Chapter 7: The Person Behind The Threats
The words echoed in my head.
“The same person who knew how to copy your signature.””
Nobody moved.
The luxury kitchen that had been filled with arguments and accusations now felt like a courtroom.
Everyone was waiting for someone else to speak.
I looked at Brielle.
My voice came out lower than I expected.
“Who?””
She looked at Vanessa.
Her mother’s face had gone completely pale.
“Brielle,” Vanessa whispered.
“Don’t.””
But Brielle shook her head.
“No, Mom.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m tired of pretending everything is okay.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.””
“Yes, I do.””
The confidence in Brielle’s voice surprised me.
She looked older suddenly.
Not like the teenager who had walked into the kitchen wearing designer clothes.
Like someone who had been carrying a secret too heavy for her.
I looked between them.
“Someone threatened you?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
“Vanessa.””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
The admission landed quietly.
But it hit harder than shouting.
“Who?””
She looked toward Maya.
Then away.
“I don’t know.””
I stared at her.
“You don’t know?””
“I know who contacted me.””
“Then you know.””
“No,” she said quickly.
“I know a name. I don’t know who they really are.””
I walked toward the island.
“Start from the beginning.””
Vanessa looked exhausted.
For once, she didn’t try to control the room.
She sat down slowly.
“About four months ago, I received an email.””
“What kind of email?””
“One that had information about our finances.””
I frowned.
“What information?””
“Private information.””
She looked at the folder.
“Account numbers. Password hints. Personal details.””
My stomach tightened.
“How did they get that?””
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
Maya hugged herself.
“Then why didn’t you tell Dad?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Because I thought I could handle it.””
Maya laughed sadly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
The pain in her voice made Vanessa look away.
“What did the person want?”” I asked.
Vanessa’s fingers tightened together.
“Money.””
“From you?””
“At first.””
The word caught my attention.
“At first?””
She nodded.
“They knew about Maya’s education trust.””
The room became silent again.
“They said if I didn’t give them what they wanted, they would expose something.””
“What?””
Vanessa looked down.
“I don’t know.””
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“I know.””
“Then why would you pay them?””
She looked at me.
“Because they sent me something.””
“What?””
Her eyes moved toward the envelope.
“A copy of a document.””
My heart sank.
“The authorization form?””
She nodded.
“They showed me they had access.””
Maya stepped closer.
“Mom…”
Vanessa looked at her.
“I was scared.””
It was the first time I heard vulnerability in her voice.
Not an excuse.
Not manipulation.
Fear.
But fear didn’t erase what happened.
“You still used Maya’s money.””
Vanessa lowered her head.
“I thought I could replace it before anyone noticed.””
“And when you couldn’t?””
Silence.
That was the answer.
Brielle wiped her eyes.
“I told Mom to tell you.””
Vanessa looked at her sharply.
“Brielle.””
“No.””
The teenager shook her head.
“You were getting worse every day.””
My eyes moved between them.
“What does that mean?””
Brielle looked down.
“Mom stopped sleeping.””
Vanessa looked away.
“She kept checking her phone.””
“She would leave the room when calls came in.””
“And she started hiding documents.””
Every detail felt like another crack appearing.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Who contacted you?””
She hesitated.
Then slowly reached into her purse.
She pulled out her phone.
“I saved everything.””
She unlocked it.
There were dozens of messages.
Unknown numbers.
Threats.
Warnings.
But one message stood out.
The newest one.
Sent that morning.
My blood went cold as I read it.
*YOU SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIM OUT OF THIS.*
I looked up.
“Who sent this?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
I looked back at the phone.
There was one more thing.
A photo attachment.
My fingers tightened.
“Vanessa…”
She looked at me.
“What?””
“Why does this picture exist?””
She stared.
I turned the phone around.
The image showed my home office.
My desk.
My financial folders.
And someone standing near my documents.
Someone whose face was hidden.
But the date was clear.
The picture had been taken inside my house.
May you like
While we were living our normal lives.
And whoever took it had been close enough to touch everything.
