Chapter 10: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Lily’s question stayed in the air.
“Were you there when my mommy died?””
No one moved.
Not me.
Not Vanessa.
Not even Lily.
The only sound was the rain hitting the windows.
Vanessa looked at my daughter, and for the first time since I met her, she looked truly afraid.
Not afraid of losing an argument.
Afraid of the truth.
“Lily,” I said gently, “go back upstairs.””
“But Daddy—”
“Please, sweetheart.””
She looked between us.
Then she hugged her rabbit tighter and walked away.
I waited until her bedroom door closed.
Then I turned back to Vanessa.
“Start talking.””
She sat down slowly.
“I didn’t kill her.””
I felt anger rise.
“You keep saying that like it’s enough.””
“Because it’s true.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
Vanessa stared at her hands.
“The night your wife died, I was supposed to meet her.””
“Why?””
“She contacted me.””
“About the trust?””
She nodded.
“She knew something was wrong.””
I felt a chill.
“What was wrong?””
Vanessa looked toward the stairs.
“Lily’s mother discovered someone had been accessing information about the trust.””
“Who?””
She hesitated.
“Marcus.””
I frowned.
“Marcus?””
“Yes.””
I thought about the man from the coffee shop.
The man who claimed he had helped Vanessa.
“You said you worked with him.””
“I did.””
“Then why would he be investigating her?””
“Because he wasn’t just helping people protect their money.””
Her voice dropped.
“He was looking for ways to control it.””
I walked around the room.
Every answer created three more questions.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I was scared.””
I stopped.
“Of Marcus?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Of you.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“You would never have believed me.””
I almost laughed.
“You think after everything, I’m supposed to believe that?””
“You loved Lily’s mother.””
“Yes.””
“And she hated me.””
“Did she have a reason?””
Vanessa looked away.
“Yes.””
The answer surprised me.
“What reason?””
She took a deep breath.
“I was the one who told her about the trust issue.””
“What issue?””
“That if anything happened to her, Lily’s money could be controlled by someone else.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
“Who, Vanessa?””
Finally, she whispered:
“You.””
The word felt like a punch.
“What?””
“Not because she thought you would steal it.””
“Then why?””
“Because she was afraid grief would make you vulnerable.””
I stared at her.
“You’re saying Lily’s mother didn’t trust me?””
“No.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She trusted you as a father.””
“Then what was she afraid of?””
Vanessa looked toward the window.
“She was afraid someone would use you.””
A strange feeling settled over me.
Because suddenly, the trust condition made sense.
*The trust will be released only if Daniel Carter is proven incapable of protecting his daughter.*
It wasn’t accusing me.
It was protecting Lily from someone else.
“Who wrote that condition?””
Vanessa’s face changed.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
“You knew everything else.””
She looked exhausted.
“Daniel, there is one thing you need to understand.””
“What?””
“Your daughter’s mother wasn’t investigating me.””
My heart stopped.
“She was investigating someone else.””
“Who?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Someone close to you.””
I felt cold.
“Who?””
Before she could answer, the front door opened.
We both turned.
Ethan walked in.
His face was pale.
“Dad.””
“What happened?””
He held up his phone.
“There’s something you need to see.””
He handed it to me.
A video was playing.
Security footage.
Not from our house.
From a parking lot.
I watched.
A woman walked toward a car.
Lily’s mother.
My breath caught.
Then another person entered the frame.
A person I recognized.
Someone I had trusted.
Someone I never imagined could be part of this.
Ethan whispered:
“Dad…”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
“It was him.””
The person turned toward the camera.
May you like
And I saw his face.
My brother.
