A little.””

“What did it say?””

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“I heard Arthur arguing with Thomas. Arthur kept demanding that Thomas sign something. Thomas refused. Then another man spoke.””

I leaned closer to the phone.

“What man?””

“I don't know. But I recognized his voice.””

“Whose?””

Vanessa hesitated.

Then she said the words that made my mother collapse into the nearest chair.

“Daniel's father wasn't the only person in that meeting who knew about the accident.””

My blood ran cold.

“Explain.””

“I heard Arthur say, 'You promised me the boy would never find out.'' Then the other man said, 'The boy won't find out if Margaret keeps her mouth shut.''”

I looked at my mother.

She was crying openly now.

“Mom?””

She shook her head.

“I never heard those words before.””

Vanessa continued.

“Then Thomas said something I couldn't make out. There was a crash, and the recording stopped.””

Richard rubbed his forehead.

“Where is Victor Vance now?””

“I don't know. Jessica told me to forget his name.””

I turned toward my wife.

“Who is Victor Vance?””

She looked at me, her face drained of color.

“He was my grandfather's attorney.””

“Was?””

“He died twelve years ago.””

Richard shook his head slowly.

“No, Jessica. Victor Vance is very much alive.””

She stared at him.

“What?””

“I saw him at a private dinner three weeks ago. He told me he was retiring to Florida.””

Jessica began to tremble.

The call suddenly crackled.

Vanessa's voice returned, faint and frightened.

“Daniel, there's something else. Before Jessica gave him the recording, Victor told her that your father had left a second copy somewhere. He said if you found it, the truth about the passenger in the car would come out.””

I felt the room tilt.

“The passenger?””

Vanessa whispered, “Yes.””

Then the line went dead.

Richard immediately called back, but the number was no longer reachable.

I turned toward my mother.

“Mom, you said you were in the car with Dad.””

She nodded through her tears.

“Then why would the recording reveal the passenger's identity?””

She looked at me with a terror I couldn't understand.

“I don't know.””

But her expression told me she was hiding something else.