Chapter 7: The Real Trap
Vanessa admitted everything that night.
Not all at once.
She cried between every sentence.
Daniel had approached her six months earlier.
He knew about the trust.
He knew my mother was the legal owner of the house.
He also knew Vanessa and I had a joint account.
At first, he pretended to be helpful.
He told Vanessa I was hiding money from her.
He sent her doctored photographs of me meeting with another woman.
He showed her fabricated financial records.
He convinced her I was preparing to leave.
Then he offered to “protect” her.
All Vanessa had to do was move money when he asked.
“Why didn't you tell me?”” I asked.
She looked shattered.
“Because every time I wanted to, he showed me another picture.””
“You believed him?””
“I wanted to.””
That answer hurt.
But it was honest.
Claire had been pulled into it because Vanessa had borrowed money from her.
The two thousand dollars she withdrew from our account had been used to repay part of the debt.
The six hundred dollars from the party had gone toward another payment.
And my mother's humiliation had been convenient because it created another argument between us.
But there was one thing Vanessa still wouldn't explain.
“The private investigator,” I said.
She looked away.
“He found Daniel.””
“And?””
“I never saw the report.””
“What happened to it?””
“I gave it to him.””
“To Daniel?””
She nodded.
My hands tightened.
“Why?””
“Because he threatened to send everything to you.””
“Everything what?””
She looked at me.
“The pictures.””
“What pictures?””
“Ones that made it look like you were cheating.””
I stared at her.
“They were fake?””
“Yes.””
I felt relieved for exactly one second.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice came through.
“You should have stayed out of this.””
“Daniel?””
He laughed.
“So you figured it out.””
“Stay away from my mother.””
“You're sitting in her house.””
“It's my home.””
“No.””
His voice turned cold.
“It's collateral.””
I froze.
“What do you want?””
“The trust documents.””
“I don't have them.””
“You will.””
“And if I don't?””
“Then your wife goes to prison.””
My heart stopped.
“For what?””
“She moved money.””
“She was manipulated.””
“The law doesn't care about your marriage.””
I heard a faint click.
A photograph arrived on my phone.
Vanessa entering the bank.
Another.
Her withdrawing money.
Then one of my mother leaving the house.
Then Claire.
Then me.
Someone had been watching all of us.
Daniel spoke again.
“Tomorrow morning, bring the documents to the old Miller warehouse.””
“And if I don't?””
A pause.
“You'll bury someone.””
The line went dead.
Vanessa was crying.
I looked at her.
For the first time since the disaster began, I saw genuine terror in her eyes.
May you like
Not for herself.
For Mom.
