Chapter 4
I had known Margaret for thirty years.
We had celebrated birthdays together.
We had visited each other in the hospital.
She was the first person I called when Arthur died.
Now Vanessa stood at the bottom of the staircase accusing her of hiding something.
I looked at my friend.
"Margaret?"
She swallowed.
"Evelyn, don't listen to her."
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Of course. That's what you always say."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Vanessa, enough. Explain what you're talking about."
She folded her arms.
"Ask Margaret why Arthur gave her access to his private office."
Margaret's face tightened.
"Because I was his office manager."
"And why did he leave important documents with you instead of his wife?"
I felt the question strike me.
Vanessa noticed.
She smiled faintly.
"Exactly."
Marcus looked disgusted.
"You're trying to turn them against each other."
"I'm telling the truth."
I raised my hand.
"Stop."
Both women fell silent.
I looked at Margaret.
"Did Arthur have secrets you haven't told me?"
She stared at me.
Then she nodded.
"Yes."
My stomach twisted.
"What secrets?"
Margaret looked toward the letter in my hand.
"He was investigating more than one person."
I felt dizzy.
"Who?"
She took a slow breath.
"Vanessa wasn't the only person connected to Crescent Ridge Holdings."
Marcus frowned.
"Who else?"
Margaret looked at him.
"You."
The room went silent.
My son stared at her.
"What?"
I looked at Marcus.
He seemed genuinely shocked.
Margaret continued.
"Arthur found your name listed on an authorization connected to the company."
Marcus shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Vanessa immediately pointed at him.
"See? He knew!"
Marcus turned toward her.
"Don't you dare."
Margaret opened another folder.
Inside was a copy of a document bearing Marcus's name.
His signature appeared at the bottom.
He took it.
Then his expression changed.
"That's not my signature."
I looked at him.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded firmly.
"Absolutely."
Vanessa laughed.
"Convenient."
Marcus stared at her.
"You've been using my information?"
She looked away.
"Don't blame me because you forgot what you signed."
My son stepped closer.
"I never signed this."
For the first time, I saw something in his eyes that frightened me.
Not anger.
Betrayal.
The kind of betrayal that makes a person question every memory of their marriage.
I remembered how Vanessa had handled most of their household paperwork.
She organized bills.
Scheduled appointments.
Managed subscriptions.
Marcus trusted her completely.
Just as Arthur had trusted her when she offered to help with online banking.
A terrible pattern was forming.
Margaret looked at Vanessa.
"Arthur discovered the same thing."
Vanessa's face tightened.
"What?"
"He suspected you had used Marcus's information without his knowledge."
Marcus turned toward me.
"Mom, why didn't Dad tell me?"
I didn't know what to say.
Margaret answered.
"He wanted stronger evidence before accusing his own daughter-in-law."
Marcus lowered his head.
I knew exactly what he was thinking.
Arthur had loved Vanessa.
At least, he had tried to.
He welcomed her into our family.
He gave her Christmas gifts.
He asked about her work.
He told Marcus he hoped their marriage would be happy.
And while he was trying to protect us, Vanessa may have been using our trust against us.
But I still needed answers about the name in Arthur's letter.
"Victoria Lane," I said.
Vanessa's shoulders stiffened.
I stepped closer.
"Who is she?"
Vanessa looked toward Marcus.
He didn't help her.
Finally, she whispered, "That was my legal name."
Marcus went completely still.
"What?"
She closed her eyes.
"Before I changed it."
I stared at her.
"Why did you change your name?"
She wiped her cheeks.
"Because I wanted a fresh start."
"From what?"
She shook her head.
"My past."
Marcus looked at her.
"What past?"
For several seconds, Vanessa said nothing.
Then Margaret opened the folder again.
"Arthur found records of a business dispute involving Victoria Lane."
Vanessa rushed forward.
"Stop!"
Marcus stepped between them.
"Sit down."
She froze.
He pointed toward the sofa.
"Now."
Vanessa sat.
Margaret handed me a newspaper clipping.
It described a financial consulting company that had collapsed several years earlier.
Several investors claimed their money had been misused.
The article named Victoria Lane as a former employee associated with the company.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Was this you?"
She nodded reluctantly.
"Yes."
Marcus stared at her.
"You told me you worked in marketing."
"I did."
"You never mentioned this company."
"Because it was a nightmare."
Margaret continued.
"Arthur found that Vanessa had been involved in a dispute over unauthorized financial transactions."
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"I wasn't convicted of anything!"
Margaret nodded.
"That's correct. The case ended without a criminal conviction against you."
I appreciated that she clarified it.
I wanted the truth.
Not assumptions.
But the similarities were impossible to ignore.
The same kind of suspicious transfers.
The same use of financial information.
The same pattern of refusing to answer direct questions.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Did you steal from Arthur and me?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"Did you authorize those transfers?"
"No."
"Then why did Arthur believe you were responsible?"
She began crying.
"Because someone was using my accounts!"
Marcus stared at her.
"Who?"
She looked at him.
Then she whispered, "My brother."
I frowned.
"Your brother?"
Vanessa nodded.
"His name is Calvin."
Marcus looked confused.
"You told me your brother died when you were twenty."
She closed her eyes.
"I lied."
The room fell silent.
I felt exhausted.
Every answer revealed another lie.
Every lie led to another person.
Marcus sat down heavily.
"Vanessa, who are you?"
She covered her face.
For the first time, she didn't have an answer ready.
Then my phone rang.
An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?"
A man's voice spoke.
"Mrs. Carter?"
"Yes."
"My name is Daniel Brooks. Arthur hired me several years ago."
My heart jumped.
"Daniel?"
"I'm sorry to contact you during the holidays, but Margaret told me the situation has escalated."
I looked at Vanessa.
Her face had turned white again.
Daniel continued.
"I need to speak with you about the missing funds and the documents Arthur left."
I swallowed.
"Can you come here?"
"Yes."
Then he hesitated.
"Mrs. Carter, before I arrive, there's something you need to understand."
"What?"
His voice became serious.
"Arthur wasn't only investigating financial fraud."
My stomach tightened.
"He believed someone was planning to use your family home as part of a larger scheme."
I looked around the beautiful Christmas living room.
The house Arthur had helped purchase.
The house Vanessa had just tried to throw me out of.
Daniel continued.
"And according to the records, that plan may still be active."
I stared at Marcus.
He looked terrified.
"Daniel, what plan?"
The attorney took a breath.
"Someone has been trying to transfer control of the property without your family's knowledge."
I looked at Vanessa.
May you like
She lowered her eyes.
And suddenly, her insistence that this was her house made terrible sense.
