Caleb was found curled inside a doghouse, shivering beside a dog bowl while Vanessa smiled outside.

We stayed at Arthur’s office while he filed the adoption documents. He told us to remain hidden. Not to go home. Not to answer calls from unknown numbers. To trust no one but him and Clara.

I agreed. But I needed to know what Vanessa was doing.

Late that night, I used a payphone to call our home number. It rang three times before she answered.

"Adrian?" Her voice was breathless, hopeful.

"It’s me," I said.

"Oh, thank God. Where are you? Marcus is furious. He says if you don’t come back, he’s going to—"

"Is that what you’re worried about?" I cut her off. "Or are you worried that Emily’s evidence will destroy you both?"

Silence on the other end.

"You knew," I said. "You knew about Marcus. You knew about the letter. You married me to get close to Emily’s secrets. To hand Caleb over to the highest bidder."

"Adrian, it wasn’t like that—"

"Wasn’t it? You locked a five-year-old in a doghouse. You starved him. You told him his father didn’t want him. All because he hid a letter that would have exposed your plan."

"I did what I had to do!" Vanessa snapped, her voice losing all pretense of softness. "Do you think I wanted this? Marcus owns me, Adrian. He has something on me too. He made me marry you. He made me search for that letter. If I didn’t… he would have destroyed me."

"Then you should have come to me," I said. "You should have told me the truth."

"And what would you have done?" She laughed bitterly. "You would have protected her secrets. Just like you’re protecting Caleb now. Marcus needed that letter. He needed to destroy Emily’s evidence before he took Caleb. I was doing what I was told."

"You enjoyed it," I said quietly. "I saw you. Out in the rain. You enjoyed hurting him."

Vanessa didn’t deny it.

"He looks just like her, Adrian. Every time I looked at him, I saw Emily. Perfect, wonderful Emily. Who had everything. Who had you. Who had a son who loved her more than anything." Her voice twisted with jealousy. "I wanted to break him. I wanted to make him feel small. Just like she made me feel small."

I felt cold. "You are sick."

"Maybe," she said. "But I’m not the one in trouble. Adrian, listen to me. Come back. Bring the letter. Bring the evidence. Marcus says if you hand it all over, he’ll let you go. He’ll even pay you. It’s a deal."

"I am not making a deal with a monster," I said.

"Then you will lose," Vanessa said, her voice turning icy. "Marcus knows where Arthur’s office is. He knows Clara’s address. He knows about the cabin. He’s been tracking your phone since you left the house."

My blood ran cold. "I turned it off."

"Your car," she said. "He put a tracker on your car weeks ago. He’s been waiting for you to lead him to the evidence. And you did."

I looked out the window. Headlights swept across the street below. Two large black SUVs had pulled up in front of the building.

"He’s here," I whispered.

"Run, Adrian," Vanessa said, and for the first time, there was genuine fear in her voice. "He’s not coming to negotiate. He’s coming to kill you. And take Caleb. And burn everything Emily left."

The line went dead.