Chapter 9
Vanessa’s first lie after jail was that she had been forced.
Her lawyer said Eric had threatened her.
Eric’s lawyer said Vanessa had planned everything.
Adrian said they were both lying.
Detective Reyes said the evidence would decide.
I liked Detective Reyes.
She did not get impressed by money.
She came to our brownstone three days later with a laptop and a folder.
Dad sat at the table.
Clara sat beside me.
Reyes played more footage from Owen’s camera.
Before the ceremony, Vanessa stood in the bridal room with Eric.
She held the red envelope.
My red envelope.
“She knows,” Vanessa said.
Eric looked annoyed.
“She’s nine.”
“She’s Daniel’s daughter. He listens to her when he remembers she exists.”
Dad flinched.
I did too.
Vanessa continued.
“After the wedding, Clara goes first. Accuse her of stealing jewelry. Then Mia goes to St. Catherine’s in Switzerland.”
Eric laughed.
“Daniel will fight that.”
“Not after I tell him Mia needs discipline. He already thinks she is emotional.”
I looked at Dad.
His face crumpled.
“I never thought that,” he said.
But Vanessa had told me he did.
Over and over.
When I cried.
When I missed Mom.
When I said I did not like her.
Your father thinks you are being dramatic.
Your father needs peace.
Your father will send you away if you embarrass him.
Detective Reyes paused the video.
“Mia, did Vanessa ever say things like that to you?”
I nodded.
Dad covered his mouth.
Reyes wrote it down.
Then she opened the folder.
“We also found a draft email to St. Catherine’s. It names Vanessa as future guardian.”
Dad stood so quickly the chair fell back.
“She had no right.”
“No,” Reyes said. “She did not.”
Clara reached for my hand.
I whispered, “Was she really going to send me away?”
Dad knelt beside me.
“No. Never.”
“But she almost married you.”
His face twisted with pain.
“Yes.”
The truth sat there.
Heavy.
Ugly.
Dad had almost signed a door closed on me without knowing it.
He kissed my hand.
“I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt your place with me again.”
May you like
I wanted to believe him.
So I decided to watch.
