Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER DIED
Daniel drove to the church.
Vanessa waited alone.
She looked terrified.
“Where is my mother?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie.”
“I saw her.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
Daniel stared.
“Where?”
“Europe.”
Grace stood beside him.
“Why would she be involved?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“She isn't.”
“Then why did you say she was?”
“Because Samuel told me.”
Daniel frowned.
“He lied to you.”
“Yes.”
Vanessa looked at Grace.
“He lied to all of us.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Then tell me the truth.”
Vanessa cried.
“My mother died when I was twelve.”
“I know.”
“Samuel told me she survived.”
“Why?”
“To control me.”
Daniel's expression softened slightly.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was ashamed.”
She looked down.
“I thought if I married you, I could get enough control to protect myself.”
Daniel stared.
“And you planned to kill me.”
“I changed my mind.”
“When?”
“When you fell.”
Daniel remembered.
Her four-second pause.
“I saw you on that floor.”
Vanessa began crying.
“And I realized I couldn't do it.”
Daniel said nothing.
“I couldn't watch you die.”
“Then why didn't you help?”
“Because Samuel was watching.”
Daniel's heart sank.
“The entire time?”
She nodded.
“He told me if I helped you, Grace and Lily would die.”
Grace looked at her.
“Why me?”
Vanessa answered,
“Because you're the heir.”
Silence.
Then a gunshot shattered the church window.
Everyone dropped.
Marcus shouted.
“Down!”
A bullet struck the altar.
Vanessa screamed.
Daniel pulled her behind a pillar.
Another shot.
Then silence.
Marcus looked outside.
“No shooter.”
Daniel turned to Vanessa.
“Where is Samuel?”
She whispered,
“Not Samuel.”
“Who?”
She looked at the church doors.
Richard entered.
His gun was raised.
Daniel stared.
“Uncle.”
Richard smiled.
“I always knew you were too clever.”
Grace stepped forward.
“You killed my father.”
Richard looked at her.
“No.”
“You worked with Samuel.”
“Yes.”
“You stole the money.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to kill Daniel.”
“Yes.”
Daniel stared.
“Why?”
Richard lowered his weapon.
“Because your father was going to expose all of us.”
“All of us?”
Richard nodded.
“There were five of us.”
Daniel's heart pounded.
“Who were the others?”
Richard smiled.
“Your father.”
“Samuel.”
“Me.”
“Vanessa.”
“And the fifth?”
Richard looked at Grace.
“Her mother.”
Grace froze.
“My mother?”
Richard nodded.
“She didn't die.”
Grace's eyes filled with tears.
“She ran.”
“Where?”
Richard smiled.
“She became someone else.”
Daniel suddenly understood.
The woman in the red coat.
The woman from the old photograph.
The woman who had been near his father.
It wasn't Vanessa.
It was Grace's mother.
Richard raised his gun.
“She knows where the money is.”
Marcus aimed at him.
“Drop it.”
Richard laughed.
Then the church doors exploded open.
Police rushed inside.
Richard dropped his weapon.
But Daniel wasn't relieved.
Because Richard smiled as he was handcuffed.
May you like
And whispered,
“Ask your sister what her mother really did.”
