Chapter 3: The Woman Who Knew Everything
The woman reached the bottom of the staircase.
It was Olivia.
Marcus's younger sister.
She had been living in Boston for the past two years and had returned to town only occasionally.
I had always considered her harmless.
Quiet. Reserved. Too polite to interfere in family matters.
Apparently, I had been wrong.
Marcus stared at her.
"Olivia, what are you doing here?""
She placed her handbag on the console table.
"I came because Ethan called me.""
Marcus turned toward his son.
"You called your aunt?""
Ethan nodded.
"Before I came downstairs.""
Olivia looked at Marcus's split expression of anger and confusion.
"He's been trying to tell you the truth for weeks. I didn't want him confronting Vanessa alone.""
I folded my arms.
"How touching. The family has finally decided to have a meeting about me.""
Olivia ignored me.
She looked at Marcus.
"Have you read the medical report?""
"Yes.""
"Then you need to see what's on this drive.""
She held it out.
Marcus didn't take it immediately.
"What is it?""
"Records from the pharmacy that filled your prescriptions.""
My stomach tightened.
Olivia noticed.
She always noticed more than people expected.
"Vanessa," she said, "you look pale.""
I forced a smile.
"I'm tired. This has been a horrible evening.""
Olivia nodded slowly.
"I imagine it has.""
Marcus took the flash drive.
"Can someone please explain what is happening?""
Olivia pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Six weeks ago, I received a call from someone at your pharmacy. They were asking about an unusual prescription refill.""
Marcus frowned.
"What prescription?""
"A medication you weren't supposed to be taking.""
He stared at her.
"I don't take anything except my blood pressure medication.""
"Exactly.""
Olivia opened her handbag and removed a printed pharmacy record.
"This medication was prescribed under your name, but the dosage was significantly higher than what your doctor had recommended.""
Marcus examined the paper.
"Who prescribed it?""
"Dr. Richard Hale.""
Marcus shook his head.
"I've never seen him.""
Olivia nodded.
"That's what I thought.""
She placed another document on the table.
"He's a physician who works at a private clinic. According to the pharmacy records, someone arranged the prescription through a medical consultation that you never attended.""
Marcus looked at me.
I immediately shook my head.
"Don't look at me. I don't know this man.""
Olivia didn't blink.
"Your phone number was used to arrange the appointment.""
"That doesn't prove anything.""
"Your email address was used to confirm it.""
"Someone could have copied my information!""
"And the payment came from your personal credit card.""
I stared at her.
Marcus looked at the document.
"Vanessa?""
I felt cornered.
"I was trying to help you sleep better.""
Marcus frowned.
"What?""
"You told me you were tired. You complained about sleeping badly. I thought you needed something.""
"I never asked you to get me medication.""
"I was worried.""
Olivia leaned forward.
"Then why did you request a dosage four times higher than the recommended amount?""
I turned toward her.
"You're not a doctor!""
"No. But I know the difference between helping someone and putting them in danger.""
Marcus slowly placed the documents on the table.
"Did you give me this medication?""
I couldn't answer.
His voice became louder.
"Vanessa, did you?""
"I gave you something to help you sleep!""
"What did you give me?""
"Just a supplement.""
Olivia shook her head.
"That's not what the pharmacy record says.""
Marcus stood up so quickly that his chair scraped across the marble floor.
"Have I been taking this?""
I tried to reach for him.
"Marcus, listen—"
He stepped away.
"Have I been taking it?""
My voice cracked.
"Only occasionally.""
Olivia closed her eyes.
Marcus stared at her.
"What does it do?""
"I don't know the full medical implications. That's why I've already contacted your physician and requested an urgent review. But the dosage and the circumstances are concerning.""
Marcus pressed his hand against his forehead.
For several seconds, he looked older than I had ever seen him.
Then he turned toward me.
"Why?""
I started crying again.
"Because I love you.""
He looked at me as though I had slapped him.
"You love me?""
"Yes!""
"Then why would you give me something without telling me what it was?""
I had no answer.
Ethan moved closer to his father.
"Dad, we need to get you checked tonight.""
Marcus nodded.
"You're right.""
I stepped between them.
"Don't be ridiculous. He's fine.""
Olivia looked at me.
"Move.""
I glared at her.
"This is my husband.""
"And he's my brother.""
"You're not taking him anywhere.""
Marcus's voice cut through the room.
"Get out of my way, Vanessa.""
I froze.
He had never spoken to me like that.
Not once.
I stepped aside.
Ethan took his father's arm.
"I'll drive you.""
Olivia picked up her handbag.
"I've already arranged for his physician to meet us at the hospital.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Thank you.""
Then he turned toward me.
"Don't leave this house.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"Don't leave. Don't touch my computer. Don't access any of my accounts. And don't contact anyone from the company.""
I laughed nervously.
"You can't seriously believe all this.""
Marcus looked at the broken glass on the floor.
"I don't know what to believe anymore.""
He walked toward the hallway.
Ethan followed.
Olivia was about to leave when I grabbed her wrist.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?""
She looked down at my hand.
"Let go.""
"You've always wanted me out of this family.""
Olivia gently pulled free.
"No, Vanessa. I wanted you to be part of it.""
Her voice became softer.
"That's what makes this so disappointing.""
Then she left.
The front door closed.
I stood alone in the dining room.
Three hundred thousand dollars lay scattered across the marble floor.
The torn red dress hung from my shoulder.
The envelope with Ethan's name was still on the table.
For a few seconds, I couldn't move.
Then I rushed upstairs.
My bedroom looked exactly as I had left it.
The silk curtains were drawn. The bedside lamp was on. Marcus's watch sat beside the bed.
I opened the wardrobe and pulled out a small suitcase.
I had to leave.
Not because Marcus had told me to.
Because I needed to reach someone before the others did.
I grabbed my passport, jewelry, and a small pouch containing several bank cards.
Then I opened the bedside drawer and took out my second phone.
There was one number I needed to call.
I dialed.
It rang once.
Twice.
A man answered.
"Hello?""
"It's me.""
A pause.
"Vanessa?""
"Something went wrong.""
His voice changed immediately.
"What happened?""
"The camera recorded everything. Ethan found the financial documents. Olivia has the pharmacy records.""
Silence.
Then the man swore.
"Did Marcus see them?""
"Yes.""
"How much does he know?""
"Enough.""
The man exhaled.
"Then you need to get out.""
"I'm trying.""
"Come to the apartment. I'll arrange everything.""
I lowered my voice.
"What about the money?""
"Forget the money.""
"Three hundred thousand dollars is still downstairs.""
"Vanessa, listen to me. The money is irrelevant now.""
I gripped the phone.
"What do you mean?""
He hesitated.
Then he said something that made my blood turn cold.
"Because the police are already looking for you.""
I stared at the bedroom door.
"What?""
"Someone reported the missing funds. They're tracing the transfers.""
"Who reported them?""
"I don't know yet.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm trying to help you.""
I looked toward the window.
A car had just pulled into the driveway.
Two dark silhouettes emerged.
I recognized the first one immediately.
Marcus.
But he wasn't alone.
A uniformed police officer walked beside him.
I whispered into the phone.
"They're here.""
The man on the other end went silent.
Then he spoke in a voice I had never heard before.
"Vanessa, whatever happens, do not tell them my name.""
The line disconnected.
I stood frozen.
Then my second phone buzzed.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
*You need to know something before you speak to the police.*
Another message followed.
*The man you've been protecting isn't who you think he is.*
My fingers trembled as I opened the attached photograph.
It showed a man standing beside Marcus outside the company headquarters.
The man from the phone call.
The man I had trusted for almost a year.
But the photograph was dated seven years earlier.
And standing beside him was Marcus's first wife.
I zoomed in.
Her hand rested on the man's shoulder.
She was smiling.
And written on the back of the photograph were six words:
*Ask him who Ethan's real father is.*
I stopped breathing.
Because the man in the photograph wasn't a stranger.
He was the person who had just told me to run.
And suddenly, I understood that the story I had been told about this family might have been a lie from the very beginning.
Downstairs, the front door opened.
Marcus's voice rang through the house.
"Vanessa! Come down here!""
Then another voice followed.
"Mrs. Cole, we need to ask you some questions.""
I looked at the photograph again.
There was one more detail I hadn't noticed.
May you like
A date written beneath the woman's name.
It was the date Ethan had been born.
