Chapter 9: The Woman Who Tried To Save Maya
Chapter 9: The Woman Who Tried To Save Maya
Maya had always believed the worst thing David could do was hurt her.
She was wrong.
The worst thing was discovering that even after escaping him...
he was still controlling the story.
Someone was trying to turn her from a victim into a suspect.
And that frightened her more than anything.
Because David had spent years convincing people that he was the reasonable one.
The calm one.
The successful one.
Now someone was trying to do the same thing again.
Except this time...
Maya was the person being destroyed.
The police station felt different when they returned.
Before, Maya had entered as a victim.
Now she walked through the doors knowing every person around her could be looking at her differently.
Every glance felt heavier.
Every whisper felt louder.
Marcus noticed.
“Don’t look at them.”
Maya looked at him.
“What?”
“Everyone in this building has seen hundreds of cases. Some people will judge before they understand.”
He paused.
“But evidence matters.”
Maya looked down.
“That’s what my father believed.”
Marcus nodded.
“And he was right.”
Those words helped.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Inside the interview room, another detective was waiting.
A woman.
Late forties.
Sharp eyes.
Calm expression.
She stood when Maya entered.
“Detective Sarah Collins.”
Maya sat down.
“Am I under arrest?”
Sarah studied her.
“No.”
“But someone reported me.”
“Yes.”
“For killing my father.”
Sarah nodded.
“I know.”
Maya laughed softly.
“This is insane.”
Sarah opened a folder.
“Maybe.”
She looked directly at Maya.
“But someone wanted us to believe it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means whoever made the accusation did not do it randomly.”
Sarah pushed a document across the table.
“They included details.”
Maya looked at the paper.
“What details?”
“Details only someone close to your family would know.”
A cold feeling moved through her.
“Who?”
Sarah did not answer immediately.
Instead, she asked:
“Did your father ever tell you about a woman named Claire Morgan?”
Maya nodded.
“Yes.”
“Did he ever mention another person?”
“No.”
Sarah opened another file.
Inside was an old photograph.
A woman standing outside Vance Holdings.
Maya recognized her immediately.
Rebecca.
But younger.
Beside her was another woman.
Claire Morgan.
And beside Claire...
was Elena.
Maya froze.
“My mother?”
Sarah nodded.
“This photograph was taken six months before your father died.”
Maya stared.
“How many secrets does my family have?”
Sarah didn’t answer.
Because she knew the truth.
Too many.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Vance sat alone in her mansion.
The same mansion where she had raised David.
The same place where she had taught him everything she knew.
But tonight, the house felt different.
Empty.
For years, she had controlled every room.
Every conversation.
Every person who entered her world.
But now she was losing control.
And the person responsible was the girl she had underestimated.
Maya.
Rebecca looked at an old photograph on the fireplace.
A young David.
A younger Rebecca.
A perfect family.
A perfect illusion.
She remembered the first time David came to her after confronting Daniel Carter.
He was shaking.
Not because he felt guilty.
Because he was afraid she would think he failed.
“I handled it,” he had said.
Rebecca remembered looking at him.
At that moment, she understood something.
She had created something she could not control.
David did not want love.
He wanted approval.
And when someone like David wanted approval...
they would do anything.
The mansion door opened.
David entered.
Rebecca looked up.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then she said:
“You shouldn’t be here.”
David removed his jacket.
“I need your help.”
Rebecca almost laughed.
“The great David Vance needs help?”
His face tightened.
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes.”
She stood.
“I know exactly what happened.”
David looked at her.
“You knew?”
“I always know.”
That answer irritated him.
Because it reminded him of childhood.
His mother always watching.
Always knowing.
Always judging.
“You let this happen.”
Rebecca looked surprised.
“Excuse me?”
“You knew Maya would find out.”
“No.”
“You knew about the storage unit.”
Rebecca’s expression changed slightly.
And David noticed.
“You did.”
Rebecca stayed silent.
David stepped closer.
“You knew everything.”
“I knew your father-in-law hid something.”
“And you still let me marry her.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“You chose Maya.”
The words hit him.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You told me she was important.”
“I told you she had access to information.”
David’s face darkened.
“You used me.”
Rebecca smiled sadly.
“No.”
A pause.
“I made you.”
That sentence cut deeper than an insult.
Because David had spent his entire life trying to escape being his mother’s creation.
And now he realized he never had.
Back at the station, Maya continued answering questions.
Sarah looked through the files.
“There is something strange.”
“What?”
“The accusation against you came from an anonymous source.”
Maya nodded.
“That’s not strange.”
“It is.”
Sarah looked up.
“Because the person who sent it used information from your father’s original investigation.”
Maya frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means whoever framed you has access to old Vance documents.”
Maya thought.
Then suddenly:
“The notebook.”
Sarah looked interested.
“What about it?”
“David had a notebook.”
“What kind of notebook?”
“Information about me.”
Sarah’s expression changed.
“Where is it?”
Maya looked at Marcus.
He answered:
“We secured it as evidence.”
Sarah nodded.
“Good.”
Then she became serious.
“Because if someone is trying to frame Maya, that notebook may tell us who.”
That night, Maya returned to Elena’s house.
But something felt wrong.
The front door was unlocked.
“Mum?”
No answer.
Her heart started racing.
She entered slowly.
The living room was empty.
The lights were off.
Then she saw it.
A broken picture frame on the floor.
A chair knocked over.
And a single piece of paper sitting on the table.
Maya picked it up.
Three words.
Written by hand.
“Ask your mother.”
Her breathing stopped.
“Mom?”
A sound came from upstairs.
A weak voice.
“Maya…”
She ran.
Elena was sitting on the floor beside the bedroom.
Alive.
But injured.
“Mom!”
Maya rushed toward her.
“What happened?”
Elena looked terrified.
“They came for the documents.”
“Who?”
Elena grabbed her hand.
“Maya…”
Her voice shook.
“It wasn’t David.”
Maya froze.
“Then who?”
Elena looked at her.
And whispered:
“Your father’s old partner.”
Maya stared.
“My father had a partner?”
Elena nodded.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Before Elena could answer...
the lights went out.
The entire house became dark.
Then a voice came from downstairs.
A familiar voice.
A voice Maya had heard before.
“I’m sorry, Maya.”
Her blood turned cold.
Because she recognized it.
It belonged to someone she trusted.
Someone who had been helping them.
Someone who knew every detail of the investigation.
Detective Marcus Reed.
Maya stood frozen.
“No.”
Elena grabbed her arm.
“Don’t go downstairs.”
The voice came again.
“Maya.”
A pause.
“You deserve to know the truth.”
Footsteps moved closer.
“Maya…”
The voice became softer.
“Your father didn’t die because of the Vance family.”
Silence.
May you like
Then the final words:
“He died because of someone on your side.”
