Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN IN THE CAMERA
Daniel didn't sleep.
At 3:17 a.m., he was still sitting in his study, watching security footage.
He watched Vanessa enter the bedroom.
He watched her open the drawer.
He watched her remove the envelope.
Then he watched Grace walk past the hallway thirty seconds later.
Grace stopped.
She looked toward the bedroom.
Then continued.
Daniel rewound it.
Again.
And again.
Something bothered him.
Grace had seen Vanessa.
But she hadn't followed her.
Why?
At 6:05 a.m., Daniel left his study.
He found Grace in the kitchen.
She was making coffee.
She looked exhausted.
“Morning, Mr. Whitfield.”
“Grace.”
She turned.
“Yes?”
“Did you see Vanessa upstairs yesterday?”
Grace froze.
“For a moment.”
“What did you see?”
“She was coming out of your bedroom.”
“Did she look nervous?”
Grace hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Grace looked down.
“Because it wasn't my business.”
Daniel studied her.
“You're not afraid of her?”
Grace gave a faint smile.
“I am.”
That answer surprised him.
“Then why do you keep protecting her?”
Grace looked at him.
“I don't protect her.”
“You've lied for her twice.”
Her expression changed.
“What?”
“You told me nobody grabbed you.”
She looked at her wrist.
“I didn't want trouble.”
“Grace, someone physically grabbed you.”
“I know.”
“Who?”
Silence.
Then Grace whispered,
“Your future wife.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“That isn't true.”
Grace's eyes filled with frustration.
“She told me if I ever said anything, I'd lose my job.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“You're not losing your job.”
Grace laughed bitterly.
“That's easy for you to say.”
“No. I'm telling you.”
She shook her head.
“You don't understand how people like Vanessa work.”
“Then explain.”
Grace looked toward the doorway.
“Not here.”
Daniel followed her into the pantry.
She lowered her voice.
“Three weeks ago, I found her going through your financial files.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“What files?”
“Investment statements. Property records. Corporate documents.”
“Did she see you?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“She told me she was looking for your insurance information.”
Daniel frowned.
“What insurance information?”
“I don't know.”
Grace pulled something from her pocket.
A small folded receipt.
“I found this yesterday.”
Daniel opened it.
It was from a private medical clinic.
A consultation under Vanessa's name.
Daniel stared at the date.
Six weeks earlier.
Then he saw the doctor's name.
Dr. Samuel Cross.
Daniel knew him.
He was a private physician who specialized in discreet executive health services.
“Why would Vanessa see him?”
Grace shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Daniel's phone buzzed.
Marcus.
“Sir, you need to come to the security office.”
Daniel arrived ten minutes later.
Marcus pulled up footage from the previous night.
“This camera caught something.”
A black SUV had entered the property at 11:48 p.m.
“No visitor was scheduled.”
“Who was inside?”
Marcus zoomed in.
The driver's face remained hidden.
But the passenger stepped out.
Daniel recognized him immediately.
His uncle.
Richard Whitfield.
Daniel stared.
“My uncle?”
Marcus nodded.
“He stayed for seventeen minutes.”
Daniel's stomach tightened.
Richard had not spoken to Daniel in almost eight months.
Not since Daniel had refused to sell him a controlling share of Whitfield Development.
“What did he do?”
“He met Vanessa.”
Daniel felt the room tilt.
“Where?”
“Behind the greenhouse.”
The footage played.
Vanessa approached Richard.
They spoke.
Then Richard handed her a small envelope.
Daniel paused the video.
“Zoom in.”
Marcus did.
Daniel saw Vanessa open the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
He couldn't see the image clearly.
“Enhance it.”
Marcus did.
The photograph became visible.
Daniel's breath caught.
It showed him.
Lying unconscious in a hospital bed.
The date on the photograph was three months in the future.
Daniel stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Marcus looked confused.
“What?”
Daniel pointed.
“That date.”
Marcus read it.
His face changed.
It was the date of Daniel's wedding.
Daniel slowly sat down.
Vanessa had been looking at a photograph of him in a hospital bed on the exact day she was supposed to marry him.
Then Daniel noticed something else.
A handwritten note was visible behind the photograph.
Only four words could be read.
After he signs everything.
Daniel stood.
“Marcus.”
“Yes, sir?”
“From now on, nobody enters this house without my permission.”
Marcus nodded.
Daniel walked away.
But before he reached the door, Marcus spoke.
“Sir?”
Daniel turned.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
“The medical emergency you had last night…”
Daniel stared.
“What about it?”
“The doctor who treated your cut wasn't called by Vanessa.”
Daniel's heart pounded.
“Then who called him?”
Marcus looked toward the kitchen.
“Grace.”
Daniel slowly turned.
May you like
Grace stood at the end of the hallway.
And she was crying.
