Chapter 8: The Enemy I Never Saw
The next morning, Claire arrived with a look on her face I had never seen before.
Fear.
Not concern.
Not worry.
Fear.
That scared me more than anything.
"What happened?""
She placed her laptop on my kitchen table.
"I found the person behind the transfers.""
I sat down.
"Richard?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
My stomach tightened.
"Then who?""
She turned the screen toward me.
There were records.
Bank transfers.
Company files.
And one name.
Vanessa.
I stared.
"She was involved?""
Claire nodded.
"More involved than we thought.""
I looked at the dates.
Some transfers happened before Vanessa even started working with Daniel.
"How?""
"She wasn't just Daniel's junior partner.""
Claire pointed at the documents.
"She was connected to Richard.""
Everything suddenly clicked.
The confidence.
The way she walked into my home.
The way she acted like she already knew the ending.
She wasn't a woman who stole my husband.
She was a woman who entered my life with a plan.
"Where is she now?""
Claire closed the laptop.
"Missing.""
Of course.
The woman who had everything prepared disappeared when things fell apart.
But something bothered me.
"Why would she leave Daniel behind?""
Claire looked at me.
"Because Daniel was never the final target.""
I felt a chill.
"Who was?""
Claire didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
Me.
That afternoon, I received a package.
No return address.
No name.
Just my name written across the front.
Inside was a photograph.
Me.
Standing outside my father’s office.
Six years old.
I turned it over.
A message was written on the back.
*Your father knew the truth. He just never told you.*
My hands shook.
I showed Claire.
Her expression changed.
"This isn't a threat.""
"What is it?""
"A warning.""
I looked at the picture again.
"What truth?""
Before Claire could answer, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
Silence.
Then a woman's voice.
"You're finally asking the right questions.""
My blood froze.
"Vanessa.""
She laughed softly.
"Did you really think I disappeared?""
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere Daniel can't reach me.""
"What do you want?""
A pause.
Then:
"I want you to know I never wanted Daniel.""
That surprised me.
"You destroyed my marriage.""
"No.""
Her voice became cold.
"Daniel destroyed your marriage.""
I gripped the phone.
"Then why?""
"Because I needed access.""
"To what?""
"Your family.""
The room went quiet.
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa sighed.
"Your father wasn't killed because of money.""
My heart stopped.
"Then why?""
"Because he found out who was controlling Richard.""
I stood.
"Who?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Instead, she said:
"Ask Daniel what happened the night your father died.""
I looked at him.
He was standing near the doorway.
I didn't know how long he had been there.
"Daniel.""
His face changed.
Because he knew.
Vanessa continued.
"Ask him who was in the car.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Vanessa.""
But she had already hung up.
I looked at Daniel.
The silence between us felt endless.
"Who was in the car?""
He didn't move.
"Mara...""
"No.""
My voice cracked.
"Not this time.""
He closed his eyes.
Then he said:
"Your mother.""
The world stopped.
My mother had died when I was ten.
A decade before my father.
A person who couldn't possibly be connected.
"That's impossible.""
Daniel looked devastated.
"I wish it was.""
I stepped back.
"What are you saying?""
He walked toward me slowly.
"Your father wasn't the only one keeping secrets.""
I stared at him.
"Tell me.""
He looked at the photograph in my hand.
May you like
Then whispered:
"Your mother wasn't the person you thought she was.""
