Chapter 6 - Vanessa's Secret
The investigation uncovered something none of us expected.
Vanessa hadn't used all the loan money to save Marcus's company.
She had diverted $74,000 into an account Marcus didn't know existed.
Then investigators found payments to a divorce attorney.
A luxury apartment deposit.
And monthly transfers to someone named Trevor Hale.
Marcus confronted her.
She denied everything.
Then Trevor appeared.
He wasn't a lover.
He was her brother.
And he had been helping Vanessa hide money for almost two years.
She had been preparing to leave Marcus the moment his business collapsed.
Marcus came to my house late one evening.
He looked ten years older.
“She was going to leave me.”
I didn't answer.
“She took money from me.”
The irony was so painful I almost laughed.
“Does that feeling seem familiar?”
He lowered his head.
For the first time, Marcus seemed to understand.
Not completely.
But enough.
“I did that to you.”
“Yes.”
“I thought I'd put it back.”
“So did Vanessa.”
He cried then.
Not theatrically.
Quietly.
I let him cry.
But I didn't tell him everything would be okay.
Some things weren't supposed to be made okay by mothers.
Some things had to be survived by sons.
Before leaving, Marcus asked one question.
“Did Dad really leave a trust?”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
His face changed.
“How much?”
I understood immediately.
Even now.
Even after everything.
Money.
“That's between me and your father's attorney.”
Marcus nodded slowly.
Then he said, “Vanessa told me Lily knew about it.”
“She didn't.”
“She said Lily was trying to steal my inheritance.”
“She wasn't.”
He closed his eyes.
“I believed her.”
“No, Marcus. You believed what made your choices easier.”
He left without another word.
The next morning, Samuel Price called.
Someone had broken into his home office.
May you like
Only one file was missing.
Henry's trust.
