Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE MASK
Police arrived before noon.
Vanessa was questioned.
Her attorney told her not to speak.
But Vanessa’s composure was collapsing.
She blamed Charles.
Then the hospital.
Then Elena.
Finally, she blamed Adrian.
“You made me do this.”
Adrian stared at her.
“I made you steal a child?”
“You made everyone compete for your attention.”
“That is not an answer.”
“You would have married her.”
Adrian said nothing.
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“That’s the part nobody understands.”
“You loved her.”
Elena stood behind the detective.
Adrian looked at her.
Vanessa saw it.
“You still do.”
The room changed.
Elena lowered her eyes.
Adrian said nothing.
Vanessa’s laugh became sharper.
“There it is.”
“The perfect little family.”
“Adrian, Elena and their precious son.”
“You think you can erase me?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“No.”
“Nothing can erase what you did.”
Vanessa was taken away for further questioning.
But before she reached the door, she turned toward Elena.
“You think Noah will love you when he learns you were in this house for three years and never told him?”
Elena went pale.
Vanessa smiled.
That wound landed exactly where she wanted.
Because it was true.
Elena had worked inside Blackwood Manor for three years.
And she had known.
Not immediately.
But eventually.
She had recognized Noah’s birthmark two years earlier.
She had suspected the truth.
And she had remained silent.
Adrian turned toward her.
“Is that true?”
Elena could not lie anymore.
“Yes.”
Adrian’s expression broke.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“For two years?”
Elena nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
May you like
Her answer changed everything.
“Because Vanessa showed me a document saying you were part of it.”
