Chapter 7: The Betrayal Inside the Family
Marcus stared at Margaret.
For several seconds, he seemed unable to understand what he had just heard.
"Someone inside our family helped her," he repeated.
Margaret took a step backward.
"Marcus, don't look at me like that.""
Ethan lowered the recorder.
"Who was she talking about?""
Margaret shook her head.
"I don't know.""
But her voice sounded different.
Not confused.
Afraid.
Marcus noticed it too.
"You knew something.""
"No.""
"Margaret, you've been bringing documents into this house all evening. You've told us about the foundation, the trust, and the people involved in your sister's death. Now this recording says someone inside the family helped Vanessa, and suddenly you don't know anything?""
Margaret gripped her handbag.
"I knew your wife was investigating something. I didn't know how dangerous it was.""
I watched her carefully.
This was unexpected.
For the first time that night, Margaret wasn't looking at me.
She was looking at the recorder.
And I knew exactly why.
There was something on that device she didn't want anyone to hear.
"Marcus," I interrupted, "you shouldn't believe everything on an old recording.""
Ethan turned toward me.
"Why? Because it contains your voice?""
"Because recordings can be edited.""
"Then why are you shaking?""
I clenched my hands.
"I'm cold.""
Marcus stepped into the bedroom.
"Give me your phone.""
I looked at him.
"Excuse me?""
"Your phone. Now.""
"You have no right to search my personal belongings.""
"Then call your lawyer.""
He held out his hand.
I didn't move.
Ethan glanced at the leather box sitting on the bed.
"What's that?""
"Nothing.""
He walked closer.
I grabbed the box.
"Don't touch my things!""
Marcus looked at it.
"Open it.""
"No.""
"Vanessa.""
I laughed nervously.
"You've already decided I'm guilty. Why pretend this is an investigation?""
Marcus's voice dropped.
"Because I still want to know what happened to my wife.""
For a moment, I couldn't look at him.
Then Margaret spoke.
"Marcus, perhaps we should listen to the entire recording before making assumptions.""
Ethan turned toward her.
"Why are you defending Vanessa?""
"I'm not.""
"Then what are you hiding?""
Margaret's lips tightened.
She looked at Marcus.
"Your first wife asked me to protect Ethan. I have done that for seven years. But there are things I never told you because I was afraid.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Afraid of whom?""
Margaret looked at me.
I smiled.
She immediately lowered her eyes.
And that was enough to tell me she was still protecting someone.
Marcus took the recorder from Ethan.
"Play the rest.""
Ethan pressed the button.
Static filled the bedroom.
Then his mother's voice returned.
"If anything happens to me, don't trust the person who claims to be protecting Ethan. The truth is much closer than you think.""
A man's voice interrupted.
"You're paranoid.""
Daniel.
His mother answered.
"No. I've seen the documents.""
A door slammed somewhere in the background.
Then a second voice spoke.
A woman's voice.
"Just give me the papers.""
I froze.
I knew that voice.
So did Margaret.
Marcus leaned closer to the recorder.
"Who is that?""
Nobody answered.
The woman spoke again.
"Your husband doesn't need to know about the transfers. He'll never understand.""
His first wife replied:
"He's going to understand everything.""
Then came a sound like a chair scraping across the floor.
The recording ended.
Marcus looked at Ethan.
"Can you recover the missing audio?""
"I don't know. The device is old.""
Margaret suddenly reached for it.
"Give that to me.""
Ethan pulled it away.
"Why?""
"Because it belongs to my sister.""
"She left it for us.""
Margaret's expression hardened.
"Your mother left it with me.""
"Then why didn't you give it to Dad seven years ago?""
Margaret looked at Marcus.
"I was trying to protect the family.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"Apparently everyone has been protecting someone except me.""
He turned toward me.
"Pack your things. You're leaving tonight.""
I picked up my suitcase.
"Fine.""
Then I walked toward the hallway.
Marcus stepped aside.
But as I passed Margaret, I whispered something only she could hear.
"Tell him about the hospital.""
Her face went white.
I continued walking.
Behind me, I heard Marcus ask:
"What hospital?""
Margaret didn't answer.
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Because I knew the next few minutes would be interesting.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in the back of a black car outside the house.
I had managed to leave with my suitcase, two phones, and the leather box.
The driver glanced at me through the mirror.
"Where to, ma'am?""
"The airport.""
He nodded.
I turned on my second phone.
Three missed calls from Daniel.
I called him back.
He answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
"Leaving Marcus's house.""
"Did you get the recorder?""
"No. Ethan has it.""
Daniel swore.
"Then we're finished.""
"Don't be dramatic.""
"Vanessa, listen to me. That recorder contains evidence we thought was destroyed. If they recover the complete audio, they'll know who was there that night.""
I looked out the window.
"Who was the second woman?""
Silence.
"Daniel.""
He sighed.
"You really don't remember?""
"I remember everything. I want to hear you say it.""
He lowered his voice.
"Margaret.""
My stomach tightened.
"That's impossible.""
"She was there.""
"No.""
"She helped arrange the meeting. She told your first employer where Patricia would be driving that night. She was the one who provided the original documents.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because you didn't need to know.""
I almost laughed.
"That's funny coming from you.""
Daniel continued.
"We need to meet. I have the money, and I have something else that might keep you out of prison.""
"What?""
"An original letter.""
"From whom?""
"Marcus's first wife.""
I sat forward.
"What does it say?""
"That she was planning to expose Margaret.""
The call ended abruptly.
I stared at the screen.
Then I realized the car had stopped.
"Why aren't we moving?"" I asked.
The driver looked at me.
"Traffic.""
I glanced through the windshield.
There were no other cars.
The road was empty.
Then I noticed the small red light flashing on the dashboard.
A recording device.
I looked at the driver.
"Who are you?""
He turned around.
And my blood ran cold.
It was Daniel.
He smiled.
"Hello, Vanessa.""
Back at the mansion, Marcus stood in the study with Ethan and Margaret.
"Tell me about the hospital," he demanded.
Margaret sat down slowly.
"I should have told you years ago.""
"Then start talking.""
She removed her glasses.
"Seven years ago, after your wife died, I received a call from the hospital. They told me Patricia Lowell had been admitted after an accident.""
Marcus frowned.
"Who is Patricia Lowell?""
"The woman Vanessa worked for before she met you.""
Ethan looked up.
"What happened to her?""
Margaret continued.
"She was seriously injured. She couldn't speak properly, and she was being transferred to another facility. I visited her.""
Marcus stared.
"Why?""
"Because she asked for me.""
"What did she say?""
Margaret took a deep breath.
"She told me Vanessa and Daniel had been stealing money from her company. She also said they had been following her for weeks.""
Ethan leaned forward.
"Did she mention my mother?""
Margaret nodded.
"She said your mother had discovered the same arrangement.""
Marcus gripped the desk.
"Then why didn't you tell the police?""
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"Because Patricia told me something else.""
"What?""
"She said Daniel had threatened her daughter.""
Marcus went still.
"Her daughter?""
Margaret nodded.
"She was fifteen. Daniel knew where she went to school. He knew where she lived. Patricia begged me not to involve the police until her daughter was safe.""
Ethan looked confused.
"Then what happened?""
"Patricia died six months later from complications related to her injuries. Her daughter was sent to live with relatives.""
Marcus sat down.
"And you never told me?""
"I was afraid.""
"Of Daniel?""
Margaret looked toward the recorder.
"Of everyone.""
Ethan took out his phone.
"I think we should find the original files.""
Marcus nodded.
"Call the attorney. Tell him everything.""
But before Ethan could dial, a notification appeared on his screen.
An email.
No sender name.
No subject.
Just one attachment.
A photograph.
Ethan opened it.
It showed Vanessa sitting in the back of a car.
Her face was turned toward the camera.
Beneath the photograph was a single sentence.
*If you want to know who really helped Vanessa, come alone.*
Marcus read it over his son's shoulder.
"Don't even think about going.""
Ethan looked at him.
"Dad, this could be evidence.""
"Or a trap.""
Ethan stared at the photograph.
Then he noticed something in the background.
A familiar street sign.
He recognized the location immediately.
It was the old foundation building.
And beneath the photograph was another message.
*Ask Margaret what happened in Room 214.*
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Margaret dropped her handbag.
For the first time, she looked genuinely terrified.
