Chapter 3: The Truth Hidden in the Walls
Adrian stared at the message until the screen blurred.
A photograph of Ethan sleeping.
Taken inside their house.
Taken that night.
His first instinct was to run upstairs.
His second was to find Vanessa.
But the third thought stopped him.
Whoever sent this wanted him angry.
Wanted him reckless.
And if Elena had been right about everything else, then rushing into a trap was exactly what they expected.
Adrian locked his phone.
Then he turned back toward Ethan.
His son stood beside the piano, holding the photograph of Elena against his chest.
“Dad?””
Adrian forced his voice to stay calm.
“Come here.””
Ethan walked over slowly.
“Is Mommy in danger?””
The question broke something inside him.
Adrian knelt down.
“No.””
“But you look scared.””
Adrian looked at his son.
At the same eyes Elena had loved more than anything in the world.
“I’m scared because I love you.””
Ethan lowered his head.
“Is Vanessa bad?””
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Because the truth was complicated.
People rarely woke up one morning and decided to become monsters.
They made choices.
Small ones.
Then bigger ones.
Until one day they didn't recognize themselves anymore.
“I don't know everything yet,” Adrian said.
Ethan looked confused.
“But you don't trust her.””
Adrian stayed silent.
That silence was enough.
A noise suddenly came from upstairs.
A door opening.
Adrian stood instantly.
“Stay behind me.””
Ethan grabbed his hand.
“Don't leave me.””
Adrian squeezed his fingers.
“I won't.””
They walked toward the staircase together.
At the top of the stairs stood Vanessa.
She wasn't holding a phone.
She wasn't crying.
She wasn't pretending to be innocent anymore.
She simply stared down at them.
Her expression was cold.
“You found it.””
Adrian stopped.
“What?””
“The piano.””
Ethan tightened his grip.
Adrian's voice became quiet.
“You knew there was something hidden.””
Vanessa looked away.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she sighed.
“I was hoping you would never find it.””
Adrian felt his anger rise.
“You were hoping?””
Vanessa slowly walked down the stairs.
“I didn't want things to happen this way.””
“You mean you didn't want me to discover the evidence?””
Her face hardened.
“You always make everything about betrayal.””
Adrian laughed once.
A bitter sound.
“You forged my wife's documents.””
“I didn't forge anything.””
“You knew about the papers.””
“I knew Vanessa Bell was trying to protect herself.””
Adrian froze.
“Vanessa Bell?””
She realized what she had said.
Too late.
The room went silent.
Ethan looked between them.
“You said you didn't know Marcus.””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
“You're twisting my words.””
“No.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“You said you didn't know him.””
“I said I didn't work with him.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Vanessa looked away.
Adrian felt something inside him collapse.
Not because he was surprised.
Because a small part of him had still hoped there was an explanation.
A misunderstanding.
Anything.
Vanessa noticed his expression.
“Adrian, listen to me.””
“No.””
“You don't understand what happened.””
“Then explain.””
Her mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Adrian pointed toward the piano.
“My wife recorded a video warning me about you.””
Vanessa's face changed.
Fear flashed across her eyes.
“What video?””
Adrian watched carefully.
There it was again.
That reaction.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
“You already know.””
Vanessa stepped backward.
“I know Elena was unstable.””
“You know about the video.””
“She was paranoid.””
“She predicted you would say that.””
Vanessa's anger exploded.
“Because she thought everyone was against her!””
Ethan flinched.
Adrian noticed.
He moved closer to his son.
“Lower your voice.””
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
Then back at Adrian.
“You really think I hurt him?””
“I saw what happened.””
“You saw one moment.””
“I saw you standing over my son.””
Her face twisted.
“And what about all the years I spent raising him?””
Adrian paused.
Vanessa's voice softened.
“I was there after Elena died.””
Ethan looked down.
Adrian remembered.
That was the hardest part.
Vanessa had been there.
She had brought meals.
She had helped with school.
She had held Ethan when he cried.
But kindness in the past did not erase cruelty in the present.
“You don't get to use good memories as a shield,” Adrian said.
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she whispered:
“You really have no idea what Elena was planning.””
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa looked toward the piano.
“She was going to destroy everything.””
“Explain.””
“She didn't trust anyone.””
“Because someone was lying to her.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You think you know your wife.””
A pause.
Then:
“You didn't.””
Adrian felt his chest tighten.
“Be careful.””
“No, Adrian. You need to hear this.””
She stepped closer.
“Elena wasn't just investigating me.””
“Then who?””
Vanessa hesitated.
And that hesitation mattered.
“Who?””
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
Then away.
“I can't say.””
Adrian's voice turned dangerous.
“You threatened my son, and now you want me to believe you're protecting me?””
“I didn't send that message.””
The answer came instantly.
Adrian studied her.
“Who did?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I don't know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“You shouldn't.””
The honesty caught him off guard.
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“I made mistakes.””
“Mistakes?””
“Yes.””
“People don't accidentally create fake legal documents.””
“No.””
She looked toward the piano.
“They don't.””
Adrian waited.
Vanessa's eyes filled with something he couldn't identify.
Regret.
Fear.
Or both.
“Marcus convinced me Elena was trying to take everything away.””
Adrian stared.
“You worked with him.””
“Yes.””
The admission landed heavily.
Ethan gasped.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“But I never wanted Elena dead.””
The room froze.
Adrian's face changed.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa immediately realized her mistake.
“I didn't mean—”
“Why would you say that?””
“I—”
“Vanessa.””
His voice was low.
“Why would you say Elena's death?””
She couldn't answer.
Adrian took out his phone.
He recorded.
“Say it again.””
Vanessa looked at the phone.
“You're recording me?””
“Yes.””
Her expression hardened.
“Of course you are.””
“Say it.””
She looked away.
“I don't know what happened to Elena.””
“That wasn't what I asked.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Then Ethan's voice interrupted.
“Dad.””
Adrian looked down.
Ethan was staring at the piano.
“What?””
“I remembered something.””
Adrian crouched.
“What?””
Ethan walked slowly toward the instrument.
“Mommy was scared.””
A chill moved through Adrian.
“When?””
“Before she went to the hospital.””
Vanessa went completely still.
Adrian noticed.
“What did she say?””
Ethan touched the piano.
“She told me not to tell anyone about the bluebird.””
Adrian felt his heartbeat quicken.
“What else?””
Ethan closed his eyes.
Trying to remember.
“She said…”
His voice became quieter.
“She said if anything happened, Daddy would need to find the room where the piano keeps secrets.””
Adrian looked around.
The music room.
The piano.
The walls.
A room where the piano kept secrets.
He slowly turned.
“Vanessa.””
She didn't answer.
“Why are you scared?””
“I’m not.””
“You are.””
Adrian walked toward the wall behind the piano.
There was a large painting hanging there.
A painting Elena had chosen.
A painting Vanessa had always hated.
“Move.””
Vanessa's face went pale.
“Adrian.””
“Move.””
He lifted the painting from the wall.
Behind it was a small wooden panel.
His hands shook.
He opened it.
Inside was another compartment.
A stack of papers.
A small voice recorder.
And an envelope.
Adrian picked up the envelope.
This one was not labeled for him.
It had only one name.
*ETHAN.*
His breath stopped.
Ethan stepped closer.
“That's mine?””
Adrian opened it carefully.
Inside was a letter written in Elena's handwriting.
The first line made his entire body go cold.
*My sweet Ethan, if you are reading this, your father finally discovered the truth—but the person who caused everything is still inside your home.*
Adrian looked toward Vanessa.
She was no longer angry.
She was terrified.
Then the voice recorder beside the papers suddenly turned on.
A man's voice filled the room.
A voice Adrian had never heard before.
“Adrian, if you're hearing this, it means Elena failed to destroy the evidence.””
A pause.
Then the man continued.
“And it means Vanessa failed to keep you away from the piano.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Adrian stared at the recorder.
May you like
The voice spoke one final sentence.
“Now you need to know why Elena really died.””
