Chapter 12 - Vanessa's ConfessionThe alarm triggered a complete shutdown.
Not Adrian's emergency system.
Daniel's.
Every electronic lock opened.
Security cameras switched on.
And a live corporate feed appeared across every monitor.
Adrian had rerouted the warehouse system to stream everything publicly.
Daniel looked around.
"What did you do?"
"Made sure there are witnesses."
Vanessa suddenly appeared on another camera.
She was inside Voss Meridian headquarters.
Grant stood beside her.
Both looked terrified.
Adrian activated the microphone.
"Tell them."
Vanessa shook her head.
"Adrian..."
"Tell them what happened at the resort."
Grant grabbed her arm.
"Don't."
Vanessa pulled away.
"You said Lily would be safe."
"I was protecting us."
"You pushed her."
Vanessa began to cry.
"I wasn't supposed to push her that hard."
Adrian stared.
The confession was on live transmission.
Thousands of employees were watching.
Vanessa continued.
"Daniel told me Adrian would destroy everything if I didn't help."
Grant shouted:
"Stop talking!"
She ignored him.
"He said Lily had to be frightened enough for Adrian to activate the system."
Adrian's voice was cold.
"And Elena?"
Vanessa looked down.
"She knew."
"Knew what?"
"That Daniel was using your system."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid."
Adrian's expression changed.
"Afraid of Daniel?"
Vanessa looked directly into the camera.
"Of you."
Silence.
"After Elena died, you became impossible to approach."
Adrian didn't respond.
"Every person who questioned you disappeared from the company."
"Because they betrayed me."
"Some did."
Vanessa shook her head.
"But some only disagreed."
Adrian felt the words hit harder than any accusation.
Grant suddenly ran.
Security officers caught him.
Daniel slammed his hand against the control desk.
"You think this changes anything?"
Elena stepped forward.
"It ends it."
Daniel laughed.
"You still don't understand."
He pulled out a remote.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"What's that?"
Daniel smiled.
"The original archive."
He pressed a button.
The screen changed.
A video appeared.
The night Elena died.
She entered the company headquarters.
Grant followed.
Daniel followed.
Then Adrian appeared.
Everyone stared.
Adrian was carrying a black briefcase.
Elena turned toward him.
The audio began.
"You promised me you would stop."
Adrian's voice.
"I promised to protect Lily."
"You promised not to use the system."
"I have to."
"No."
"I know what they're doing."
"You don't."
Adrian froze.
The video continued.
"Elena, if you leave now, I can't guarantee what happens."
She looked at him.
"That's exactly why I'm leaving."
The video cut.
The room became silent.
Adrian stared at the screen.
"I said that."
Elena closed her eyes.
"You did."
"But I never..."
He stopped.
He remembered.
The argument.
The night.
He had threatened to activate the emergency system against everyone involved.
Elena had begged him not to.
Then she had left.
Adrian had followed.
The video continued.
Elena drove away.
A black SUV followed.
But the next frame showed something else.
Adrian's car.
Behind it.
Adrian had followed her.
Marcus whispered:
"You were there."
Adrian's face went pale.
He remembered the drive.
The rain.
The argument.
Then the crash.
Then nothing.
The video ended before the accident.
Daniel smiled.
"Now you know."
Adrian stared.
"You altered the evidence."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
He leaned forward.
"Your security system did."
Adrian looked toward Elena.
She was crying.
"You don't remember because you had a head injury."
"Why did the police say I wasn't there?"
Elena answered.
"Because Victor moved you."
Adrian looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because when you woke up, you wanted to go back."
"And?"
"You were furious."
She wiped her tears.
"You said you would kill everyone responsible."
Adrian stood frozen.
"So you hid me."
"Yes."
"And disappeared."
"Yes."
"But the crash?"
Elena looked at Marcus.
Then at Adrian.
"The SUV caused it."
Adrian's voice dropped.
"Who was driving?"
Nobody answered.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"Grant."
Grant stopped struggling.
Adrian turned.
Grant's face collapsed.
"It was supposed to scare her."
The room went silent.
"Not kill her."
Adrian stared at him.
Grant began shaking.
"Daniel said we'd stop the car."
Elena closed her eyes.
"But they lost control."
Adrian looked at Daniel.
Daniel said nothing.
Then Adrian heard Lily scream from the speakers.
"Daddy!"
May you like
Everyone turned.
The screen went black.
