Chapter 7: The Call We Shouldn’t Have Answered
The phone kept ringing.
Daniel Price.
The name glowed across the screen like a warning.
Nobody moved.
Not me.
Not Vanessa.
Not my mother.
The Christmas lights continued blinking above us, painting the room in red and green flashes that made everything feel unreal.
Finally, I reached for the phone.
Vanessa grabbed my wrist.
“Marcus, don’t.””
I looked at her hand.
Then at her face.
“Why?””
Her fingers slowly loosened.
Because she knew she couldn’t answer without exposing herself.
I picked up the phone.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a man’s voice.
“Marcus.””
My entire body stiffened.
I had never heard his voice before.
But he spoke like he knew me.
“Who is this?””
A small laugh came through the speaker.
Not nervous.
Not surprised.
Confident.
“That’s funny. Your wife never mentioned you’d be home early.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Her face went pale.
“You knew I was supposed to be gone?””
The man ignored my question.
“You need to be careful tonight.””
I tightened my grip.
“Careful of what?””
A pause.
Then:
“Careful of who you trust.””
My eyes moved toward Vanessa.
She looked terrified.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
“Daniel,” she whispered.
The voice on the phone changed.
“Vanessa is there, isn’t she?””
Nobody spoke.
That silence was enough.
“Put her on.””
I looked at my wife.
She shook her head.
“No.””
I turned away from her.
“Why not?””
“Because you don’t know what he wants.””
The man laughed softly.
“She finally understands.””
I put the phone on speaker.
“Everyone is listening now.””
My mother stepped closer.
Daniel sighed.
“Evelyn is there too?””
My mother froze.
“How does he know my name?””
I looked at Vanessa.
That question was written all over her face too.
“You’ve been watching my family.””
“No,” Daniel replied.
His voice became colder.
“I’ve been watching Vanessa.””
The room went silent.
Vanessa looked at the phone.
“Daniel, stop.””
“Stop?””
His laugh was bitter.
“After everything you promised me?””
My stomach tightened.
“You two were working together.””
Vanessa immediately looked at me.
“No.””
But Daniel answered first.
“Yes.””
The word hit like a punch.
My mother grabbed my arm.
I looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
I ignored her.
“Daniel, explain.””
The man took a breath.
“Your wife came to me six months ago.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Don’t.””
“She said your mother was vulnerable.””
My jaw tightened.
“She said the house would eventually become yours.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“That’s not true.””
Daniel continued.
“She said she needed help making sure everything was handled before you returned.””
I stared at my wife.
The woman I had shared my life with.
The woman who held my hand when I buried my father.
The woman who smiled at my mother.
“You lied to me.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Marcus…”
I held up my hand.
“No.””
Daniel’s voice came through the phone.
“But there’s something you don’t know.””
I looked down.
“What?””
“Vanessa changed the plan.””
She looked shocked.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel ignored her.
“She stopped answering my calls.””
Vanessa whispered:
“Because you threatened me.””
My head turned.
“What?””
Daniel laughed.
“She’s telling the truth.””
That was the first time Vanessa and Daniel agreed.
And somehow that scared me more.
“What did you threaten her with?””
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel said:
“The original agreement.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“What agreement?””
Her face collapsed.
“Marcus…”
“What agreement?””
Daniel spoke.
“The one where Vanessa promised she’d help me get access to the property.””
My mother gasped.
I felt anger rising.
But beneath the anger was something else.
Confusion.
Because Vanessa looked afraid of Daniel.
Not loyal to him.
Not protective.
Afraid.
“Vanessa,” I said quietly.
She looked at me.
“I never wanted this.””
“Then why did you start it?””
Her lips trembled.
“I thought I could control it.””
I stared.
“You thought you could control stealing my mother’s house?””
“No.””
She looked down.
“I thought I could fix it before you found out.””
Daniel laughed.
“Too late.””
I stepped closer to the phone.
“Where are you?””
Silence.
Then:
“Somewhere you should have looked months ago.””
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
Just gone.
My mother sat down slowly.
“Marcus…”
I looked at Vanessa.
“Tell me everything.””
She wiped her face.
“I was desperate.””
I almost couldn’t believe what I heard.
“For what?””
She looked toward the floor.
“Money.””
The word was quiet.
But it changed the room.
I waited.
She continued.
“I made a mistake.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
She looked up.
“This wasn’t one mistake.””
The truth finally started coming out.
May you like
And I knew it was going to hurt.
Because the woman I loved was about to tell me why she betrayed my family.
