Chapter 7: The Choice She Was Forced to Make
Nobody moved.
Vanessa stood in the middle of my living room, breathing hard, while Daniel held her wrist.
Rebecca clutched the leather folder against her chest.
And I stood there trying to understand the sentence that had just come out of my wife's mouth.
"Choose which one of us would survive?""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"That's what she did, Marcus. That's what Claire did to me.""
I stepped closer.
"Explain.""
"Your wife knew she was dying. She knew there was something wrong with her treatment. She knew the hospital was investigating medication irregularities.""
"Then why didn't she tell me?""
"Because she didn't want you involved.""
"That's not an answer.""
Vanessa looked at Rebecca.
"Tell him what happened.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"Don't you dare.""
"Tell him!""
"You're the one who was there!""
Vanessa pulled her arm free from Daniel.
"Fine. I'll tell him.""
She turned toward me.
"Three days before Claire died, she discovered that someone had been accessing her medical records. She confronted me because she knew I had worked in hospital administration.""
"Did you change her medication?""
"I told you, I didn't make that decision.""
"Then who did?""
Vanessa looked down.
"Evelyn.""
The name hung in the air.
I looked at Rebecca.
She closed her eyes.
"Keep going," I said.
Vanessa began speaking more quietly.
"My mother had been involved in a financial arrangement with Claire. It started with the charity. She convinced Claire to invest money in a private medical support program. The money was supposed to help families who couldn't afford treatment.""
"Was it legitimate?""
"No.""
"How much money?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"More than two million dollars.""
I felt the room tilt.
"Claire had that kind of money?""
"Not all of it was hers. Some came from donors. Some came from the charity's accounts. Some came from a trust Evelyn controlled.""
Rebecca interrupted.
"That's not the whole story. Evelyn used Claire's name to hide where the money was going.""
Vanessa glared at her.
"You don't know everything.""
"I know Claire discovered the transfers. I know she threatened to report your mother. And I know she refused to sign the documents you brought to her.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
"What documents?""
She didn't answer.
Rebecca opened her folder.
"Claire gave me copies. She was trying to establish that the money had been moved without her authorization.""
She handed me a thick stack of papers.
Several transactions were highlighted.
The first showed a transfer from a charity account into a company registered under Evelyn's name.
The second showed a transfer into another company.
The third showed a payment to an account belonging to Vanessa.
I looked up.
"You stole from the charity.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I was paid.""
"With stolen money.""
"My mother told me it was legitimate.""
"You were an adult. You knew what you were doing.""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"I was in debt. Evelyn said she could help me.""
"And then she introduced you to Claire?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She knew Claire was generous. She knew Claire had money and connections. She thought Claire would eventually help us.""
I stared at her.
"That's why you entered our lives?""
"Not everything was planned.""
"Did you marry me because of Noah's trust?""
Vanessa looked away.
I took that as my answer.
Rebecca placed the USB drive on the coffee table.
"This is the recording Claire made.""
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
"No.""
Rebecca picked it up.
"She told me to give it to Marcus if anything happened to the bicycle.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because she knew Vanessa would eventually try to destroy it.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Claire always thought she was smarter than everyone.""
Rebecca ignored her.
"She also told me that the recording would explain the medication.""
I took the USB drive.
My hands were shaking.
Daniel brought his laptop from the dining room.
We connected the drive.
A single audio file appeared.
The date was three years earlier.
I pressed play.
At first, there was only static.
Then Claire's voice.
"Vanessa, sit down.""
A chair scraped across the floor.
Vanessa's recorded voice answered.
"I don't have time for this.""
"Yes, you do.""
"Claire, you're sick. You need to stop worrying about things that don't concern you.""
"They concern me when my name is being used to steal money.""
A pause.
Then Vanessa spoke again.
"Evelyn said she could explain everything.""
"Your mother has been stealing from the charity.""
"She borrowed the money.""
"She falsified donor records.""
"She was going to put it back!""
Claire's voice became sharper.
"With what? Another family's savings?""
Silence.
Then Claire continued.
"I have copies of everything. If I don't survive this, Rebecca has instructions to give them to the police.""
Vanessa's voice trembled.
"You wouldn't.""
"I would.""
"You're going to destroy my mother.""
"No. Your mother destroyed herself.""
A door slammed in the background.
Then Claire spoke again.
"There's something else. I know about the medication request.""
The recording became quieter.
"Vanessa, did you change my prescription?""
"No.""
"Did Evelyn?""
"I don't know.""
"Look at me.""
A long pause.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"She said it would make you sleep. She said the dosage was temporary.""
Claire's voice broke.
"How much did she give me?""
"I don't know.""
"How much?""
"Enough to make the pain stop.""
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
"Vanessa, did you understand what she was giving me?""
"I thought it was safe.""
"You thought?""
"I was trying to help!""
"By changing my medication without my doctor's permission?""
Vanessa began crying.
Then Claire asked a question.
"Did you know she planned to use my illness to get access to Noah's trust?""
There was no answer.
"Vanessa?""
Finally, she whispered:
"Yes.""
The room went completely silent.
I stopped the recording.
I couldn't listen anymore.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Did you know?""
She covered her face.
"Marcus, I was scared.""
"Did you know my wife was being given medication she hadn't been prescribed?""
"I didn't know it would hurt her!""
"Did you know?""
She lowered her hands.
"Yes.""
My chest felt as if someone had driven a knife through it.
I backed away.
Daniel moved between us.
Vanessa started crying harder.
"Please. You don't understand. My mother said Claire was already dying. She said the medication would only make her comfortable.""
"Then why did you hide it?""
"Because I knew it was wrong.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"What happened after the recording?""
She took a shaky breath.
"Claire called me that night. She said she had evidence, but she was afraid Evelyn would try something desperate.""
"Did you go to the hospital?""
"Yes. But by the time I arrived, Claire was unconscious.""
I stared at the USB drive.
"Was this recording made before she died?""
"About twelve hours earlier.""
Vanessa suddenly stood.
"That's not the entire recording.""
Rebecca froze.
"What?""
"There's another part.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
"Where?""
She looked at the USB drive.
"Evelyn has it.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"You're lying.""
"No. Claire recorded something after that conversation. Something she said would change everything.""
"What did she say?"" I demanded.
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"She told me that if anything happened to her, I should tell you the truth about Noah.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What truth?""
May you like
Vanessa's lips trembled.
"Marcus, Noah isn't the only child Claire gave birth to.""
