Chapter 8: The Woman Behind the Lie
I stared at the message from Vanessa.
*Don’t trust Adrian.*
Four words.
Four words that should have made everything clear.
But they didn’t.
Because for the first time in my life, I didn’t know who was telling the truth.
Adrian Cole.
The man everyone warned me about.
The man who had a dangerous reputation.
The man who had a past with my wife.
Or my own mother.
The woman who held me when I was a child.
The woman who taught me right from wrong.
The woman who stood beside me when I built my company from nothing.
My head told me one thing.
My heart told me another.
And somewhere between them was the truth.
I looked at Adrian.
“What exactly are you accusing my mother of?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
That bothered me.
Because a liar usually rushes to fill silence.
A person hiding something often needs time.
Finally, Adrian said:
“I’m not accusing her of anything.””
I raised an eyebrow.
“You just gave me evidence with her name on it.””
“I gave you evidence that someone moved money.””
“From my mother’s account.””
“Yes.””
“To you.””
Adrian looked at me.
“No.””
I looked down at the document again.
The transaction was clear.
A large payment.
Seven years ago.
A company account connected to a private investment group.
The name wasn’t Adrian Cole.
But it was connected to someone in his network.
“You expect me to believe this is meaningless?””
“No.””
“Then explain it.””
Adrian took a breath.
“Your mother didn’t send money to me.””
“Then who?””
He looked at Daniel.
Daniel’s face changed.
A reaction.
Small.
But real.
I turned toward him.
“You know.””
Daniel stayed quiet.
“Daniel.””
He looked down.
“Yes.””
The word felt like another betrayal.
“Tell me.””
Daniel swallowed.
“The payment was made to a company called Whitmore Strategic Holdings.””
I frowned.
“That was one of my father’s companies.””
“Yes.””
My confusion grew.
“My father owned it?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your mother had access to it after his death.””
The room became quiet.
“So my mother moved money from my father’s company?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked at Adrian.
Then back at me.
“Because she was paying someone.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
I stepped closer.
“Who?””
His voice became almost a whisper.
“Someone who knew about Emily.””
My hands went cold.
“Someone who threatened her?””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked at Adrian.
“You?””
Adrian shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who?””
Nobody answered.
And that silence was becoming unbearable.
I turned away.
The people around me had spent years deciding what I could handle.
My wife.
My father.
My mother.
My closest friend.
Everyone thought they were protecting me.
But all they did was leave me alone inside a fake reality.
I walked toward the window.
Below me, my employees continued working.
They had no idea their CEO was standing upstairs trying to figure out which people in his life were real.
“Where is my daughter?”” I asked.
Adrian’s voice softened.
“She’s with someone she trusts.””
“That doesn’t answer my question.””
“She’s safe.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because I know it.””
“How?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because I saw her.””
I turned.
“You saw Emily?””
Adrian nodded.
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
My anger returned.
“You were near my daughter?””
“Yes.””
“And you didn’t take her?””
“No.””
“Why?””
His expression changed.
For the first time, I saw something unexpected.
Pain.
“Because she doesn’t know me.””
That answer surprised me.
“You’re her father.””
“Biologically.””
He looked down.
“But I wasn’t there when she was sick. I wasn’t there when she learned to walk. I wasn’t there when she lost her first tooth.””
His voice became quieter.
“Those moments belong to you.””
The room went silent.
I didn’t expect that.
I expected arrogance.
I expected a man trying to claim ownership.
Not a man acknowledging what he missed.
“Then why come back?””
Adrian looked at me.
“Because someone is trying to hurt her.””
“Who?””
He shook his head.
“I don’t know yet.””
I almost laughed.
“You expect me to trust you?””
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
“I expect you to investigate.””
That was the second time he had said that.
And it bothered me.
Because it sounded less like manipulation.
And more like a warning.
My phone rang.
This time, it was Vanessa.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
Her voice was tense.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
“Where are you?””
“Don’t meet with Adrian.””
I closed my eyes.
“Vanessa.””
“I’m serious.””
“So am I.””
A pause.
Then she whispered:
“I know what he’s trying to do.””
“What?””
“He’s trying to make you turn against everyone.””
I looked at Adrian.
He was watching me.
“Why?””
“Because that’s what he does.””
Her voice shook.
“He destroys people by making them doubt the ones closest to them.””
I looked away.
“Vanessa, you lied to me for seven years.””
Silence.
“I know.””
“You hid my daughter’s identity.””
“I know.””
“You let me believe everything was normal.””
“I know.””
Her voice broke.
“But Adrian is still dangerous.””
I wanted to believe her.
I really did.
Because believing Vanessa would be easier.
The world made more sense if she was right.
But then I remembered Emily on the floor.
Her red hands.
Her fear.
And the locked room.
“Where are you?””
She hesitated.
“Your mother’s house.””
I frowned.
“You went there?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Another pause.
Then she said:
“Because I found something.””
My grip tightened.
“What?””
“I found the original paternity report.””
I froze.
“What?””
“The one Adrian showed you isn’t complete.””
My heart started racing.
“What are you talking about?””
“Marcus, listen to me.””
Her voice became urgent.
“The report you saw only proves Emily isn’t biologically yours.””
I waited.
“What else?””
A long silence.
Then:
“There is another name on the original document.””
I looked at Adrian.
“What name?””
Vanessa whispered:
“The name of the person who requested the test.””
The room felt colder.
“Who requested it?””
She answered:
“Your father.””
I said nothing.
My father.
Again.
Another secret.
Another piece of the puzzle.
“Why would my father request a paternity test?””
“I don’t know.””
“Vanessa.””
“I swear.””
I looked at Adrian.
His expression had changed.
He looked surprised.
Really surprised.
“You didn’t know?””
He shook his head slowly.
“No.””
That was the first time I saw uncertainty on his face.
And that scared me.
Because if Adrian didn’t know…
Then there was another layer.
Something none of us understood.
“I’m coming home,” I told Vanessa.
“Marcus—”
“I need answers.””
I ended the call.
Daniel looked at me.
“What are you going to do?””
I picked up the documents.
“I’m going to find out why my father was investigating my own family.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“Marcus.””
I looked at him.
“For what it’s worth…”
He paused.
“I never wanted Emily to suffer.””
I studied him.
“I don’t know if I believe you.””
“I know.””
I turned to leave.
But before I reached the elevator, Adrian spoke again.
“There’s one thing you need to know.””
I stopped.
“What?””
His voice became serious.
“The person who requested that paternity test…”
He looked directly at me.
“Wasn’t trying to find out if Emily was my daughter.””
I turned around.
“What?””
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“They were trying to find out if she was yours.””
The words made no sense.
“What does that mean?””
He lowered his voice.
“It means someone already suspected the truth.””
The elevator doors opened behind me.
I stepped inside.
But before they closed, Adrian said one final thing.
“Marcus…”
I looked up.
“Ask yourself why your father waited seven years to tell you.””
The doors closed.
And as I rode back to my office, one terrifying thought kept repeating in my mind.
May you like
Maybe the biggest secret was never who Emily’s father was.
Maybe the real secret was why everyone was so desperate to prove she wasn’t mine.
