Chapter 6: The Woman Behind The Smile
I spent the entire night searching for answers.
Not online.
Not through rumors.
Through records.
Real records.
I called my financial team.
I called my lawyers.
I called every person who had access to my company accounts.
By sunrise, I had one terrifying discovery.
Someone had been slowly moving money for months.
Small amounts.
Hidden transfers.
Enough to avoid immediate attention.
But the person behind it knew exactly what they were doing.
And every trail led back to one place.
Vanessa.
My lawyer, James, arrived at eight in the morning.
He placed a folder on my desk.
"Richard, there's more.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He opened the folder.
Inside were legal documents.
Not fake ones.
Real ones.
"Vanessa filed a petition.""
My chest tightened.
"For custody?""
James nodded.
"She claims Sophie has been neglected.""
I stared at him.
The accusation felt impossible.
But then I remembered something.
My own guilt.
The long nights.
The missed dinners.
The times Sophie waited for me.
Vanessa knew exactly where my weakness was.
She was using my biggest regret against me.
"Can she win?""
James looked serious.
"The situation is complicated.""
I hated that answer.
"What do I need to do?""
He looked at me.
"Prove that you are present. Prove that Sophie is safe.""
I nodded.
"I will.""
At that moment, Sophie appeared at the office door.
She held her stuffed rabbit.
"Daddy?""
I immediately stood.
"Come here.""
She walked into my arms.
"Are we leaving?""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
She looked around the office.
"Vanessa said when she gets the house, I have to go somewhere else.""
My heart broke.
I knelt in front of her.
"Sophie, listen to me.""
I held her hands.
"This is your home.""
She looked at me.
"Forever?""
That single word nearly destroyed me.
"Forever.""
Later that afternoon, I received a call from Claire.
"Richard, I found something.""
I stepped outside.
"What?""
"Vanessa wasn't working alone.""
My expression changed.
"What do you mean?""
"I found another name connected to the accounts.""
"Who?""
Claire hesitated.
Then she said:
"Someone inside your company.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who?""
Before she could answer, the call ended.
I called back.
No response.
I tried again.
Nothing.
Then my office security alarm went off.
I rushed inside.
The main hallway was empty.
Too empty.
"Maria?""
No answer.
"Sophie?""
My heart stopped.
I ran upstairs.
Sophie's bedroom door was open.
Her bed was empty.
The window was locked.
The balcony door was closed.
Then I saw something on the pillow.
A small piece of paper.
Three words written in black ink.
*You trusted wrong.*
I grabbed the paper.
And underneath it was another message.
A name.
A name I recognized immediately.
The person I had trusted more than anyone.
The person who had worked beside me for ten years.
My business partner.
May you like
And he had written:
*Richard, it's time you learned who your real enemy is.*
