Chapter 3: My Husband Called Me a Criminal
I thought I had reached the bottom.
I was wrong.
Two police officers entered my father's study.
One was a middle-aged man with a broad build and a serious expression. The other was a younger woman carrying a notebook.
The older officer introduced himself as Detective Harris.
“Mrs. Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“We'd like to ask you some questions about the incident at the swimming pool.””
My father stepped forward.
“My daughter has already explained what happened.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“I understand, sir. We've also received a complaint from Mr. Marcus Bennett.””
I laughed in disbelief.
“Of course you have.””
The younger officer looked at me.
“Mr. Bennett alleges that you pushed your daughter into the pool during an argument.””
My father slammed his palm against the desk.
“That's a lie!””
Detective Harris remained calm.
“Sir, we haven't reached any conclusions. We're here to establish the facts.””
I took a breath.
“There's security footage.””
“We've been informed.””
“Then watch it.””
The detective glanced at his colleague.
“We will.””
My father motioned toward Daniel.
“Show them the recording.””
Daniel opened the file.
We watched the footage again.
This time, I forced myself to look at every detail.
Vanessa approached Lily.
Vanessa grabbed her wrist.
Vanessa pushed her.
Then Vanessa waited before accusing me.
Detective Harris leaned forward.
“Can you rewind that?””
Daniel did.
The detective watched it twice.
Then he looked at the younger officer.
“Make a note of the timestamps.””
The younger officer wrote something down.
I pointed at the screen.
“She knew exactly what she was doing.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“It certainly appears that way. We'll need the original recording and a forensic copy.””
My father folded his arms.
“You'll have both.””
Then the detective turned toward me.
“Mrs. Bennett, did you have an argument with your sister before the incident?””
“No.””
“Had you been drinking?””
“One glass of champagne. I hadn't touched it for over an hour.””
“Were you angry with her?””
I hesitated.
“Not until she pushed my daughter.””
He wrote something down.
Then he asked a question that made my skin crawl.
“Did you have any financial disagreements with your husband recently?””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Mr. Bennett mentioned that you had been behaving unpredictably and had threatened to leave the marriage.””
I stared at the detective.
“That has nothing to do with what happened to Lily.””
“I'm trying to understand the circumstances.””
I shook my head.
“My husband is lying.””
Detective Harris closed his notebook.
“We'll investigate all relevant information. For now, we'd like you to avoid contacting your sister or husband until we've had a chance to speak with them.””
I nodded.
After the officers left, my father poured himself a glass of water.
He looked exhausted.
“I never thought Marcus would do this.””
I sat on the sofa.
“Neither did I.””
He sat opposite me.
“Nia, there's something else I need to tell you.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“Marcus came to see me last month.””
I frowned.
“When?””
“On September seventeenth.””
“What did he want?””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“He asked me to guarantee a loan for a private investment company.””
I sat upright.
“What investment company?””
“Bennett Legacy Holdings.””
The name sounded familiar.
My father opened a drawer and removed a folder.
He placed it on the table.
“Marcus claimed he wanted to create a separate business to manage some of the family's properties. He said it would protect us from future market instability.””
“And you agreed?””
“No.””
He opened the folder.
“I asked him for financial statements. He couldn't provide them.””
I flipped through the papers.
There were property addresses, projected returns, and a list of proposed investors.
Then I saw a familiar name.
Vanessa Bennett.
She was listed as the managing director.
I looked at my father.
“She's never run a company.””
“Exactly.””
I turned another page.
There was a loan request for $2.8 million.
My father had refused it.
But someone had submitted a second application using his name.
And this time, the documents included a signature.
My father's signature.
I stared at it.
“Did you sign this?””
“No.””
I looked at the date.
The application had been submitted three weeks earlier.
The same period when Marcus and Vanessa had been discussing the trust.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus.
*Marcus:* Your father is manipulating you. Vanessa is having a difficult pregnancy. If anything happens to her, that's on you.
I showed my father.
He read it and placed the phone down.
“Don't answer.””
I didn't.
Instead, I called my attorney.
Her name was Rebecca Collins.
She had handled my father's estate planning for almost fifteen years and had helped me establish my own small consulting business.
When she answered, I explained everything.
She listened without interrupting.
Then she asked me to send the documents.
After reviewing them, she said something that made me sit very still.
“Nia, this isn't just about an inheritance.””
“What do you mean?””
“The amended trust document appears to transfer control of Lily's assets under circumstances that would need careful legal scrutiny. And this loan application raises a separate question about potential financial fraud.””
“Can Vanessa become trustee if I'm dead?””
Rebecca paused.
“Not automatically. But someone may be attempting to create that appearance.””
I looked toward the window.
My daughter was outside with Mrs. Brooks, carefully arranging little plastic pumpkins.
“Rebecca, do you think they planned to kill me?””
“I can't responsibly conclude that from these documents. But I can tell you that you need to take every threat seriously.””
I ended the call.
My father watched me.
“What did she say?””
“They're trying to take control of Lily's inheritance.””
He shook his head.
“Over my dead body.””
At that moment, Mrs. Brooks entered.
“Mr. Bennett?””
“Yes?””
“There's someone at the front door asking for Nia.””
My father stood.
“Who?””
“Mrs. Vanessa Bennett.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“She's here?””
Mrs. Brooks nodded.
“She says she wants to apologize.””
My father laughed bitterly.
“Tell her to leave.””
But I stopped him.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Nia, you don't owe her a conversation.””
“I know.””
I stood.
“But I want to hear what she has to say.””
My father hesitated.
Then he nodded toward Daniel.
“Stay nearby.””
Vanessa entered the study a few minutes later.
She was wearing a pale blue maternity dress.
Her makeup was perfect.
Her hair was curled.
She carried a small gift bag.
As if she were visiting someone recovering from surgery.
“Nia,” she whispered.
I didn't answer.
She placed the bag on the table.
“I brought something for Lily.””
“Take it away.””
Her face tightened.
“I'm trying to make things right.””
“You pushed my daughter into a swimming pool.””
Vanessa looked down.
“I didn't mean for her to fall.””
I stared at her.
“Don't.””
She blinked.
“Don't what?””
“Don't insult me by pretending I didn't see what you did.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to get her away from the edge.””
“You grabbed her and pushed her.””
“I panicked!””
“You waited until I jumped in before you started screaming.””
Vanessa looked toward my father.
“Daddy, please tell her to calm down.””
My father didn't move.
“Answer your sister.””
Vanessa's expression changed.
For a second, the tears disappeared.
Then she lowered her voice.
“You don't understand what you've done.””
I stared at her.
“What have I done?””
“You've turned everyone against me.””
I almost laughed.
“You did that yourself.””
She stepped closer.
“Marcus says you're going to ruin everything.””
My heart stopped.
“What does Marcus have to do with this?””
Vanessa froze.
Then she recovered.
“I mean our family.””
I walked toward her.
“Why did you push Lily?””
She looked at me for several seconds.
Then she said something I never expected.
“Because you were supposed to be the one who lost everything.””
My father stepped forward.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa backed away.
“I didn't say anything.””
“You just did,” I replied.
Her phone began ringing.
She glanced at the screen.
I saw Marcus's name.
She rejected the call.
Then another message appeared.
She read it.
Her face went white.
I held out my hand.
“Show me.””
“No.””
“Show me, Vanessa.””
She clutched the phone against her chest.
And then, for the first time, I saw something more frightening than her anger.
Fear.
May you like
She looked at me and whispered:
“Marcus said you weren't supposed to survive the night.””
