Chapter 3: The Voice on the Flash Drive
Marcus's study smelled of leather, old books, and the coffee he had abandoned that morning.
He placed the flash drive beside his computer.
Ethan stood near the doorway.
I took the chair opposite Marcus and crossed my legs.
"Play it," I said.
Marcus looked at me.
"Why are you so eager?""
"Because I'm tired of being accused.""
He inserted the drive.
A folder appeared on the screen.
Inside were three video files.
OCTOBER 27.
OCTOBER 28.
OCTOBER 29.
I pointed at the first one.
"Start there.""
Marcus clicked.
The footage showed his private office at night.
The room was empty.
A few seconds later, Ethan entered.
He was wearing the same gray sweatshirt from the previous week.
He walked directly to the desk.
Then he opened a drawer.
Marcus leaned closer.
"What is he looking for?""
I shrugged.
"That's what I would like to know.""
On the screen, Ethan removed a folder and examined several papers.
Then he took out his phone.
He photographed something.
Marcus looked at his son.
"What were you doing?""
Ethan remained silent.
The footage continued.
Ethan opened another drawer.
He pulled out a small black notebook.
Then he photographed several more pages.
Finally, he put everything back and left.
Marcus paused the video.
"Explain.""
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
"I was looking for the original company transfer records.""
"Why?""
"Because the digital records had been altered.""
Marcus stared at him.
"How do you know?""
"Because I compared the bank statements with the accounting reports. There were transactions missing from the official system.""
I leaned forward.
"Convenient story.""
Ethan ignored me.
"I found the original records in your desk. Someone had hidden them in the bottom drawer.""
Marcus looked at the screen again.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I wanted proof before I accused anyone.""
Marcus sighed.
"You should have trusted me.""
Ethan's voice cracked.
"I did trust you.""
The words hung in the room.
Marcus looked away.
I shifted in my chair.
"Can we continue?""
He clicked the second video.
This time, the office was empty for several minutes.
Then I appeared.
Wearing a cream-colored blouse.
Carrying a cup of coffee.
I walked behind Marcus's desk and opened the same drawer Ethan had searched.
My heart began beating faster.
On the screen, I removed the black notebook.
I flipped through several pages.
Then I took out my phone.
I photographed something.
Marcus stared at the screen.
"Vanessa.""
I leaned back.
"That's me.""
"What were you doing?""
"Looking for your insurance papers.""
He paused the video.
"At midnight?""
"I couldn't sleep.""
He looked at me.
"Why were you searching through my private records?""
I shrugged.
"Because I was worried about you.""
Ethan let out a quiet laugh.
"That's what she always says.""
Marcus ignored him and resumed the footage.
I closed the drawer.
Then I walked toward the door.
But before leaving, I stopped.
I turned toward the camera.
For a moment, I stared directly into the lens.
Then I smiled.
It was a small smile.
A private smile.
The kind of expression I had never shown Marcus.
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Marcus slowly turned toward me.
"Why did you smile at the camera?""
I forced a laugh.
"Maybe I saw myself in the reflection.""
"There isn't a mirror near the camera.""
I looked at the screen.
Then at him.
"Are we seriously going to analyze every facial expression I make?""
Marcus rubbed his eyes.
"Play the third video.""
I went cold.
The third file was supposed to show Ethan returning to the office.
It was the footage I had selected specifically because it showed him carrying a folder.
I expected Marcus to see his son removing confidential documents.
I expected anger.
I expected another argument.
Instead, the video opened with the office door swinging inward.
A man entered.
He wore a dark jacket and a baseball cap.
He looked around before walking toward the desk.
Marcus leaned closer.
"Who is that?""
I stared at the screen.
I recognized the man immediately.
Daniel Price.
The person who had registered the consulting company.
He approached the desk and placed a folder on it.
Then he pulled out his phone.
He made a call.
The office microphone picked up his voice.
"She's making this harder than it needs to be.""
A woman's voice answered.
My voice.
"Just do what I told you.""
Marcus stopped moving.
On the screen, Daniel opened the folder.
"Your husband is asking questions.""
My recorded voice responded.
"Then give him something else to worry about.""
Daniel laughed.
"What about the boy?""
"Leave Ethan to me.""
I felt my stomach turn.
Marcus's eyes moved toward me.
The recording continued.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"You promised me the money would be transferred by Friday.""
"It will.""
"And the inheritance papers?""
"They're ready.""
"What if the old man refuses to sign?""
There was a pause.
Then my voice answered.
"He won't have a choice.""
Marcus slowly stood.
I stared at the computer.
My mind was racing so fast that I could barely hear anything.
The recording continued.
Daniel asked another question.
"And what about the three hundred thousand?""
My recorded voice laughed.
"That's for Ethan.""
"You're going to pay him?""
"No. I'm going to make it look like he accepted it.""
Daniel whistled.
"You're ruthless.""
"I learned from watching people like Marcus. Everyone has a price. Some people just need to be convinced they're paying it themselves.""
Marcus pressed pause.
The room became painfully quiet.
He didn't shout.
He didn't throw anything.
He simply stood there, staring at the frozen image of Daniel Price.
Then he looked at me.
"Who is that man?""
I swallowed.
"Someone I know.""
"Who?""
"An old business contact.""
"Why was he in my office?""
"I don't know.""
Marcus pointed at the screen.
"That's your voice.""
I shook my head.
"It could be edited.""
Ethan looked at me.
"Seriously?""
"I said it could be edited!""
Marcus walked around the desk.
"Who is Daniel Price?""
I looked toward the door.
Marcus noticed.
"Don't even think about leaving.""
I stood.
"You're frightening me.""
He didn't move.
"Good. Maybe now you understand how Ethan felt.""
I stared at him.
Then I changed tactics.
"Marcus, listen to me. That conversation is not what you think. Daniel was helping me investigate the missing money. I was pretending to cooperate with him.""
Ethan shook his head.
"That's ridiculous.""
"Stay out of this!""
Marcus raised his voice.
"Enough!""
The walls seemed to shake.
He took out his phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
I rushed toward him.
"Don't!""
He stepped back.
"Why not?""
"Because you don't understand what's happening!""
"Then explain it.""
I couldn't.
I looked at the flash drive.
Then at the computer.
Then at Marcus.
And finally, at Ethan.
The boy I had spent eighteen months trying to destroy was standing there, watching my entire plan collapse.
I hated him.
I hated his quiet confidence.
I hated that his father was beginning to believe him.
But most of all, I hated that he had found the recordings.
Marcus dialed the number.
Before he could press call, the office door opened.
A woman in her late fifties stood in the doorway.
She wore a dark green coat and carried a leather handbag.
Marcus stared.
"Margaret?""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Margaret Hayes was his late wife's older sister.
She had barely visited the house since the funeral.
And she had never liked me.
"What are you doing here?"" Marcus asked.
Margaret looked at him.
Then at Ethan's split lip.
Her expression hardened.
"Where is Vanessa's handbag?""
I frowned.
"What?""
Margaret walked into the room.
"I asked where your handbag is.""
Marcus looked confused.
"Margaret, what's going on?""
She placed her handbag on the desk and removed a thick brown folder.
"I've been trying to reach you for three days. Your lawyer finally called me back this afternoon.""
Marcus frowned.
"My lawyer?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes. The estate attorney. He found something disturbing in the original trust documents.""
My mouth went dry.
She opened the folder.
Inside were several photographs, bank statements, and a copy of a document bearing Marcus's signature.
Margaret placed the document in front of him.
"Your first wife's will was never fully executed.""
Marcus stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"Unfortunately, it's true.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"What does that mean?""
Margaret looked at him.
"It means your grandmother's trust was supposed to remain under independent administration until you turned twenty-five.""
Ethan frowned.
"I'm twenty-three.""
"I know.""
Marcus looked confused.
"But the trust was transferred to my management years ago.""
Margaret shook her head.
"Someone filed an amended document. An amendment that should never have been accepted.""
She pointed to the signature at the bottom.
"Your signature was forged.""
Marcus looked at me.
I felt my knees weaken.
Margaret continued.
"And the person who submitted the amendment was...""
She stopped.
Her eyes moved toward me.
Then she slowly pulled another paper from the folder.
"Vanessa Cole.""
Marcus stared at the document.
Ethan looked at me.
I couldn't breathe.
But Margaret wasn't finished.
She reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed a younger woman standing beside Marcus's first wife.
A woman with dark hair and a familiar smile.
My smile.
Marcus picked up the photograph.
His fingers began trembling.
"Where did you get this?""
Margaret looked directly at me.
"From your first wife's private collection.""
Then she said something that made Marcus sit down.
"Because Vanessa isn't a stranger who entered this family eighteen months ago.""
She turned the photograph toward him.
"She knew your first wife long before you ever met her.""
May you like
And for the first time that night, I realized the biggest secret in that house wasn't the money.
It was the reason I had married Marcus in the first place.
