Chapter 2: The Woman Behind the Camera
I stared at the message for almost a full minute.
Vanessa watched me carefully.
Too carefully.
“Who is it?”” she asked.
I locked my phone.
“Someone who knows my daughter.””
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
Fear.
“Daniel, don’t be paranoid.””
I looked at her.
“Why are you afraid of a video?””
“I’m not.””
“You didn’t even ask what was in it.””
Silence.
Emma was still in my arms.
She whispered:
“Daddy, don’t watch it here.””
I looked down.
“Why?””
She looked toward Vanessa.
“Because she’ll know.””
My blood ran cold.
I carried Emma into the living room and sat down.
Vanessa followed.
“Daniel, this is insane.””
I ignored her.
I pressed play.
The video was dark.
The angle was from above.
A hidden camera.
The kitchen.
Yesterday.
Vanessa walked into view.
My wife.
The woman I trusted.
The woman I left my daughter with.
Emma was sitting at the table.
A plate of food was in front of her.
Vanessa grabbed it.
“Eat.””
Emma shook her head.
“I don’t like it.””
Vanessa’s voice became cold.
“You don’t get choices.””
My fingers tightened around my phone.
On the video, Emma started crying.
“Daddy says I can have something else if I don’t like dinner.””
Vanessa slammed the plate down.
“Your daddy isn’t here.””
My stomach dropped.
Then came the words I would never forget.
“You need to learn that things are different when Daniel leaves.””
The video continued.
Vanessa grabbed the plate.
And walked toward Max’s bowl.
I stopped the video.
I couldn’t watch anymore.
Emma covered her ears.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Why?””
She looked away.
“Because she needed discipline.””
“You made my daughter eat from a dog bowl.””
“She needed consequences.””
“She needed a mother.””
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“I was never her mother.””
Before I could answer, there was a knock at the door.
Vanessa froze.
I turned.
Another knock.
Slow.
Confident.
Emma immediately grabbed my hand.
“Daddy.””
“What?””
“That’s her.””
My chest tightened.
I opened the door.
And there she was.
Olivia.
Sarah’s younger sister.
She stood on my porch wearing a black coat, her expression serious.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Olivia looked past me.
At Emma.
And tears filled her eyes.
“Oh my God.””
Emma ran into her arms.
“Olivia.””
Olivia hugged her tightly.
“I’m sorry.””
I stepped forward.
“What are you doing here?””
Olivia looked at Vanessa.
Then back at me.
“I sent the video.””
The air disappeared from the room.
“You?””
She nodded.
“I installed the camera.””
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
“You had no right.””
Olivia ignored her.
“Daniel, I tried telling you.””
“When?””
“Every time I called.””
I frowned.
“You never said anything.””
“Because Vanessa always answered your phone.””
My eyes moved to my wife.
“That’s not true.””
Olivia laughed bitterly.
“You deleted my messages too.””
Vanessa’s face turned pale.
Emma held Olivia’s hand.
“She said I was bad.””
Olivia looked at her.
“Who said that?””
Emma pointed at Vanessa.
The silence was painful.
I looked at my wife.
“Start talking.””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“You’re trusting her?””
“She showed me proof.””
“It’s edited.””
Olivia stepped forward.
“No, Daniel. It isn’t.””
She pulled out her phone.
“I have more.””
My heart sank.
“More videos?””
She nodded.
“More than videos.””
“What does that mean?””
Olivia looked at Emma.
Then at me.
“It means what happened in this house didn’t start when you left for your trip.””
I felt my hands go cold.
“How long?””
Olivia hesitated.
Then said:
“Since the week after your wedding.””
I stared at her.
“That’s impossible.””
Olivia’s eyes filled with anger.
“Daniel…”
She lowered her voice.
“Vanessa never wanted Emma in this family.””
Vanessa suddenly shouted:
“Enough!””
Everyone looked at her.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
Not angry.
Afraid.
I stepped closer.
“What are you hiding?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Then Olivia reached into her bag.
She pulled out an old envelope.
My name was written on the front.
The handwriting was familiar.
Too familiar.
My heart stopped.
Because I knew that handwriting.
It belonged to Sarah.
Olivia handed it to me.
May you like
“Your wife didn’t just mistreat Emma.””
“She helped hide the truth about your first wife’s death.””
