Chapter 7 - THE PRICE OF SILENCE|
Vanessa disappeared from the east wing before Luca could confront her about the garage photograph.
Security confirmed that she had left through a side entrance with her attorney.
She had every legal right to leave.
But the timing told us something important.
She knew the truth was getting closer.
By noon, the mansion was full of investigators, attorneys, and security personnel.
The police had already taken a formal statement about Benjamin's attempted removal.
Maya Chen was arranging for the recovered financial records to be examined without anyone altering the originals.
And Luca had ordered that no employee speak to reporters.
Benjamin stayed with me in the upstairs sitting room.
We built a tower from wooden blocks.
Every few minutes, he asked whether his father was still downstairs.
And every time, I told him the truth.
"Yes, sweetheart."
"Is he coming back?"
"He's working with Aunt Olivia."
"Are those bad men going to jail?"
"I hope so."
Benjamin placed another block on the tower.
"Do you think Vanessa hates me?"
The question made my chest ache.
I sat beside him.
"No child deserves to be treated the way she treated you."
"But maybe she wanted Daddy all to herself."
I looked into his frightened eyes.
"That wouldn't make any of this your fault."
He thought for a moment.
"Would Daddy still love me if I was annoying?"
I pulled him into a hug.
"Your father loves you because you're his son, Benjamin."
"Even when I cry?"
"Even then."
A knock interrupted us.
Mateo stood outside the door.
"Claire, someone downstairs wants to speak with you."
"Who?"
"Vanessa."
I froze.
"She's back?"
"With her lawyer."
Benjamin immediately grabbed my hand.
"Don't go."
I crouched in front of him.
"I'm not leaving the house."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
I asked another trusted staff member to remain with him before following Mateo downstairs.
Vanessa waited in the smaller drawing room.
She wore sunglasses and a cream-colored coat.
Her attorney stood near the window.
A thick envelope lay on the table.
Vanessa removed her sunglasses.
"Claire, I think we should settle this privately."
I remained standing.
"Settle what?"
"This unfortunate misunderstanding."
"Benjamin nearly got taken away."
Her expression hardened.
"Children exaggerate."
I looked at the envelope.
"What's that?"
"Money."
"Why?"
"Because you've been loyal to this family."
She pushed it toward me.
"There are fifty thousand dollars inside."
I stared at her.
"You think I'm going to lie for you?"
Vanessa sighed.
"I think you're a young woman with limited opportunities."
I felt my face grow hot.
"And I think you'd be foolish to throw away the chance to start a better life."
"What exactly do you want?"
"A statement explaining that Benjamin misunderstood my intentions."
She smiled.
"And that you encouraged his fears because you were jealous of my position in this house."
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then I pushed the envelope away.
"Keep your money."
Vanessa's smile vanished.
"You should think carefully."
"I have."
"People lose jobs over misunderstandings."
"Then I'll find another job."
She leaned closer.
"People can also lose their reputations."
I looked her straight in the eyes.
"You already tried to take a child from his father."
Her attorney stepped forward.
"Ms. Bennett, perhaps we should end this conversation."
"Gladly."
I turned and walked out.
But before I reached the staircase, Mateo stopped me.
"Claire, there's a problem."
My stomach tightened.
"What now?"
"A diamond necklace belonging to Mrs. Moretti was found inside your staff locker."
I stared at him.
"That's impossible."
"She reported it missing this morning."
I immediately understood.
Vanessa had offered me money.
When that failed, she had arranged to make me look like a thief.
"Mateo, I didn't take anything."
"I know."
His answer surprised me.
"How?"
He held up his phone.
"Because we have footage."
The video showed a woman entering the staff corridor just before sunrise.
She wore a long coat and carried a small jewelry box.
Her face was hidden beneath a scarf.
But when she opened my locker, the camera captured her wrist.
A gold bracelet with a ruby charm.
Vanessa.
I covered my mouth.
"She was going to have me arrested."
Mateo nodded.
"That's what it looks like."
He guided me toward Luca's study.
Inside, Luca stood beside a frightened security guard named Denny Roth.
Denny had worked at the mansion for almost two years.
I had always known him as a quiet man who sent half his paycheck home to his elderly father.
Now he looked terrified.
Luca turned toward me.
"Claire, are you all right?"
"Yes."
His expression softened.
"Mateo showed me the footage."
I nodded.
Then Denny spoke.
"There's something else you need to know."
Everyone turned.
Denny swallowed.
"I helped Vanessa arrange the transportation."
Luca went still.
"You did what?"
"She told me it was a legitimate school transfer."
"And you believed her?"
"She showed me paperwork with your signature."
Denny's voice cracked.
"Last night, I realized something was wrong."
He reached into his pocket and removed a small key.
"She told me to destroy an old page that had been taken from your mother's records."
Luca stared at him.
"What page?"
"The one that said there was a second copy."
My heart began racing.
Denny looked toward me.
"I slipped it into the printer tray beneath Vanessa's blank paper."
He wiped his forehead.
"I hoped she'd print the transfer letter on it and somebody would notice."
Luca slowly sat down.
"You could have told me directly."
Denny looked ashamed.
"I was afraid of Voss."
"Why?"
Denny's eyes filled with tears.
"Because he told me what happened to your mother wasn't an accident."
Nobody spoke.
May you like
Then Denny whispered the words that made everything worse.
"He said Vanessa knew how the brakes had been damaged."
