Chapter 7 - VANESSA'S REAL PLAN
Mia stopped moving.
“My father was married to Mom?”
Ethan nodded.
Charles stepped toward him.
“Enough.”
“No,” I said. “Not anymore.”
For the first time that night, my father looked uncertain.
Ethan wiped blood from his lip.
“Nathan married Vanessa when Mia was born. Gregory was his business partner.”
Mia looked physically ill.
“So Gregory didn't discover Mom had an affair.”
“No.”
“He stole her?”
“Pretty much.”
Ethan continued before Charles could stop him.
“Nathan discovered Charles killed Jonathan Whitmore. He gathered financial records proving Charles was stealing from Whitmore Global too.”
“And Gregory?”
“Gregory offered to help Nathan expose him.”
Mia closed her eyes.
“But he betrayed him.”
“Yes.”
Ethan's voice softened.
“Gregory wanted Vanessa.”
Mia whispered, “So they killed my father.”
No one answered.
That silence was enough.
Then a voice came over the yacht speakers.
Vanessa.
“Very moving, Ethan.”
He looked upward.
“Mom?”
“I'm disappointed in you.”
Every television in Suite 3 flickered on.
Vanessa appeared on-screen.
She wasn't in the lounge.
She was inside the yacht's control room.
Beside her sat Captain Doyle, tied to a chair.
Alive.
Terrified.
The fake witness statement had never been his choice.
Vanessa smiled at the camera.
“Charles always believed this was his operation.”
My father stared at the screen.
“What have you done?”
“What I should have done sixteen years ago.”
She held up a small black drive.
“The original Nathan Cole archive.”
Mia stepped closer to the screen.
“Mom.”
For one moment, Vanessa's expression cracked.
Then vanished.
“You should have stayed dead, sweetheart.”
Mia flinched.
Ethan whispered, “Jesus.”
Vanessa continued.
“Nathan left evidence connecting Charles to Jonathan's murder. He also left evidence connecting Gregory to twelve separate financial crimes.”
Charles said, “Give me the drive.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You still think you're negotiating.”
She leaned toward the camera.
“I didn't bring Claire onto this yacht for you.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
“You?”
“Yes, Claire.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Your marriage was my plan.”
Mia shook her head.
“You told me Laura hired me.”
“She did.”
Vanessa looked delighted.
“Laura thought she was using you to expose me. I simply let her.”
Layer after layer.
Everyone manipulating everyone.
Vanessa continued.
“Charles wanted the Whitmore shares. Gregory wanted the money. Ethan wanted Claire's inheritance.”
Ethan's face darkened.
“And what did you want?”
Vanessa looked directly into the camera.
“Justice.”
Mia almost laughed.
“You tried to kill me.”
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
“I tried to stop you from destroying everything before I was ready.”
“That's not justice.”
“No. That's motherhood.”
Mia recoiled.
Vanessa pressed something on the console.
A countdown appeared on every screen.
00:19:59
“What is that?” I asked.
Mia stared.
“Emergency fuel purge.”
Vanessa calmly lifted a champagne glass.
“At midnight, this yacht catches fire.”
My father lunged toward the door.
It locked automatically.
Vanessa smiled.
“All the people responsible for Nathan's death are aboard.”
Her eyes moved from Charles to Ethan.
“Along with everyone who benefited from it.”
I stared at the screen.
“What about me?”
Vanessa's expression softened.
“You're the tragedy that makes the story believable.”
The countdown reached nineteen minutes.
Then a second figure stepped into the control room behind Vanessa.
My mother.
Laura Whitmore.
She put a gun to Vanessa's head.
May you like
And said:
“End the countdown.”
