Chapter 3 - THE NIGHT CLAIRE DISAPPEARED
Vanessa didn't answer.
Adrian stepped toward her.
“Why should I stop?”
“Because some things are better left buried.”
“Like Claire?”
Vanessa's face tightened.
Sophie moved behind Elena.
Adrian noticed.
His daughter was afraid of Vanessa.
That realization hurt more than anything.
“Where were you that night?”
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“You know where I was.”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I don't.”
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“What do you mean?”
“I don't remember.”
For the first time, Vanessa looked genuinely frightened.
Elena watched her carefully.
“That's because you drugged him.”
Vanessa's face went white.
Adrian turned.
“What?”
Elena continued.
“Claire discovered the money transfers. Vanessa knew she was going to expose them.”
“She asked Adrian for help.”
Adrian remembered Claire calling him.
He had ignored the call.
Why?
Because someone had told him Claire was unstable.
Someone had told him she was trying to destroy his family.
Vanessa.
“I was drugged,” Adrian whispered.
Elena nodded.
“You were given something that caused severe memory loss.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“She's lying.”
Elena pulled out another recording.
She pressed play.
Vanessa's younger voice came through.
“Adrian won't remember anything by morning.”
Adrian stared at her.
His wife began crying.
“You don't understand.”
“What don't I understand?”
“I was protecting you.”
“From Claire?”
“From your father.”
Adrian froze.
Vanessa continued.
“He told me Claire had stolen money.”
“That's a lie.”
“I believed him!”
“You knew.”
Vanessa's voice broke.
“I knew too late.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“What happened that night?”
Vanessa looked at Elena.
Elena answered.
“Claire came to the music room.”
The recording showed the scene.
Claire holding baby Sophie.
Vanessa entering.
Adrian arriving moments later.
His younger self looked confused.
He was clearly intoxicated.
Claire approached him.
“Adrian, listen to me.”
The audio was faint.
But understandable.
“Your father is lying to you.”
Adrian's younger self shook his head.
Claire continued.
“They are going to take Sophie.”
Adrian whispered:
“No.”
Then another man entered.
Adrian's father.
Thomas Whitmore.
He grabbed Claire's arm.
The recording became chaotic.
Claire screamed.
Adrian tried to intervene.
Thomas struck his son.
Adrian fell.
Vanessa stood frozen.
Then Thomas said something.
“Take the child.”
A shadow moved toward the crib.
Claire fought back.
Elena watched the recording with tears in her eyes.
Adrian stared.
“What happened next?”
The screen went black.
Elena answered:
“I took Sophie.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You?”
“I was working in the mansion then.”
“You were a maid?”
“No.”
Elena took a breath.
“I was Claire's sister.”
Adrian couldn't speak.
Sophie looked up.
“So you're Aunt Elena?”
Elena smiled through tears.
“Yes.”
Vanessa whispered:
“You should have stayed gone.”
Elena turned toward her.
“I did.”
“For seven years.”
“I watched Sophie grow from a distance.”
“Then why come back?”
Elena looked at Adrian.
“Because I discovered Claire was alive.”
Adrian's face went pale.
“What?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Elena said the words slowly.
“Claire didn't die that night.”
“She survived.”
“But someone has been keeping her hidden.”
Adrian stared at her.
“Where?”
Elena reached into the blue box.
She pulled out a hospital photograph.
A woman lay unconscious in a hospital bed.
Seven years older.
But unmistakable.
Claire.
Adrian nearly collapsed.
“My God.”
Elena whispered:
May you like
“She woke up three months ago.”
“And she wants Sophie back.”
