Chapter 12: The Enemy Inside the Family
Marcus returned to the mansion before sunrise.
He drove faster than he should have.
But he didn’t care.
Every second away from Lily felt dangerous.
The video played in his mind repeatedly.
His wife’s frightened eyes.
The shadow behind her.
The voice.
The warning.
Someone had taken her from him.
And now that same person was coming for his daughter.
When Marcus entered the mansion, Rachel immediately stood.
“She’s upstairs.””
He nodded.
“Where’s Vanessa?””
Rachel looked down.
“She came back.””
Marcus stopped.
“What?””
“She returned twenty minutes ago.””
His expression changed.
“Where is she?””
“In the living room.””
Marcus walked in.
Vanessa sat on the couch.
She looked different.
Not cold.
Not controlled.
Broken.
Marcus stood across from her.
“You know.””
Vanessa looked up.
“I know what?””
“About my wife’s video.””
Her face changed.
A small reaction.
But enough.
“You saw it.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Who was the man behind her?””
Vanessa looked away.
“Marcus…”
“Answer me.””
Silence.
Then:
“My father.””
Marcus felt the answer hit him.
“You said he was dead.””
“He was supposed to be.””
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa’s hands shook.
“It means I never saw the body.””
Marcus stared.
“You lied.””
“Yes.””
The admission was immediate.
It surprised him.
“Why?””
“Because I was scared.””
“Of your father?””
Vanessa nodded.
“And of what he would do if anyone knew.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You knew he was alive?””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“I knew he was capable of disappearing.””
Rachel stepped forward.
“Marcus, there’s more.””
He looked at her.
“What?””
Rachel took a breath.
“Vanessa didn’t push Lily into the pool because she wanted to hurt her.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
“She was trying to scare her away from the water.””
“That makes no sense.””
Rachel looked at Vanessa.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“I saw someone near the pool.””
Marcus froze.
“When?””
“Before Lily went outside.””
“Who?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I don’t know.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I thought it was him.””
Marcus understood.
“Your father.””
Vanessa nodded.
“I thought he came back.””
The room became silent.
Marcus remembered Lily’s words.
She said Mommy fell in here too.
Vanessa wasn’t just hiding guilt.
She was hiding fear.
But that did not erase what happened.
“You put my daughter in danger.””
Vanessa looked down.
“I know.””
For the first time, Marcus saw regret.
Real regret.
Then a sound came from upstairs.
A scream.
“Daddy!””
Marcus ran.
He reached Lily’s room.
She stood beside her bed.
The window was open.
The curtains moved in the wind.
Marcus grabbed her.
“What happened?””
Lily pointed outside.
“He was there.””
Marcus looked out.
Nothing.
“Who?””
Lily’s face was pale.
“The man from Mommy’s picture.””
Marcus froze.
“What picture?””
Lily pointed at the nightstand.
A photograph sat there.
A photograph Marcus had never seen before.
He picked it up.
His blood ran cold.
It showed his wife.
Vanessa.
And a man standing behind them.
An older man.
Smiling.
Marcus recognized him immediately.
Thomas Vale.
But that wasn’t what scared him.
It was the writing on the back.
A message.
Fresh ink.
*Ask Vanessa why she protected him.*
Marcus slowly turned.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
Her face was completely pale.
Because she knew exactly what the message meant.
May you like
And she whispered:
“Because he was your father too.””
