Chapter 3 - THE CAMERA
“No,” Adrian said immediately.
I looked at him.
“No what?”
“The cameras don't record inside the house.”
“They do.”
His eyes narrowed.
“I disabled that system last year.”
“No. You disabled remote access from your phone after you became paranoid about hackers.”
Vanessa looked toward the ceiling camera.
I could almost see her calculating.
“How much did it record?” she asked.
Dad looked at her.
“That sounds like a question from someone with something to hide.”
She recovered quickly.
“I was just asking.”
I walked toward the wall panel.
Pain shot through my back with each step, but anger kept me upright.
The security system required a six-digit code.
Adrian watched as I entered it.
The screen came alive.
FOYER CAMERA - ACTIVE.
A timeline appeared.
Three hours of recorded footage.
Vanessa's face drained of color.
Adrian swore.
“Delete it.”
I turned.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Dad stepped forward.
“You're instructing an assault victim to destroy evidence?”
“This is a family matter.”
“No,” Dad said. “It stopped being a family matter the moment you used a weapon on my daughter.”
Adrian clenched his fists.
For one dangerous second, I thought he might swing at Dad.
Two security men moved immediately.
Adrian noticed.
He backed off.
Vanessa tried a different approach.
“Claire, come on. Nobody wants a scandal.”
I stared at her.
“You certainly didn't seem worried about a scandal an hour ago.”
“You hit me first.”
“You slapped me.”
“You attacked me!”
“Good thing the camera was recording.”
Her mouth tightened.
Daniel removed his phone.
“I recommend preserving a copy immediately.”
I nodded.
Adrian stepped toward the panel.
One of Dad's guards blocked him.
“This is insane!” Adrian shouted. “She's destroying my company over a marital argument!”
Dad's voice stayed quiet.
“Your company was already unstable.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Dad glanced at Daniel.
The attorney opened another file.
“Vale Capital had twelve million dollars in obligations due within sixty days.”
I stared at Adrian.
“Twelve million?”
His expression told me he hadn't expected that number to surface.
Daniel continued.
“Three of your lenders extended deadlines based on relationships maintained by Mrs. Vale.”
I turned slowly toward my husband.
“You told me the company had eighteen million in cash reserves.”
Adrian looked away.
“You lied.”
“It was complicated.”
“How long?”
“Claire—”
“How long have you been hiding the debt?”
Vanessa shifted toward the staircase.
Dad noticed.
“Ms. Cole, please stay where you are.”
She snapped, “You can't order me around.”
“No,” Dad said. “But the police can.”
Adrian glared at me.
“You wouldn't.”
I looked at the screen.
The recording showed Adrian raising the crop.
My stomach tightened.
I had spent years protecting him from embarrassment.
Tonight he had nearly convinced me to protect him from consequences too.
I picked up my phone.
“Watch me.”
I called 911.
Adrian cursed.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed her purse.
She bolted toward the side hall.
Dad's security guard moved to intercept her, but she threw the purse at him and ran.
“What the hell?” Adrian shouted.
Vanessa disappeared around the corner.
A second later, we heard the back door slam.
Dad frowned.
“Why would she run?”
I looked toward Adrian.
He seemed as confused as the rest of us.
Then my phone buzzed.
A security notification.
BACK GARAGE - MOTION DETECTED.
I opened the camera feed.
Vanessa wasn't heading for her car.
May you like
She was inside Adrian's private office.
And she was trying to open his safe.
