Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Door
“Claire?””
My body went completely still.
That voice.
I had never heard it in person before, yet somehow I knew it.
Marcus stared at the office door as if a ghost were standing on the other side.
Brielle's voice echoed faintly from the ballroom beyond the corridor.
“Dad?””
I ignored her.
My hand closed around the doorknob.
Marcus grabbed my wrist.
“Don't.””
I looked at him.
“You've spent three years keeping her away from me.””
“I was trying to keep you safe.””
“And now she's standing outside the door.””
“Claire, please.””
I pulled my wrist free.
“You don't get to decide what I hear anymore.””
I opened the door.
A woman stood beneath the corridor lights.
She was probably in her late forties, wearing a dark wool coat over a simple black dress. Her hair was pulled into a low knot. She wasn't glamorous.
She looked exhausted.
And furious.
Her eyes went straight to Marcus.
“You really told her nothing.””
Marcus stiffened.
“You shouldn't be here.””
Vanessa gave a bitter smile.
“I've been trying to get here for three years.””
Then she looked at me.
“Claire Reed?””
I nodded.
“My name is Vanessa Cole.””
“I know.””
She glanced at the letter in my hand.
“Then your stepmother finally did what she promised.””
My chest tightened.
“You knew her.””
“Yes.””
“You worked with her.””
Vanessa nodded.
“And you were engaged to my husband.””
Her eyes flicked toward Marcus.
“Unfortunately.””
Marcus stepped into the doorway.
“Vanessa, you need to leave.””
She laughed.
“You still give orders like anyone owes you obedience.””
“You have no idea what you've done.””
“No.””
Her eyes hardened.
“You have no idea what you've done.””
I stepped between them.
“Enough.””
They both fell silent.
I looked at Vanessa.
“You said my father left me something.””
“Yes.””
“What?””
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small envelope.
She held it out.
I stared at it.
My name was written across the front.
This handwriting wasn't my stepmother's.
It was my father's.
My fingers trembled as I took it.
“Where did you get this?””
“Your stepmother gave it to me.””
“Before she died?””
“Yes.””
“Why would she give it to you?””
“Because she knew Marcus would never let you see it.””
I looked at Marcus.
He didn't deny it.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
My father stood beside a black sedan I'd never seen before.
A younger Vanessa was visible in the background.
And standing next to my father was my stepmother.
But that wasn't what made my hands shake.
Written on the back of the photograph were four words.
*Ask who drove the car.*
I looked up.
“Who drove it?””
Vanessa's eyes moved to Marcus.
“Your husband.””
The world seemed to tilt.
“No.””
Marcus immediately spoke.
“I didn't.””
Vanessa laughed without humor.
“You drove him to the clinic.””
I looked at Marcus.
“What clinic?””
He shook his head.
“Claire, listen to me.””
“Answer me.””
“It was years ago.””
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“You drove him somewhere?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Marcus swallowed.
“He was sick.””
“Then why did the death certificate say he was taken directly to the hospital by ambulance?””
He stared at me.
Vanessa answered for him.
“Because he wasn't.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Why?””
“Because your father asked me to drive him.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because he told me not to.””
I shook my head.
“My father didn't even speak to you after he discovered what my stepmother had been doing.””
“He called me.””
“Why?””
“He knew I was involved in the business.””
“Your business?””
“No.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“His father's company.””
I frowned.
“My grandfather's company?””
“Yes.””
I stared at her.
“My father sold that company before I was born.””
“Officially.””
The word chilled me.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“It means the company was never really sold.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“That's enough.””
Vanessa turned on him.
“You've had years to tell her.””
“I was protecting her.””
“You were protecting yourself.””
I felt my anger rising again.
“Both of you stop talking around me.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Fair.””
She stepped closer.
“Your father discovered that someone had been taking money from the company.””
“My stepmother?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To finance a second operation.””
“What operation?””
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
“Ask him.””
I turned.
Marcus said nothing.
“Marcus?””
He stared at the floor.
Vanessa answered.
“A private lending operation.””
I frowned.
“Illegal?””
“Not exactly.””
Marcus finally spoke.
“Unregulated.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Money was being moved through shell companies.””
My stomach tightened.
“And my father's money?””
“Some of it.””
“How much?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“More than eighty-six thousand.””
Marcus looked at her sharply.
“Don't.””
She ignored him.
“Closer to four hundred thousand.””
I felt dizzy.
“Four hundred thousand?””
“Yes.””
“Taken from my father's company?””
“And personal accounts.””
I looked at Marcus.
“How did you know?””
“Because I was involved in the recovery.””
“What recovery?””
“Your father had discovered the accounts.””
“And he wanted the money back.””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Vanessa's face changed.
“He disappeared for two days.””
I stared at her.
“After arguing with your stepmother?””
“Yes.””
“Then he came back.””
“Barely.””
My breathing slowed.
“What do you mean?””
“He was sick.””
Marcus looked away.
“He couldn't walk properly. He was confused.””
I stared at him.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You said he died of a heart attack.””
“That was what the doctors said.””
“Was it?””
Marcus hesitated.
“No.””
The word tore through me.
“No?””
“There were complications.””
“What complications?””
He looked at Vanessa.
She answered.
“Poisoning.””
The corridor seemed to disappear.
I heard nothing but the rushing in my ears.
“Who poisoned him?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“We never proved it.””
“But you suspect someone.””
She looked at Marcus.
“Yes.””
My stomach dropped.
“Marcus?””
He shook his head.
“You cannot believe her.””
“Why?””
“Because Vanessa has spent years trying to destroy me.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You destroyed yourself.””
She pulled another document from her coat.
“This is the toxicology report.””
I took it.
My eyes scanned the page.
The report carried my father's name.
The date of admission.
The test results.
A substance was listed.
*Digoxin.*
I looked at Vanessa.
“What is this?””
“A cardiac drug.””
My voice shook.
“My father wasn't taking this.””
“No.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Was he?””
“No.””
“Then how was it in his system?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Vanessa said quietly, “That's the question I've been trying to answer.””
I looked down at the paper.
There was a handwritten note in the margin.
*Patient insists he was given medication by family member.*
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“Family member?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Vanessa's face turned grim.
“Your father never said.””
“Why?””
“He was afraid.””
“Of whom?””
She looked directly at Marcus.
I stared at my husband.
“Did my father accuse you?””
Marcus shook his head.
“He accused someone else.””
“Who?””
“My stepmother.””
The words barely left his mouth.
I looked at Vanessa.
“She poisoned him?””
“We don't know.””
“But you think she did.””
“Yes.””
I swallowed.
“Then why did she give you this letter?””
“Because after your father's death, she realized she had made a terrible mistake.””
“What mistake?””
“She hadn't meant for him to die.””
I closed my eyes.
Vanessa continued.
“She thought the dose would frighten him. Make him stop asking questions.””
My hands went numb.
“So she admitted it?””
“Not directly.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because she told me where the evidence was.””
“What evidence?””
Vanessa reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small digital recorder.
My pulse jumped.
“When was this recorded?””
“Three weeks before she died.””
“What's on it?””
“Her confession.””
Marcus suddenly lunged toward the recorder.
I moved faster.
I grabbed Vanessa's wrist.
“Give it to me.””
She did.
Marcus stepped back.
“Claire, don't listen to that.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because you don't know whether it's authentic.””
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
“I have the original file.””
Marcus looked furious.
“You've manipulated it.””
“I had it for three years and never altered a second.””
I looked at the recorder.
Then at Marcus.
Then at Vanessa.
I pressed play.
Static crackled.
Then a woman's voice filled the corridor.
My stepmother.
Older.
Shaking.
But unmistakable.
“I made one mistake,” the recording said.
My breath caught.
The voice continued.
“I gave him the medication.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“He wasn't supposed to die.””
I looked at him.
The recording continued.
“Marcus was supposed to help me move the money, but he didn't know what I gave him.””
I stared at my husband.
His eyes opened.
He looked terrified.
The recording crackled.
“He will tell Claire that her father had a heart attack.””
I felt my knees weaken.
“He'll do it because I know what he did before Claire met him.””
My blood ran cold.
The recording stopped.
No one moved.
I slowly turned toward Marcus.
“What did you do before you met me?””
He looked at me.
His face had gone completely white.
Vanessa whispered,
“That's the part he never wanted you to hear.””
Marcus took one step backward.
And from the ballroom, Brielle screamed.
“Dad!””
We all turned.
A second later, Daniel shouted,
“Someone call the police!””
Vanessa grabbed my arm.
“Claire, don't go out there alone.””
I pulled free.
“What happened?””
She looked toward the ballroom.
“Whatever your husband was hiding…”
May you like
Her voice dropped.
“Someone else knows about it now.””
