Chapter 7: The Person I Never Suspected
For ten minutes, nobody spoke.
My name stared back at me from the paper.
*Mary Anderson.*
It looked like an accusation.
Like proof.
Like the entire world had suddenly decided I was the villain.
Marcus looked at me carefully.
Not with anger.
With confusion.
“Mom?””
I shook my head.
“I don’t understand.””
The folder contained copies of messages.
Financial records.
Notes.
But the worst part was the first page.
It claimed I had known about Vanessa’s behavior.
That I had hidden information.
That I had helped cover things up.
My hands trembled.
“Your father was wrong.””
Marcus didn’t respond.
That hurt more than if he had argued.
“Marcus.””
He looked at me.
“I don’t know what to think.””
The words broke my heart.
Not because he doubted me.
Because I realized he had spent days feeling the same way about Lily.
Unsure.
Confused.
Waiting for proof.
I sat down.
“Your father and I fought before he died.””
Marcus looked surprised.
“About Vanessa?””
I nodded.
“Daniel wanted you to leave her.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed she was dangerous.””
Marcus stared at the documents.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
I looked at him.
“Because your father died two weeks later.””
The room became quiet.
“After he died, I found one letter.””
“What did it say?””
I looked away.
“It said he was sorry he couldn’t finish what he started.””
Marcus picked up the folder.
“So you knew something.””
“I knew he was worried.””
“That’s not the same thing.””
I swallowed.
“No.””
It wasn’t.
And maybe that was my mistake.
Maybe I spent years protecting everyone from painful truths instead of facing them.
That night, Sarah came over again.
When Marcus showed her the folder, her face changed.
“I knew it.””
“What?”” Marcus asked.
Sarah pointed at the documents.
“This is not Vanessa’s handwriting.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She picked up one page.
“She copies people.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Why?””
“Control.””
Sarah explained.
“Vanessa collects information. She studies people. Their fears. Their weaknesses.””
She pointed to my name.
“She wanted you to look guilty.””
Marcus looked at me.
“So who wrote this?””
Sarah turned the page over.
There was a small mark in the corner.
A symbol.
Her expression changed.
“I’ve seen this before.””
“Where?””
She looked at me.
“In Vanessa’s old files.””
The next morning, we met with Dr. Carter.
She sat across from us quietly.
“I’m glad you found the files.””
Marcus leaned forward.
“You knew about them?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you tell us?””
“Because Daniel asked me not to.””
I froze.
“You knew my husband?””
Dr. Carter nodded.
“He contacted me years ago.””
“Why?””
She looked down.
“Because he believed Vanessa was repeating a pattern.””
She explained that Daniel had found evidence connected to Ethan’s case.
But he needed someone outside the family.
Someone who couldn’t be manipulated.
“He was building a case,” she said.
Marcus looked at her.
“Against my wife.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t he finish it?””
Dr. Carter’s eyes softened.
“Because Vanessa found out.””
The room went cold.
“What happened?””
She hesitated.
Then she answered.
“Daniel didn’t die before he finished his investigation.””
Marcus stood.
“What?””
Dr. Carter looked at me.
“He was afraid his death would look like an accident.””
I felt the air leave my lungs.
“No.””
She reached into her bag.
And placed a small envelope on the table.
“Your husband left this with me.””
Marcus stared.
“What is it?””
Dr. Carter looked at me.
“Proof.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
May you like
The first line made my hands go numb.
*Mary, if Vanessa ever hurts Lily, you need to know the truth about how I died.*