Chapter 3: The Camera Outside His Office
Marcus didn't speak for nearly a minute after Ethan mentioned the second camera.
He stood beside the dining table, holding the envelope in one hand and his phone in the other.
The red dress I had torn was hanging off my shoulder.
The broken glass glittered beneath the chandelier.
And three hundred thousand dollars lay scattered across the floor like evidence from a crime scene.
"Outside my office?"" Marcus finally asked.
Ethan nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me about it?""
"Because I wasn't sure what it had recorded.""
Marcus frowned.
"Who installed it?""
"The security company you hired.""
I immediately interrupted.
"That's impossible. You told me all the cameras were connected to the same system.""
"They are," Ethan replied.
"Then why are you pretending there's some secret camera?""
Ethan looked at me.
"Because you never bothered to check the hallway.""
Marcus opened the security application again.
"Show me.""
Ethan came back downstairs.
He took the phone from his father and navigated through the security settings.
A list of camera locations appeared.
Front Gate.
Garage.
Living Room.
Dining Room.
Office Hallway.
Marcus stared at the last entry.
"I don't remember seeing this one.""
"Because it was added after the office incident," Ethan said.
Marcus looked at him.
"What office incident?""
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The question I had been dreading.
Six weeks earlier, Marcus had discovered that several confidential business documents were missing from his office.
At the time, I had suggested that Ethan might have taken them.
Marcus had believed me.
He had confronted his son.
And Ethan had spent the next three weeks barely speaking to either of us.
Now, with the recording in front of us, the accusation was beginning to look different.
Marcus tapped the hallway camera.
"Show me the footage.""
Ethan selected the date.
A thumbnail appeared.
The timestamp read 11:43 p.m.
Marcus pressed play.
The hallway was empty.
Then the office door opened.
I appeared.
I was wearing the same cream-colored sweater I had worn the night Marcus's documents disappeared.
I looked left.
Then right.
Then I entered his office.
Marcus's fingers tightened around the phone.
"Vanessa.""
I stared at the screen.
"That could be any night.""
"The date is on the recording," Ethan said.
Marcus continued watching.
Onscreen, I left the office eleven minutes later.
I was carrying a black leather folder.
Marcus paused the video.
"What's in that folder?""
I swallowed.
"Probably household paperwork.""
"At midnight?""
"I couldn't sleep.""
Ethan let out a quiet breath.
"Keep watching.""
Marcus pressed play.
I walked toward the staircase.
But halfway there, I stopped.
I turned around.
I looked directly toward the camera.
Then I raised one finger to my lips.
A gesture.
A warning.
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
He looked at me.
"Why did you do that?""
I shook my head.
"I don't remember.""
"You don't remember walking out of my office with a folder?""
"No.""
"Or looking directly into the camera?""
"I was tired!""
Ethan crossed his arms.
"Funny. You remembered enough to hide the folder.""
Marcus turned back to the recording.
"Can we see where she went?""
Ethan nodded.
He switched to the upstairs hallway camera.
The recording showed me entering the guest bedroom.
I remained inside for four minutes.
Then I came out carrying nothing.
Marcus's face tightened.
"What's in that room?""
"Nothing," I answered too quickly.
Ethan looked at me.
"There's a locked cabinet.""
Marcus turned.
"What cabinet?""
"The one behind the wardrobe.""
I laughed.
"That's an old storage cabinet. It has nothing to do with this.""
Marcus looked toward the staircase.
"Bring the key.""
I didn't move.
"Marcus, please.""
"Bring the key.""
"I don't know where it is.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"I do.""
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small brass key.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"Where did you get that?""
"From the floor outside the guest bedroom.""
"Give it to me!""
He moved it away.
"You dropped it last Tuesday.""
Marcus stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I wanted to know what she was hiding before I accused her.""
I looked at Marcus.
"Your son has been spying on me.""
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"Is that true?""
Ethan shook his head.
"I found the key. That's all.""
Marcus took it from him.
"Let's go.""
The three of us climbed the stairs.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
At the guest bedroom door, Marcus stopped.
"Open it.""
I tried to smile.
"Darling, you're making a scene over an old cabinet.""
"Open it.""
I unlocked the door.
The bedroom smelled faintly of lavender and expensive perfume.
Marcus walked directly toward the wardrobe.
He pushed the hanging dresses aside.
Behind them was a narrow wooden cabinet.
He inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Inside were several folders, a small external hard drive, and a velvet jewelry box.
Marcus removed the first folder.
His name was printed on the tab.
He opened it.
The first document was a copy of his passport.
The second was a bank statement.
The third was a property valuation.
He looked at me.
"Why do you have these?""
"I was organizing things.""
"Without telling me?""
"I wanted everything in one place.""
He picked up the external hard drive.
"What is this?""
I reached for it.
"Nothing important.""
Marcus stepped away.
"Then you won't mind if I look.""
Ethan took a breath.
"There's something else.""
Marcus turned.
"What?""
"Look inside the jewelry box.""
I stared at him.
"Don't.""
Ethan's eyes hardened.
"Open it, Dad.""
Marcus lifted the velvet lid.
Inside was a small silver key and a folded photograph.
He opened the photograph.
It showed Marcus standing outside a hospital entrance.
Beside him was a woman in a pale blue coat.
His first wife.
Evelyn.
Marcus stared at the picture for a long moment.
"Where did you get this?""
Ethan answered quietly.
"That was taken two days before Mom died.""
Marcus's expression changed.
"Why would Vanessa have this?""
I felt my throat tighten.
"I found it in an old box.""
Ethan shook his head.
"That's not true.""
"Stop accusing me!""
He pointed toward the photograph.
"That picture was inside Dad's locked office drawer. I saw it there when I was a kid.""
Marcus turned toward me.
"How did you get it?""
I looked away.
He placed the photograph back into the box.
Then he picked up the small silver key.
"What's this for?""
Nobody answered.
Marcus examined it.
It was old, with a tiny engraved letter on its handle.
E.
Evelyn.
Marcus's breathing became shallow.
"Vanessa, what does this key open?""
I stared at the floor.
"I don't know.""
Ethan spoke.
"It's for Mom's old safety deposit box.""
Marcus looked up sharply.
"What?""
"She had one at the bank before she died.""
Marcus shook his head.
"I thought that box had been closed.""
"It was never closed.""
"How do you know?""
Ethan hesitated.
"Because I went there last week.""
I stared at him.
Marcus looked stunned.
"You went to your mother's bank?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Ethan pulled a folded document from his jacket.
"I received a letter from the bank. They said someone had recently requested access to the box using a power of attorney.""
Marcus's face went completely still.
"Who requested it?""
Ethan looked at me.
"Vanessa.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Marcus held out his hand.
"Give me that letter.""
Ethan handed it over.
Marcus read it once.
Then again.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
"How did you get a power of attorney for Evelyn?""
I forced myself to speak.
"I didn't.""
"The document says otherwise.""
"Then it's fraudulent.""
"Your name is on the request.""
"Anyone could have written my name!""
Marcus looked at Ethan.
"Did you bring proof?""
Ethan nodded.
"Yes. But it's not here.""
"Where is it?""
"With my attorney.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
For a moment, I thought he might collapse.
Then he opened them and looked at me with a coldness I had never seen before.
"Get your things.""
I blinked.
"What?""
"Pack a bag. You're leaving tonight.""
I let out a disbelieving laugh.
"You're throwing your wife out because of something your son says?""
"I'm throwing you out because I watched you stage an assault, and now I'm finding documents in your possession that have no business being there.""
"Marcus, I love you.""
He looked at the torn dress.
Then at the camera footage still playing on his phone.
"Did you love me when you transferred my money?""
I started crying.
"Please.""
"Did you love me when you forged documents?""
"I didn't forge anything!""
"Then why are you afraid of the recordings?""
I had no answer.
Ethan stood beside his father.
For the first time that evening, he looked almost as shaken as Marcus.
"Dad," he said quietly.
"There's one thing you should know.""
Marcus turned.
"What now?""
Ethan glanced at the jewelry box.
"That safety deposit box doesn't just contain Mom's old belongings.""
Marcus frowned.
"Then what does it contain?""
Ethan reached into his jacket and pulled out another envelope.
It was yellowed with age.
The handwriting on the front was unmistakable.
Marcus recognized it immediately.
His lips parted.
"That's Evelyn's handwriting.""
Ethan nodded.
"The bank gave me a copy of the letter she left with the box.""
Marcus took it.
The envelope was addressed to him.
But beneath his name, there was another line.
To Marcus, only if Vanessa ever comes looking for what I left behind.
Marcus slowly raised his eyes.
I couldn't breathe.
May you like
Because Evelyn had been dead for seven years.
And somehow, she had known my name long before Marcus and I ever met.
