Chapter 2: The Moment My Son Recognized Me
Daniel appeared at the top of the staircase wearing a navy sweater and jeans.
He was holding his phone, probably expecting to find his fiancée waiting for him with another wedding question.
Instead, he saw a soaked housekeeper standing beside a bucket.
Then he saw Vanessa.
"What's going on?""
Vanessa's expression changed so quickly that it almost impressed me.
Her mouth trembled. Her eyes filled with tears.
"Darling, thank goodness you're here.""
Daniel hurried down the stairs.
"Vanessa? What happened?""
"That woman attacked me.""
I almost laughed.
Vanessa pointed at me.
"She started shouting when I asked her to clean something. Then she threatened me.""
Daniel looked at the bucket.
"Why is there water everywhere?""
"She threw it at me!""
I slowly wiped my face.
Daniel finally looked at me properly.
I removed the dark wig.
Then I took off my glasses.
His face lost every trace of color.
"Mom?""
I nodded.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Daniel looked at my wet uniform, then at the water running down my sleeves.
"Mom, what are you doing?""
Vanessa stepped backward.
"Daniel, I don't understand. Why is your mother dressed like that?""
I looked at her.
"That's an interesting question.""
Daniel turned toward Vanessa.
"Did you just throw water over my mother?""
"Of course not! She's making this up.""
"Then why is she soaked?""
"She slipped!""
I raised an eyebrow.
"Apparently, I slipped into a bucket that you happened to throw at me.""
Vanessa's lips parted.
"Daniel, you know I would never do something like that.""
He looked confused.
I could see the conflict in his eyes.
He wanted to believe her.
That was the hardest part.
For months, she'd carefully built a version of herself in his mind. A loving woman. A patient future wife. Someone who cried whenever he questioned her.
And I had walked into the middle of that carefully constructed performance.
"Mom," Daniel said quietly, "why would you do this?""
I glanced toward Sophie.
"Perhaps we should ask your fiancée why she treats your employees like prisoners whenever you leave the house.""
Vanessa immediately laughed.
"That's ridiculous.""
Margaret appeared at the entrance to the corridor.
Behind her stood two members of the housekeeping staff.
I looked at them.
"Would any of you like to tell Daniel what happens here when he's not around?""
Nobody moved.
Vanessa folded her arms.
"This is absurd. You're all conspiring against me because I expect people to do their jobs.""
Sophie took a hesitant step forward.
"Mr. Daniel, she made me clean the same floor four times this morning.""
Vanessa snapped her fingers.
"Nobody asked you to speak.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Vanessa, don't talk to her like that.""
Sophie continued, her voice shaking.
"Yesterday, she threw a plate because breakfast was cold. Last week, she told me I was too stupid to work in a respectable house.""
Vanessa turned toward Margaret.
"You're allowing this?""
Margaret stood straight.
"Yes, Miss Reed. I am.""
I reached into my pocket and removed the tiny recorder.
"I think we should listen to something.""
Vanessa stared at it.
"What is that?""
"A recording.""
I pressed play.
Her voice filled the corridor.
Your accent is rather unpleasant.
Then:
People like you always steal from people who have more than you.
And finally:
You look disgusting. Someone needs to wash the filth off you.
Daniel's jaw tightened.
Vanessa shook her head.
"That recording is edited!""
"Is it?""
"Yes! She provoked me!""
I looked at my son.
"Daniel, I've worked with these people for years. Margaret has been loyal to our family longer than you've known Vanessa.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Mom, please. Can we talk about this privately?""
I nodded.
"Certainly.""
Then I turned toward Vanessa.
"But before we discuss the bucket, perhaps you should explain why you were inside my locked office.""
Her expression changed.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
Her fingers tightened around her purse.
"What?""
I took a step closer.
"Twenty minutes before you threw that water over me, I watched you unlock my private office.""
Daniel frowned.
"Mom, what are you talking about?""
I continued.
"You entered the room, opened the second drawer of my desk, photographed several confidential documents belonging to my charitable foundation, and sent them to someone on your phone.""
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"That's a lie.""
I pulled a folded sheet of paper from my pocket.
It was a copy of the access log from the office security system.
"I know the exact time you entered. I also know the time you left.""
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
"Why were you in Mom's office?""
"I wasn't!""
"Then explain the security record.""
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"Daniel, your mother is obviously upset. She's been suspicious of me since the beginning.""
I watched her carefully.
She was doing it again.
Turning the accusation around.
Making herself the victim.
But this time, I wasn't going to let her.
"Margaret," I said, "would you bring the office security report?""
"Of course, ma'am.""
Margaret disappeared.
Vanessa stepped toward Daniel.
"Darling, please. You know how much pressure your mother has put on us. She doesn't want us to get married.""
Daniel didn't answer.
She grabbed his hand.
"Tell her.""
He gently pulled away.
"Vanessa, just answer the question.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I was looking for the wedding insurance papers. That's all.""
I stared at her.
"My office doesn't contain wedding insurance documents.""
She said nothing.
"And even if it did, why would you photograph confidential foundation records?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Foundation records?""
I nodded.
"For the past two months, I've been investigating suspicious consulting payments made through our charitable organization.""
He frowned.
"What kind of payments?""
"Almost four hundred thousand dollars in total. Payments to companies that don't appear to have employees, offices, or legitimate contracts.""
Daniel slowly turned toward Vanessa.
"Why would Vanessa have anything to do with that?""
Before I could answer, Margaret returned with a printed report.
She handed it to me.
I opened the pages.
There were three photographs attached to the security report.
The first showed Vanessa entering my office.
The second showed her standing beside my desk, holding a folder.
The third showed her using her phone to photograph the documents.
Daniel stared at the pictures.
"Vanessa...""
She backed away.
"That's not what it looks like.""
I looked directly at her.
"Then tell us what it looks like.""
Her mouth opened.
But before she could answer, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number had sent me a message.
It contained a single photograph.
I recognized the image immediately.
It was one of the confidential foundation documents Vanessa had photographed.
Below it were seven words.
*WE KNOW YOU'VE STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS, ELEANOR.*
My stomach tightened.
May you like
Because the sender knew my name.
And whoever it was had access to information that should never have left my office.
