Chapter 2 - The police sirens arrived five minutes later.But by then, the house had already become a crime scene.
Officers entered through the front doors while armed security guards surrounded the property.
Adrian said nothing when they asked why every camera had failed.
He said even less when they asked about the message.
Vanessa demanded a lawyer.
Elena sat on the sofa with an ice pack pressed against her shoulder.
Emma had finally stopped crying.
Olivia stayed beside Elena.
"You saved her," she whispered.
Elena smiled faintly.
"Anyone would have."
Olivia shook her head.
"No."
She looked toward Adrian.
"Not everyone."
Adrian heard her.
His face hardened.
He approached Elena slowly.
"I owe you an apology."
Elena didn't look at him.
"You owe me more than one."
"I know."
"You hit me."
"I know."
"You believed her without asking what happened."
Adrian lowered his head.
"I was wrong."
Elena finally looked at him.
"That's not the part that scares me."
"What is?"
"The fact that you knew something was wrong before you walked upstairs."
Adrian went still.
"What do you mean?"
"When the study door opened, you weren't surprised."
His eyes shifted.
"You looked like you recognized the sound."
Adrian didn't answer.
The oldest officer in the room stepped closer.
"Mr. Vale, your daughter said someone may have been inside the study."
"I've checked the room."
"And?"
"Nothing."
The officer nodded.
"We'll search it again."
Vanessa interrupted.
"This is ridiculous. Someone is manipulating all of you."
Olivia looked at her.
"Then let the police check your phone."
Vanessa froze.
The officer noticed.
"That seems reasonable."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you can't just search it."
The officer glanced at Adrian.
"Mrs. Hart, did you contact anyone before the incident?"
Vanessa's silence answered for her.
Adrian turned.
"Who?"
Vanessa looked at him.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You've been receiving calls."
"From who?"
"Private number."
Vanessa didn't speak.
Adrian's voice became colder.
"How long?"
She stared at the floor.
"Three weeks."
Elena sat up.
"Three weeks?"
Vanessa looked at her.
"They started after I moved into the house."
"What did they say?"
"Nothing."
"Then why did you answer?"
Vanessa's eyes hardened.
"They knew things."
"What things?"
Vanessa looked at Adrian.
"Things no stranger could know."
Before she could say more, one of the officers shouted from upstairs.
"Mr. Vale!"
Everyone looked toward the staircase.
A moment later, the officer descended carrying a small metal box.
"We found this hidden behind the study wall."
Adrian stared at it.
"That wasn't there before."
The officer placed it on the table.
A keyhole was visible on the front.
Elena looked at Adrian.
"Where's the key?"
Adrian's expression changed.
"I don't have one."
Olivia spoke quietly.
"I do."
Everyone turned.
She reached into the pocket of her sweater and pulled out a tiny brass key.
Adrian stepped forward.
"Where did you get that?"
"I found it under your bed."
His face went pale.
"How long ago?"
"Two weeks."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I heard Vanessa crying in your room that night."
Vanessa looked ready to faint.
"I wasn't crying."
Olivia's gaze stayed on her.
"You were."
The officer inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Inside the box was a photograph.
Three documents.
And a VHS tape.
Adrian picked up the photograph.
His hand began to shake.
Elena saw the image.
A younger Adrian stood beside another man.
The man looked almost identical to him.
"Who is that?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Olivia stepped closer.
"Is that Uncle Daniel?"
Adrian's eyes snapped toward her.
"We don't have an Uncle Daniel."
Olivia frowned.
"Then who is he?"
No one spoke.
The officer unfolded one of the documents.
His eyebrows rose.
"This is a birth record."
Adrian took it.
The document was dated eleven years ago.
Mother: Vanessa Hart.
Father: Adrian Vale.
Child: Emma Vale.
Elena stared.
"That's impossible."
Emma had been born nine months earlier.
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
"You were pregnant before I met you?"
Vanessa's lips trembled.
"No."
"Then explain this."
She couldn't.
The officer turned over the photograph.
Written on the back was a sentence in black ink.
THE GIRL IS NOT YOURS.
Olivia stopped breathing.
Adrian slowly looked toward the baby.
Emma was sleeping peacefully in Maya's arms.
Then a sharp cry came from outside.
A security guard rushed through the door.
"Mr. Vale, someone's been tampering with the north gate."
Adrian's head snapped up.
"Who?"
"We don't know."
The guard swallowed.
"But there's something you need to see."
He handed Adrian a tablet.
A live camera feed showed the driveway.
At the edge of the property stood a man in a dark coat.
He wasn't trying to hide.
He was looking directly at the camera.
Then he raised one hand.
In it was another brass key.
Adrian stared.
The man smiled.
May you like
And held the key against the camera.
Then the feed went black.
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