Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Knew Too Much|
I stared at the photograph until the details began to blur.
Lily stood beside the yellow door of the lake house.
Vanessa stood only a few feet away.
The picture had been taken almost five years before the engagement dinner.
Yet Vanessa had insisted she didn't know Sarah.
Luca placed the photograph on the table.
“She lied about everything.”
I didn't answer.
I was remembering all the small things.
The way Vanessa hated Sarah's photographs.
The way she complained whenever Lily mentioned her mother.
The way she insisted on replacing old furniture, repainting rooms, and removing belongings that had remained untouched for years.
I'd assumed jealousy.
Now I wondered whether she had been searching for something.
“Mr. Moretti,” I said slowly, “Vanessa asked me to clean the attic last month.”
He looked up.
“Why?”
“She said the old storage boxes were attracting dust. But when I asked which boxes to move, she already had a list.”
His eyes narrowed.
“What was on it?”
“Sarah's winter clothes. Her old files. Family photographs. And a blue suitcase.”
Luca stood.
“Where's the suitcase?”
“I don't know.”
He took out his phone.
“Marco. Search the attic. Find a blue suitcase belonging to Sarah.”
He ended the call.
Then looked at me.
“Anything else?”
I hesitated.
“There was something strange about Vanessa's instructions.”
“What?”
“She told me not to open any of the boxes. She said she'd handle the sorting herself.”
Luca exhaled.
“Of course she did.”
He walked toward the fireplace.
For a moment, he looked exhausted.
“Claire, how long has Lily been afraid of Vanessa?”
The question caught me off guard.
“I don't know exactly.”
“Did you notice?”
“Yes.”
He turned.
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
The words stung.
I lowered my eyes.
“Sir, I tried.”
He frowned.
“When?”
“Three months ago. After Vanessa told Lily she couldn't bring her mother's photograph to the breakfast table.”
Luca stared.
“I remember that.”
“You said Vanessa was probably trying to help Lily adjust.”
His face changed.
I continued carefully.
“And two weeks ago, when Lily asked why Vanessa had locked Sarah's old sitting room, I mentioned it to you.”
Luca looked away.
“I told you to let Vanessa handle the household arrangements.”
“Yes, sir.”
Silence stretched between us.
Then Luca said quietly, “You should have pushed harder.”
Something inside me tightened.
I looked up.
“Mr. Moretti, with respect, I work here because my mother needs my income. Vanessa reminded me almost every week that she could have me fired.”
He stared.
My voice trembled, but I continued.
“I wasn't Lily's parent. I couldn't make decisions for her. And when I raised concerns, you told me Vanessa had good intentions.”
Luca went very still.
For a terrible moment, I thought I'd finally gone too far.
Then he lowered his head.
“You're right.”
I blinked.
He looked at me.
“I was unfair. You tried to tell me, and I didn't listen.”
My throat tightened.
“Sir…”
“No. I need to say it.”
He swallowed.
“I wanted my life to feel normal again. I wanted Lily to have someone who would care about her when I wasn't here. I convinced myself Vanessa was that person because admitting otherwise meant admitting I'd failed my daughter.”
His expression broke.
“But I did fail her.”
I shook my head.
“You can still make things right.”
He looked toward the staircase.
“I intend to.”
That evening, Luca canceled all business meetings for the following week.
He took Lily to dinner at her favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant.
No security entourage at their table.
No Vanessa.
No expensive guests.
Just a father and daughter sharing pizza and talking about school.
When they returned, Lily was laughing.
It was the first time I'd heard that sound fill the hallway in months.
She rushed toward me.
“Claire! Dad ordered pineapple on pizza!”
I pretended to gasp.
“Absolutely unacceptable.”
Luca smiled.
“I was experimenting.”
“You were being weird,” Lily corrected.
He laughed.
Then she showed me a photograph they'd taken together.
Her arms were around his neck.
Both were smiling.
I wanted to frame it.
Later, after Lily went to bed, Marco arrived with the blue suitcase.
It had been hidden behind several boxes of winter decorations.
The lock was broken.
Inside were old letters, a few photographs, and a small notebook.
Luca opened it.
Sarah's handwriting filled the pages.
Dates.
Names.
Amounts of money.
Shipping records.
And a repeated set of initials.
D.M.
Daniel Mercer.
Luca turned page after page.
Then stopped.
“What is it?” I asked.
He read one entry aloud.
June 14. Richard met Daniel at the warehouse. Vanessa was there. They argued about the missing shipment. I heard Daniel say Luca must never discover the truth.
Luca's face hardened.
He turned another page.
June 19. Vanessa came to the lake house. She pretended to be collecting donations for the children's hospital. I recognized her from Richard's office.
Then another.
June 21. Someone followed me home. I think they're watching Lily.
My stomach dropped.
Luca stood so suddenly his chair scraped against the floor.
“Marco.”
His security chief stepped forward.
“Boss?”
“Find Daniel Mercer.”
Marco nodded.
“And Vanessa?”
Luca looked at Sarah's notebook.
“Keep her away from this house.”
But before Marco could leave, his phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then his expression changed.
“Boss.”
Luca looked up.
“Daniel Mercer just emptied his office.”
Silence.
Marco continued.
“His assistant says he left for the airport an hour ago.”
Luca's jaw tightened.
“Where's he going?”
Marco swallowed.
“We don't know.”
He hesitated.
“But before he left, he sent Vanessa a message.”
Luca stared.
“What did it say?”
May you like
Marco looked directly at him.
“THE GIRL FOUND THE CAKE. WE HAVE TO MOVE NOW.”
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