Chapter 5 - The Boy Vanessa Taught to Hate Her
Parker’s statement split the house open.
Vanessa admitted Parker was not Nathan’s biological son. His father, Evan Cross, had died in a car crash nine years earlier.
The same week Sarah disappeared.
Nathan stared at his wife.
“You told me he died before you met Sarah.”
“I told you what mattered.”
“No. You told me what protected you.”
Parker shouted, “Stop talking about my dad like he was some criminal!”
Vanessa grabbed his shoulder.
“Go upstairs.”
He pulled away.
“No.”
For the first time, Parker looked less like a spoiled teenager and more like a frightened child who had been fed one version of his life for years.
Nathan reopened Sarah’s audio.
She described discovering Evan Cross and an unnamed partner stealing from Cole Aerospace. Sarah planned to tell Nathan.
Then someone threatened newborn Lily.
Sarah ran.
Evan died days later.
Vanessa claimed Sarah caused his death.
Mae shook her head. “That story has holes big enough to hang Christmas wreaths through.”
Vanessa slapped Mae.
The room went silent.
Nathan’s voice became terrifyingly calm.
“Leave my house.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You would throw your wife out because of a waitress?”
“I’m throwing you out because you just assaulted a guest while hiding information about a conspiracy involving my daughter.”
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“You think that child loves you? She found a billionaire and called him Dad.”
Lily stood at the staircase.
Nathan saw her.
So did Vanessa.
Lily’s face crumpled.
Nathan crossed the room.
Vanessa grabbed his arm.
“She is using you!”
Nathan pulled free.
“She is eight.”
Lily ran upstairs.
Nathan followed.
He found her under the bed.
“I can leave,” she whispered.
“No.”
“I don’t need your money.”
“I know.”
“I had fifty cents.”
Nathan sat on the floor.
“I know.”
“That was enough to call you.”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
She crawled out slowly.
“Do you wish I didn’t?”
Nathan shook his head.
“It is the most important phone call I ever answered.”
That night Vanessa moved to a hotel.
At 2:00 a.m., Parker disappeared.
His bedroom window was open.
On his desk sat Sarah’s missing flash drive.
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And beside it was a note in Parker’s handwriting:
MOM LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING. I’M GOING TO FIND OUT WHO KILLED MY DAD.
