Chapter 15: The Woman Who Started It All
Nobody spoke after Evelyn said the word.
Aunt.
Marcus stared at her.
“I don’t have an aunt.””
Evelyn looked like she wished that were true.
“Yes, you do.””
“My father had a sister?””
Daniel looked away.
Marcus turned toward him.
“You knew?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
And once again, silence became a confession.
Marcus’s anger returned.
“You knew.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“She was part of the reason I left.””
“Who is she?””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“Her name is Clara.””
Evelyn’s hands trembled.
“She was your father’s sister.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Then why did nobody tell me?””
Daniel answered quietly.
“Because Clara was dangerous.””
Richard smiled.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You knew too.””
“Yes.””
“Where is she?””
Nobody answered.
Then Vanessa spoke.
“I know.””
Everyone turned.
Marcus stared.
“You?””
She nodded.
“I found her.””
My heart sank.
“When?””
“Before I met Marcus.””
Marcus looked hurt.
“So this was all connected from the beginning.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.””
She wiped her tears.
“Clara was the person who gave Richard the information about Daniel.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“My sister?””
“She believed you betrayed the family.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I protected her.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“She didn’t see it that way.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at Marcus.
He looked exhausted.
Like every answer took another piece of him.
“What does Clara want?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then said:
“The document.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“But why?””
“Because it proves she was involved.””
Marcus frowned.
“Involved in what?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“The night your father disappeared.””
A chill moved through me.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa looked afraid.
“I don’t know everything.””
“Tell him what you know.””
She took a breath.
“Clara planned for Daniel to disappear.””
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Marcus stared.
“My aunt tried to kill my father?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Everyone waited.
“She tried to make everyone believe he was dead.””
The room went silent.
Daniel whispered:
“Why?””
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
“Because she wanted control.””
“Control of what?””
“The family business.””
Richard laughed.
“She was always ambitious.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You helped her.””
Richard smiled.
“I helped myself.””
Marcus looked disgusted.
“So all of this…”
He looked around the room.
“The affair. The lies. The secrets.””
His eyes landed on Vanessa.
“You.””
Then Richard.
“You.””
Then Daniel.
“All because of money?””
Nobody answered.
Because it wasn’t just money.
It was power.
The kind that destroyed families quietly.
Then Marcus’s phone buzzed.
Everyone froze.
Another message.
He opened it.
His face changed.
“What?””
He turned the phone around.
A message from an unknown number.
*You found the wrong enemy. Richard is not the person you should fear.*
Below it was a photo.
A recent photo.
Not old.
Not from the past.
A photo taken that morning.
Of our house.
Of me.
Standing outside.
And behind me…
someone was watching.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Who sent this?””
Daniel stared at the image.
Then whispered:
“Clara.””
My blood ran cold.
Because if Clara had been watching us…
May you like
she wasn’t hiding anymore.
She was coming for us.
