Chapter 4: The Man in the Doorway
Uncle Daniel stood beneath the mansion lights as if he had been invited.
As if nothing had happened.
As if I hadn't just nearly drowned.
As if Vanessa hadn't been caught texting someone about making my death look like an accident.
Marcus moved in front of me.
“Stay behind me,” he said.
Daniel smiled faintly.
“Maya, you don't need to be afraid of me.””
I tightened my towel around my soaked dress.
“You just said my father was right.””
Daniel's smile disappeared.
Vanessa stared at him.
“You weren't supposed to come here.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Neither were you.””
“What does that mean?””
“You know exactly what it means.””
Marcus glanced between them.
“You two have been working together?””
Vanessa shook her head immediately.
“No.””
Daniel laughed.
“That's an interesting answer.””
“Shut up,” Vanessa whispered.
Daniel took one step forward.
Marcus raised a hand.
“Don't.””
Daniel stopped.
“Protective,” he said.
“Your father would have liked that.””
My chest tightened.
“You knew my father?””
Daniel looked at me.
“I knew him better than almost anyone.””
“Then tell me why he changed his will.””
Daniel's eyes shifted toward Vanessa.
“Because he discovered the truth.””
“What truth?””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Daniel, please.””
He looked at her coldly.
“You should have listened when I told you to walk away.””
“I couldn't.””
“You could.””
“I needed the money.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“So you decided to kill your sister?””
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“I wasn't going to kill her.””
I stared at her.
“You said you were going to make it look like an accident.””
“I was told she'd be rescued.””
“Who told you?””
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
That was answer enough.
Marcus saw it too.
“You.””
Daniel said nothing.
Vanessa whispered, “You said nobody would get hurt.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“I said nobody important would get hurt.””
The pool deck went silent.
I felt my stomach turn.
“I'm your niece.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Yes.””
“And you wanted me dead?””
“No.””
He paused.
“I wanted what your father left you.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You're talking about the house.””
Daniel smiled.
“Not just the house.””
He reached into his jacket.
Several guests gasped.
Marcus tensed.
Daniel slowly pulled out a folded envelope.
He held it between two fingers.
“Your father kept something inside that property.””
“What?””
“A ledger.””
Vanessa looked down.
Daniel continued.
“Names. Accounts. Payments. Every illegal transaction he was involved in before he died.””
My heart pounded.
“My father wasn't involved in anything illegal.””
Daniel's smile was almost sad.
“You really believe that?””
“He was a businessman.””
“He was a criminal.””
“No.””
Daniel walked closer.
“He stole from people who trusted him. He bribed officials. He moved money through companies that didn't exist. And before he died, he realized someone was preparing to expose everything.””
I shook my head.
“You're lying.””
“Am I?””
He held out the envelope.
“Ask yourself why your father left the property to you instead of Vanessa.””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I asked him.””
I turned toward her.
“What did he say?””
“He said you were the only one he could trust.””
I stared at her.
The words hurt more than they should have.
“You were his favorite,” Vanessa whispered.
“That wasn't my fault.””
“I know.””
“Then why did you punish me for it?””
She looked at the ground.
“Because every time he looked at you, he saw your mother.””
I froze.
Daniel suddenly said, “That's enough.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You're the one who told me!””
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“And now you're blaming me?””
“You manipulated me!””
“You were willing.””
Marcus shook his head.
“This is insane.””
Daniel turned toward him.
“You should leave.””
Marcus laughed.
“I'm not going anywhere.””
Daniel's voice became colder.
“Your involvement makes this considerably more complicated.””
My phone buzzed.
I looked down.
A message from an unknown number.
*Ask Daniel what happened the night your father died.*
I looked up.
Daniel was watching me.
He had seen my reaction.
“What did you receive?””
I didn't answer.
Marcus noticed.
“Maya?””
I slipped the phone into my hand.
Daniel took another step.
“Give me the phone.””
“No.””
His face changed.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear.
Not anger.
Fear.
Vanessa saw it too.
“Daniel?””
He looked at her.
Then at me.
“You shouldn't have received that message.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
Daniel didn't answer.
I pulled up the message again.
*Ask Daniel what happened the night your father died.*
I looked straight at him.
“What happened?””
Daniel's silence lasted three seconds.
Then he said, “Your father wasn't supposed to die that night.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Marcus went completely still.
I whispered, “Then who was supposed to?””
May you like
Daniel looked past me toward the pool.
And somewhere inside the mansion, a phone began ringing.
