Chapter 6: The Truth Under the Surface
Marcus couldn’t hear anything after those words.
Not the air conditioner.
Not the birds outside.
Not even his own breathing.
All he heard was Vanessa’s sentence repeating in his mind.
Your wife didn’t die because of the pool.
For years, he had lived with one painful truth.
His wife was gone.
An accident took her.
A terrible moment.
A tragedy.
But an accident.
Now Vanessa was standing in front of him, telling him everything he believed was wrong.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Give me the letter.””
Vanessa held it tighter.
“No.””
His eyes narrowed.
“Give it to me.””
“You don’t want to know everything.””
Marcus laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“I have spent six years wondering what happened to my wife.””
His voice cracked.
“You don’t get to decide what I can handle.””
Vanessa stared at him.
Then slowly placed the letter on the table.
Marcus grabbed it.
“You said she didn’t die because of the pool.””
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“She didn’t.””
“Then how did she die?””
Silence.
Vanessa looked at Rachel.
Then at the stairs where Lily was sleeping.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because she trusted the wrong person.””
Marcus felt anger rise.
“Who?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
“Who?””
A sound interrupted them.
A phone vibrating.
Everyone looked.
It was Marcus’s phone.
Unknown number.
Again.
He answered immediately.
“Hello?””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then a man’s voice came through.
“Marcus?””
Marcus froze.
The voice was unfamiliar.
“Who is this?””
“My name is Daniel.””
Marcus looked at Rachel.
She looked confused.
“I knew your wife.””
Marcus’s grip tightened around the phone.
“How?””
A pause.
Then:
“I was the last person who spoke to her.””
Marcus looked toward Vanessa.
Her face changed.
“Where are you?””
Daniel continued.
“I can’t talk long.””
“Where are you?””
“I have proof.””
Marcus’s heartbeat increased.
“Proof of what?””
The man lowered his voice.
“Proof that Vanessa wasn’t the only person lying to you.””
Marcus looked at Rachel.
Then Vanessa.
The room suddenly felt full of strangers.
“Meet me tomorrow.””
“Where?””
Another pause.
Then Daniel said:
“Your old house.””
Marcus went completely still.
The old house.
The place where his wife had died.
The place he had refused to visit since that night.
“No.””
Daniel’s voice became urgent.
“Marcus, listen to me. Your wife left something there before she—”
The call cut off.
Marcus stared at the phone.
“Hello?””
Nothing.
He slowly lowered it.
Vanessa watched him.
“You can’t go there.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Rachel stood.
“Because she knows what’s there.””
Marcus turned toward Vanessa.
“You knew about Daniel.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“You know something.””
“I know you’re about to destroy everything.””
Marcus looked at the pool outside.
The place where Lily almost drowned.
The place where another secret had been buried.
He looked at Vanessa.
“What happened between you and my wife?””
Vanessa’s eyes filled with something Marcus had never seen before.
Regret.
Then fear.
“She found out the truth about me.””
Marcus waited.
“And?””
Vanessa whispered:
“She found out the truth about you too.””
Marcus stared.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, Lily screamed upstairs.
“Daddy!””
Marcus ran.
Everyone followed.
He reached Lily’s bedroom and found her standing beside her bed, holding something in her hand.
A photograph.
She was crying.
Marcus rushed to her.
“What happened?””
Lily pointed at the picture.
“I found this under my pillow.””
Marcus took it.
His blood turned cold.
It was a picture of him.
His wife.
And Lily.
But someone had written on the back.
Three words.
*You were warned.*
Marcus slowly turned toward the doorway.
Vanessa stood there.
Rachel beside her.
Neither woman spoke.
Because they both knew one thing.
May you like
Someone else was inside the mansion.
And they had been watching them the entire time.
