Chapter 8: Vanessa's Evidence
Vanessa lived in a furnished apartment on the other side of the city.
Margaret insisted we take a deputy with us.
I didn't argue.
The apartment building had a glass entrance and a security desk. We were directed to the fourth floor, where Vanessa opened the door wearing gray sweatpants and no makeup.
She looked nothing like the confident woman who had been laughing at my dining table.
Her eyes were swollen.
Her hair was tied into a careless knot.
And she was holding a large brown envelope.
"Come in," she said.
I remained at the doorway.
"Why did you want to see me?""
Vanessa looked toward Margaret.
"Can we talk privately?""
"No," I said.
She nodded.
"Fair enough.""
She stepped aside.
The apartment was almost empty. Two suitcases sat beside the sofa. A half-eaten sandwich rested on the kitchen counter.
I noticed a framed photograph of Daniel on the coffee table.
I picked it up.
"Planning to keep this?""
Vanessa snatched it from my hand.
"Don't.""
I placed my hands in my coat pockets.
"Then tell me why we're here.""
She looked at the envelope.
"Because Patricia lied to me.""
I almost smiled.
"Welcome to the club.""
Vanessa sat down.
"She told me Daniel was going to divorce you months ago. She said the house was already legally his.""
"It wasn't.""
"I know that now.""
"How?""
She opened the envelope.
Inside were printed emails, bank statements, and copies of several legal documents.
"I worked part-time at Patricia's investment office before Daniel and I started dating. She trusted me with administrative work.""
I stared at her.
"You worked for Patricia?""
She nodded.
"That's how I met Daniel. He came into the office regularly.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How long have you known him?""
"Two years.""
Two years.
I had been married to him for seven.
I looked away.
Vanessa continued.
"At first, he told me you were separated. He said you were only staying in the house because of financial arrangements.""
"Convenient.""
"I believed him.""
"Of course you did.""
She lowered her eyes.
"Then Patricia told me the truth.""
I looked at her.
"When?""
"Last January.""
"She told you he was married?""
"Yes. But she also told me the marriage was ending and that you couldn't have children.""
I laughed bitterly.
"And that made you feel entitled to my husband?""
Vanessa's cheeks reddened.
"No. I know how it sounds.""
"It sounds exactly like what happened.""
She looked down.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"Patricia asked me to pretend I was pregnant.""
I stared at her.
"Daniel already told me.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"There's more. Patricia wanted me to convince you that Daniel was having a child. She thought you'd leave without fighting over the house.""
I looked at Margaret.
She was listening intently.
"Why would Patricia care whether I left voluntarily?""
Vanessa removed another sheet.
"Because the mortgage application needed your property to be transferred without a dispute.""
She placed it on the table.
It was an email dated October 9.
Five days before the forged document was supposedly signed.
The sender was Patricia.
The recipient was Vanessa.
Make sure Nia believes Daniel is moving on. Once she leaves, the remaining paperwork will be easier.
I read it twice.
Then I noticed an attachment.
A draft property transfer agreement.
The same document I had found in my father's desk.
My eyes moved to the signature page.
There was a second signature beneath mine.
Patricia Bennett.
"She prepared this?"" I asked.
Vanessa nodded.
"She sent it to Daniel and asked him to get your signature.""
"Why didn't he?""
"Because he couldn't.""
I looked up.
"Explain.""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Daniel tried to convince you to sign a financial authorization last summer. Remember?""
I did.
He had brought home a stack of papers and said they were required to update our insurance and mortgage records.
I had been exhausted after a business trip and told him I would review them over the weekend.
He had become irritated.
I had forgotten about the incident.
"He told Patricia you refused," Vanessa continued.
"So she arranged for someone else to create the documents.""
"Who?""
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she slid a business card across the table.
Robert Hayes.
The company attorney.
I stared at the name.
"Are you certain?""
"I saw him in Patricia's office. He prepared the paperwork.""
Margaret picked up the card.
"Did you personally see him create the forged signature?""
"No. But I saw him bring the documents to Patricia.""
"Do you have anything proving that?""
Vanessa opened her phone.
She showed us a photograph.
It was taken inside an office.
Robert Hayes stood beside Patricia's desk, holding a folder.
On the desk was the property transfer agreement.
The date on the photograph was October 13.
The day before the supposed notarization.
Margaret took several photographs of the screen.
"This is useful.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"There's something else.""
I waited.
"Patricia paid Daniel's business debts.""
"How?""
"Through Bennett Family Holdings.""
She handed Margaret another document.
It was a bank statement showing transfers totaling $420,000.
The account belonged to a company registered under Daniel's name.
But the money had originated from Whitmore Development Group.
Margaret's expression hardened.
"These funds may have been misappropriated.""
Vanessa nodded.
"That's why Patricia wanted the property. She needed to replace the money before the company audited its accounts.""
I stared at the statement.
"So my house was supposed to secure her missing funds?""
"Yes.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Why are you telling me this?""
Her eyes filled.
"Because I found out Patricia was planning to blame everything on me.""
She pulled out another document.
It was a draft statement prepared by Robert Hayes.
The statement described Vanessa as an unauthorized romantic partner who had manipulated Daniel into committing financial misconduct.
It claimed Patricia had no knowledge of the mortgage application.
I stared at the page.
"She was going to make you the scapegoat.""
Vanessa nodded.
"She said I would be protected if I cooperated. But once she realized I had the documents, she stopped answering my calls.""
For the first time, I felt something close to pity.
Not forgiveness.
Not friendship.
Just recognition.
She had been used in a different way.
"Do you have the original transfer document?"" I asked.
Vanessa reached into her handbag and produced a sealed plastic sleeve.
Inside was the original paper.
The forged signature.
The notary seal.
And something else.
A handwritten note on the back.
Margaret took it carefully.
Her expression changed as she read.
"What is it?"" I asked.
She turned it toward me.
The handwriting was Daniel's.
If Nia refuses, use the backup signature from the adoption file.
My stomach dropped.
I looked at Vanessa.
"What's the adoption file?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know. But Patricia said they had copies of your childhood documents.""
Margaret photographed the note.
Then she called her office.
While she spoke, Vanessa approached me.
"Can I ask you something?""
I looked at her.
"What?""
"Did Daniel ever tell you he was in love with me?""
I considered lying.
Then I shook my head.
"No.""
She looked down.
"He told me he loved me.""
I picked up my handbag.
"Then perhaps you should ask him what love means.""
As we reached the door, Vanessa called after me.
"Nia.""
I turned.
She was standing beside the empty suitcases.
"There's a reason Patricia wanted you out of that house before the end of this month.""
"Why?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Because the redevelopment company is holding a private shareholders' meeting on the twenty-eighth.""
I looked at Margaret.
"What's happening at that meeting?""
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"Patricia intends to sell the entire development project. And she's already arranged for Daniel to receive the controlling shares.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Samuel.
Do not sign anything. I've found the original trust amendment. Your father left a second beneficiary designation, and it changes everything.
I looked back at Vanessa.
"Thank you for the documents.""
She nodded.
Then she whispered:
"There's one more thing. Robert Hayes isn't just Patricia's lawyer.""
I stopped.
"Who is he?""
May you like
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"He's Daniel's biological father.""
