Chapter 17 - What Vanessa Really Wanted
Vanessa did not shoot.
Instead, she lowered the pistol slightly.
Her face changed.
For the first time, Emily saw something underneath the arrogance.
Fear.
Not fear of prison.
Fear of losing the story Vanessa had told herself for years.
“My father died believing the Hawthornes betrayed him.”
Emily held Laura’s statement tightly.
“Your father stole from them.”
“He built that company with Richard.”
“Then why frame my mother?”
Vanessa looked away.
“Because Richard was going to remove him.”
Emily understood.
Victor had needed someone else to blame.
Laura had been convenient.
A young employee.
A single mother.
Someone without money or influence.
Vanessa looked at Emily again.
“When I was seventeen, I found my father drunk in his office.”
“He told me everything.”
“He said Laura had tried to destroy him.”
“He said your mother seduced Richard and manipulated Margaret.”
“And you believed him.”
“He was my father.”
Emily’s voice softened, but only slightly.
“And my mother was mine.”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
“After he died, I found the financial records.”
Emily waited.
Vanessa whispered.
“I knew then.”
“Knew what?”
“That he lied.”
The admission filled the chapel.
Emily felt more anger than relief.
“You knew my mother was innocent.”
Vanessa’s eyes glistened.
“Yes.”
“And you still planted that necklace.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vanessa’s expression hardened again.
“Because when Margaret hired you, I recognized your name.”
“I knew that if you stayed in this house long enough, somebody would remember.”
“Somebody always remembers.”
“So you decided to destroy me first.”
“I needed you gone.”
Emily shook her head.
“You could have told the truth.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“And lose everything?”
“The foundation?”
“The money?”
“Daniel?”
“The Hawthorne name?”
Vanessa raised the gun again.
“I spent my entire life becoming someone nobody could throw away.”
Emily looked directly at her.
“And now you’re about to throw your entire life away yourself.”
A shadow moved behind Vanessa.
Daniel stepped into the chapel.
Vanessa turned.
Her hand shook.
Daniel stared at her.
“You could have told me.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“You would have left.”
Daniel answered quietly.
May you like
“Yes.”
That single word broke her.
