Chapter 6: My Sister’s Secret
Angela didn’t look surprised.
That was the worst part.
She didn’t look scared.
She didn’t look guilty.
She looked like she had been waiting.
Richard stepped into the kitchen.
“What did you do?””
Angela calmly closed the folder.
“Richard, I think you should sit down.””
“No.””
His voice was sharp.
“You’re going to explain why my daughter’s money is connected to you.””
Angela sighed.
“I knew this would happen eventually.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
She looked at me.
And for a moment, I saw something I had never noticed before.
Coldness.
“Vanessa, you were always too emotional.””
My eyebrows tightened.
“What?””
“You wanted to feel important.””
Richard stepped forward.
“Don’t talk about your sister. Answer my question.””
Angela smiled.
“I helped her.””
“By stealing from a child?””
“I was helping her build a better future.””
I felt sick.
“Angela, what are you talking about?””
She stood.
“Think about it, Vanessa.””
Her voice became softer.
“You were always struggling to keep up.””
My face changed.
“What?””
“Richard’s first family had everything. Memories. Money. A perfect little daughter who everyone protected.””
She looked toward Lily.
“And you were just the replacement.””
Richard’s expression darkened.
“Enough.””
But Angela continued.
“You hated feeling second.””
My hands shook.
Because those words were true.
Not the way she meant them.
But they were true.
Angela had found every insecurity I had.
And she had fed it.
“I never asked you to do this,” I whispered.
She laughed.
“Of course you didn’t.””
She walked closer.
“You didn’t have to.””
Richard looked confused.
“What are you saying?””
Angela smiled.
“I gave Vanessa ideas.””
My stomach turned.
“You convinced me.””
“No.””
Angela shook her head.
“I showed you what you wanted to see.””
She picked up the documents.
“The boarding school was my idea.””
Richard’s face hardened.
“You planned to remove my daughter.””
“I planned to remove a problem.””
The words were so cruel that even I felt shocked.
Lily grabbed Richard’s hand.
He immediately moved her behind him.
“You need to leave.””
Angela laughed.
“You think this ends with me leaving?””
Richard stared.
“What does that mean?””
Angela opened another folder.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
Emails.
She placed them on the table.
“I knew Vanessa would eventually make mistakes.””
I looked at her.
“What did you do?””
Angela tilted her head.
“I protected myself.””
Richard picked up one of the papers.
His eyes moved quickly.
Then stopped.
“What is this?””
Angela smiled.
“A report.””
“About what?””
She looked directly at me.
“About Vanessa’s behavior.””
My heart sank.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
“What kind of report?””
Angela didn’t answer.
Richard read the first page.
His face changed.
“Child neglect allegations?””
I froze.
“That’s fake.””
Angela shrugged.
“Maybe.””
Richard looked at me.
“Maybe?””
“I didn’t know she was doing this.””
Angela smiled.
“That’s the problem, Vanessa.””
She leaned closer.
“You trusted me too much.””
The words hit harder than anything Richard had said.
Because she was right.
I had handed her my fears.
My anger.
My secrets.
And she had turned them into a weapon.
Then Richard’s phone rang.
He answered.
A voice spoke from the other end.
His face changed.
“What?””
I watched him listen.
Then slowly look at me.
“Are you sure?””
A pause.
Then:
“When was the complaint filed?””
My heart began racing.
Richard ended the call.
“What happened?”” I asked.
He looked at Angela.
Then at me.
“The police have a report.””
I felt cold.
“What report?””
Richard’s voice dropped.
“One claiming you abused Lily.””
The room went silent.
Angela smiled.
And I realized this was never about the money.
May you like
She had been building something much bigger.
A way to destroy all of us.
