Chapter 3: The Woman Who Knew Everything
The voice on the phone belonged to someone I had never met.
Her name was Emily.
And she had spent the last six months watching my sister destroy everything around her.
“I’m sorry for calling this way,” Emily said.
I walked toward the corner of the room.
“Who are you?””
“I was Vanessa’s assistant.””
My heart started beating faster.
“Why are you contacting me now?””
A long silence followed.
Then she answered.
“Because today was supposed to be the day she finally won.””
I looked across the room at Daniel and Jonathan.
They could see my face changing.
“What did she mean by that?”” Daniel asked.
I covered the phone.
“I don’t know yet.””
Then I returned to the call.
“Emily, tell me everything.””
She exhaled.
“Vanessa has been obsessed with you for years.””
I closed my eyes.
I already knew that.
But hearing it from someone else felt different.
“She kept files about you,” Emily continued.
“Files?””
“Yes. Screenshots. Photos. Notes.””
“Why?””
Emily lowered her voice.
“She wanted to prove you didn’t deserve what you had.””
I felt sick.
“What kind of person does that?””
The answer came immediately.
“The kind of person who believes someone else’s happiness is an insult.””
Jonathan motioned for me to put her on speaker.
I did.
“Emily,” he said, “I’m Claire’s attorney. We need specifics.””
She became nervous.
“I can’t be involved.””
“You already are,” Jonathan said.
“If Vanessa committed fraud, you may be a witness.””
Emily was quiet.
Then we heard a shaky breath.
“She made me help her.””
Daniel frowned.
“Help her do what?””
Emily answered softly.
“Fake documents.””
The room went silent.
She explained that Vanessa had hired her as an assistant but quickly turned her into someone who handled suspicious tasks.
Changing dates.
Creating fake receipts.
Sending emails from fake accounts.
At first, Emily thought Vanessa was just dishonest.
Then she discovered the target.
Me.
“She hated that you were getting married,” Emily said.
“Why?””
“Because everyone was finally looking at you.””
That sentence hit harder than I expected.
Because it was true.
Vanessa always needed to be the center.
At family dinners.
At holidays.
Even at my engagement party.
She had arrived wearing a dress almost identical to mine.
When people complimented me, she interrupted.
When Daniel talked about our future, she changed the subject.
She didn’t want my life.
She wanted me to stop having one.
“Emily,” I said, “why help me now?””
Her voice cracked.
“Because I saw what she did today.””
“You were there?””
“No. But Vanessa called someone after she left your room.””
My stomach dropped.
“What did she say?””
Emily hesitated.
Then she repeated Vanessa’s words.
“She said, ‘By tonight, Claire will lose everything.’”
I looked at Jonathan.
Daniel reached for my hand.
“What does that mean?”” he asked.
Emily answered.
“She had another plan.””
A cold feeling spread through me.
“What plan?””
“I don’t know exactly.””
“Emily.””
“I only heard part of the conversation.””
“What part?””
Another pause.
Then:
“She said the wedding was the perfect place because everyone would believe Claire was the unstable one.””
My blood went cold.
Vanessa wasn’t just trying to ruin my dress.
She was trying to ruin me.
My reputation.
My business.
My marriage.
Everything.
Jonathan immediately started typing notes.
“Claire, we need to move quickly.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because if Vanessa has another move planned, she may already have started it.””
As if summoned by his words, my phone buzzed.
A notification appeared.
An email.
The sender was my own company.
The subject line made my heart stop.
*URGENT: Employee Fraud Investigation*
I opened it.
The first sentence was enough.
*Dear clients, we regret to inform you that Claire Parker is under investigation for financial misconduct.*
I looked up slowly.
Vanessa had not just attacked my wedding.
May you like
She had launched her final attack.
And this time, she wanted everyone to believe I was the criminal.
