Chapter 2 - The First Lie
Olivia kept the door locked.
“Tell me through the intercom.”
Vanessa glanced over her shoulder.
“I don’t think you want the neighbors hearing this.”
“The nearest neighbor is half a mile away.”
“Then perhaps you don’t want the person watching this house to hear.”
Olivia’s eyes moved toward the security monitor.
The driveway appeared empty.
No unfamiliar cars.
No movement near the gates.
Vanessa held the envelope closer to the camera.
“Daniel is walking into a trap.”
Olivia’s instincts told her not to open the door.
But fear for Daniel overpowered caution.
She disabled the first lock while leaving the security chain attached.
The door opened two inches.
“Give me the envelope.”
Vanessa studied her through the gap.
“You look tired.”
“Give it to me.”
“You shouldn’t be alone this close to your due date.”
“Vanessa.”
“Daniel should have stayed.”
Olivia extended her hand.
Vanessa passed the envelope through the gap.
Inside were copies of trust transaction reports.
Olivia recognized the account number immediately.
The first withdrawal request had been made at 6:42 a.m.
The second at 9:11 a.m.
Both requests used Daniel’s credentials.
But the location data showed they originated from the Bennett mansion.
Olivia’s home.
She reread the reports.
“That’s impossible.”
Vanessa’s voice softened.
“Is it?”
“Daniel was home at 6:42.”
“Exactly.”
Olivia looked up.
Vanessa held her gaze through the narrow opening.
“You think Daniel submitted the requests?”
“I think someone used the secure network inside this house.”
Olivia examined the pages.
The first request had been submitted from the study.
The second from the nursery.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“I was in the nursery when the second request happened.”
Vanessa’s expression sharpened.
“Were you using Daniel’s laptop?”
“No.”
“His tablet?”
“No.”
“Did anyone else enter the house?”
“No.”
Vanessa slowly leaned closer.
“Then you should ask yourself why the system identified your device.”
Olivia stared at her.
“My device?”
Vanessa tapped the final page.
A device identification number had been highlighted.
Olivia recognized the last four digits.
They belonged to her phone.
“This is fabricated.”
“I hoped you would say that.”
“Why?”
“Because it means you didn’t know.”
Olivia’s throat tightened.
“Know what?”
“Someone cloned your phone.”
Vanessa glanced toward the road again.
“Open the door. We don’t have much time.”
Olivia hesitated.
“I can call Daniel.”
“You can try.”
Olivia picked up her phone and dialed.
The call failed.
She tried again.
No signal.
The house Wi-Fi icon disappeared from the top of the screen.
Vanessa’s voice became urgent.
“Whoever cloned your device can disable your communication.”
Olivia reached for the security panel.
Its green light had turned yellow.
SYSTEM UPDATE IN PROGRESS
She had not authorized an update.
Olivia removed the chain and opened the door.
Vanessa stepped inside.
The instant she crossed the threshold, her expression changed.
The concern vanished.
The urgency disappeared.
She closed the door behind her and turned the lock.
Olivia stepped backward.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure no one interrupts us.”
“You said Daniel was in danger.”
“He is.”
Vanessa removed her coat and placed it over a chair.
“But not from the person he thinks.”
Olivia looked toward the security panel.
The system was no longer responding.
“What did you do to the house?”
“Nothing that can’t be reversed.”
“Leave.”
Vanessa smiled.
“You still believe this is your house.”
“It is.”
“No, Olivia.”
Vanessa walked toward the family portrait above the fireplace.
The photograph had been taken six months earlier.
Daniel stood behind Olivia with both hands resting on her pregnant stomach.
Vanessa stared at it with open disgust.
“This was supposed to be my life.”
Olivia’s fear transformed into anger.
“Daniel never promised you a life.”
“He promised me everything.”
“He married me.”
“After I spent nine years helping him build the company.”
“You worked for Bennett Holdings. You were paid.”
Vanessa turned sharply.
“I protected him when his father died.”
“So did I.”
“You didn’t even know him then.”
“I didn’t need to.”
Vanessa crossed the room until only a few feet separated them.
“You walked into his life after all the difficult work was done.”
“You saw a grieving man with a famous name and decided to rescue him.”
Olivia did not step back.
“Daniel chose me.”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
“He chose comfort.”
“He chose a family.”
The words landed harder than Olivia intended.
Vanessa looked down at Olivia’s stomach.
Something dark entered her eyes.
“You don’t have a family yet.”
Olivia instinctively covered her belly.
“Get out.”
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
For one frightening second, Olivia expected a weapon.
Instead, Vanessa removed a black folder.
She opened it on the coffee table.
Inside was a trust authorization form.
Olivia recognized the seal.
“What is that?”
“An emergency asset transfer.”
“To whom?”
“A private holding company.”
Olivia read the company name.
Carter Strategic Partners.
“You want to transfer trust money to yourself.”
“I want what Daniel owes me.”
“Daniel owes you nothing.”
Vanessa pointed toward the signature line.
“I already have his authorization.”
Olivia saw Daniel’s digital signature at the bottom of the page.
She knew immediately that it was false.
“Daniel didn’t sign this.”
“The system believes he did.”
“The trustees still need my authorization.”
May you like
Vanessa picked up a silver pen.
“That is why I’m here.”
