Chapter 3 - WHAT VANESSA WAS HIDING
The next morning, I canceled every meeting.
That alone frightened my organization more than a dozen threats would have.
I stayed home.
Noah wouldn't leave Grace's side.
He followed her from room to room like a little shadow.
At breakfast, he sat beside her.
At lunch, he insisted she cut his food.
When she stood to get water, he immediately asked where she was going.
I watched all of it.
Then I looked at Grace.
She was trying to act normal.
She wasn't.
Her cheek was still bruised.
I hated myself for not seeing the signs earlier.
“You should see a doctor,” I said.
“I'm fine.”
“You're not.”
She touched her cheek.
“It hurts less.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
She smiled faintly.
“You're bossy.”
“No one has ever accused me of that.”
She laughed.
It was the first genuine laugh I'd heard from her since the night before.
Noah pointed at me.
“Daddy made Mama Grace laugh.”
I looked at him.
“Did I?”
“Yes.”
Grace smiled.
“Don't encourage him.”
For one beautiful minute, the house felt normal.
Then Marcus walked in.
“We found the man from the photographs.”
I stood.
“Where?”
“Airport hotel.”
“Who is he?”
Marcus placed a file on the table.
“Evan Price. Former private investigator.”
I opened it.
His employment history was mostly clean.
Then I reached the final page.
My blood chilled.
He had been hired by Vanessa.
“Why?”
Marcus shook his head.
“We don't know yet.”
Grace looked at the file.
Then she suddenly went pale.
“What?”
She pointed to the photograph.
“I know him.”
“From where?”
“He came to the house pretending to be a delivery driver.”
“When?”
“About six weeks ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I did.”
My jaw tightened.
“Who?”
“Vanessa.”
There it was again.
Vanessa.
Every road led back to her.
Marcus continued.
“There is more.”
He placed another photograph on the table.
It showed Vanessa entering a private office building downtown.
The building belonged to a company called Hartwell Consulting.
I stared at the name.
“That's her father's company.”
Marcus nodded.
“And her father has been asking questions about your shipping operations.”
I looked at him.
“How long?”
“Nearly a year.”
Grace's face changed.
“You think she was spying on you?”
“I don't know.”
Marcus hesitated.
“There's something else.”
He opened another file.
Inside were copies of financial transfers.
Large amounts.
Paid from Vanessa's personal account to several companies I didn't recognize.
I studied the dates.
Some payments happened before Vanessa and I were engaged.
Some happened after.
Then I saw one transfer that made everything stop.
It had been sent three days before Vanessa moved into my house.
The description read:
Phase Two — Access Confirmed.
I closed the file.
Grace whispered, “Adrian.”
I stood.
“Get me Vanessa.”
Marcus nodded.
“Alive?”
I looked at him.
“She's not my enemy yet.”
Grace grabbed my arm.
“Don't do anything you'll regret.”
I looked down at her hand.
Then at her.
“You're worried about me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because anger isn't the man I fell in love with.”
The words hit harder than any threat ever had.
“You love me?”
Grace's eyes widened.
She realized what she'd said.
“I…”
Noah suddenly shouted from the kitchen.
“Mama! My pancake!”
Grace closed her eyes.
I almost laughed.
“Saved by pancakes.”
She smiled.
“Apparently.”
For the first time in years, I felt something close to peace.
Then Marcus's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Boss…”
“What?”
“Vanessa is gone.”
My smile disappeared.
“Where?”
“She left Miami.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
I looked toward the windows.
The sky was darkening.
Storm clouds were moving over the water.
Marcus continued.
“She left with her father.”
I stared at Grace.
Something wasn't right.
Vanessa hadn't fled because she was afraid.
She had fled because she knew we were getting close.
I picked up my jacket.
Grace stood.
“Where are you going?”
“To find out what she knows.”
“Adrian.”
I stopped.
She walked toward me.
“Come back.”
I looked into her eyes.
“I will.”
She hesitated.
“Promise?”
I touched her cheek carefully, avoiding the bruise.
“Promise.”
Neither of us realized that someone was already inside the house.
Watching.
May you like
Listening.
And waiting for the perfect moment to make Grace disappear.
