Chapter 3: The Woman Who Helped My Son Throw Me Into the River
I didn't sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Richard standing beside Julian on the boat.
I remembered his wedding vows.
His laughter.
The way he used to reach for my hand beneath restaurant tables.
I wondered when the man I had loved had disappeared.
Or whether he had ever existed.
At six in the morning, I asked Mateo to take me to the nearest town.
“I need somewhere with reliable internet,” I told him.
“Are you sure you're strong enough?””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Then why go?””
“Because my family believes I'm dead. I want to know exactly what they're doing with my life.””
We reached a small town several hours later.
Mateo found a modest guesthouse run by a woman named Rosa. She offered me a room, hot soup, and a telephone.
I thanked her and locked the door.
Then I called Margaret.
“Have you found Vanessa?””
“Yes.””
“Where is she?””
“Currently staying at your Virginia estate.””
My stomach tightened.
“My house?””
“Yes. Richard told the staff that she was helping him organize your personal belongings.””
I almost dropped the phone.
“Organize my belongings?””
“Apparently, they're preparing the house for an estate inventory.””
I stared at the wall.
“They're cleaning out my home while pretending to mourn me.””
“There's more,” Margaret said.
“Tell me.””
“Vanessa has been accessing your private office.””
“What has she taken?””
“I'm not certain yet. But your personal document safe was opened yesterday.””
I knew exactly what was inside.
My original company incorporation papers.
The first share certificates.
My private financial records.
And one envelope I had never allowed anyone to touch.
The envelope contained a letter from my late daughter, Catherine.
I had kept it for twelve years.
It was the last letter she had written before her accident.
Julian knew about it.
He had once asked me what it contained.
I had refused to tell him.
“Margaret, I need you to do something.””
“Anything.””
“Send someone to the house. Someone I trust. I want an inventory of every document that has disappeared.””
“I can arrange that.””
“And Margaret?””
“Yes?””
“Don't let Richard know you're doing it.””
After the call, I sat quietly.
Mateo brought me a cup of tea.
“You look like you've seen a ghost.””
“I think I have.””
“Someone you know?””
“My daughter.””
I told him about Catherine.
About the accident.
About how Julian had become increasingly resentful after her death.
Catherine had been the gentle one. She had never cared about money. She worked as a school counselor and spent weekends helping children from struggling families.
Julian had always mocked her.
“She was Mom's favorite,” he used to say.
I had corrected him every time.
But perhaps he had never believed me.
Mateo listened without interrupting.
When I finished, he asked, “Do you think your granddaughter is involved?””
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
I looked down.
“I hope not.””
At ten, Margaret called with another discovery.
“Eleanor, I found the original itinerary for your trip.””
“Who arranged it?””
“Vanessa.””
“I know that.””
“There's a change in the booking history.””
“What change?””
“The boat was originally scheduled to return to the main lodge at eight in the evening. Vanessa changed the route two days before departure.””
“To where?””
“A private docking point approximately thirty miles downstream.””
I felt cold.
“Why?””
“According to the reservation notes, she claimed you wanted a more private experience.””
I closed my eyes.
I had never requested that.
“Who approved the change?””
“Richard.””
Of course.
“And the captain?””
“His name is Marcos Silva. He was hired through a company owned by Northstar.””
My stomach turned.
“Where is he now?””
“Missing.””
I leaned back.
“Find him.””
“I'm trying.””
“No, Margaret. Find him before Richard does.””
An hour later, my phone rang.
It was Sophie.
My granddaughter.
I answered immediately.
“Sweetheart?””
“Grandma?””
Her voice sounded frightened.
“Where are you?””
“I'm safe.””
“Dad says you're dead.””
I closed my eyes.
“I'm not.””
There was a sharp intake of breath.
“Oh my God.””
“Listen to me, Sophie. You cannot tell your father that we spoke.””
“Why?””
“Because I don't know whom I can trust.””
She started crying.
“Dad says you fell into the river. He says they searched for hours.””
“They didn't search for me.””
Silence.
Then Sophie whispered, “I know.””
My heart stopped.
“What do you mean?””
“I heard them talking.””
“Who?””
“Dad and Grandpa Richard.””
“Where?””
“At your house. The night before they left for the airport.””
I gripped the phone.
“What did they say?””
Sophie took a shaky breath.
“Dad said the paperwork was ready. Grandpa asked whether you would suspect anything.””
I couldn't move.
“What did your father say?””
“He said you trusted him too much to question anything.””
A tear slipped down my cheek.
“And then?””
“Grandpa asked what would happen if the boat crew talked.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What did Julian say?””
Sophie began crying harder.
“He said there wouldn't be anyone left to talk.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“Sweetheart, did you tell anyone?””
“No. I was scared.””
“You did the right thing by calling me.””
Then Sophie whispered something that changed everything.
“Grandma, there's something else.””
“What?””
“I found a photograph on Dad's laptop.””
“What photograph?””
“A picture of you.””
I swallowed.
“What was in it?””
“Your bedroom.””
My heart began pounding.
Sophie continued.
“Grandma, it was taken while you were sleeping.””
I stared at the wall.
“When?””
“I don't know. But the file was saved six months ago.””
Six months.
The same time the insurance policy had been created.
“Why would your father have a photograph of me sleeping?””
Sophie hesitated.
Then she said, “There was another file beside it.””
“What file?””
“A document with your name. It had a list of medications and a schedule.””
My mouth went dry.
“What schedule?””
“Your daily routine. When you woke up, when you ate, when you took your medicine, and when you were alone.””
I closed my eyes.
They hadn't simply planned the boat trip.
They had studied me.
For months.
I asked Sophie to photograph everything she could find without alerting Julian.
Then I made her promise not to confront her father.
Before ending the call, she whispered:
“Grandma?””
“Yes, sweetheart?””
“Did Dad really try to kill you?””
I looked at my reflection in the dark window.
“Yes.””
She began to sob.
“I don't understand. He used to love you.””
I swallowed the pain in my throat.
“Sometimes people love what they think you can give them more than they love you.””
After the call, I sat motionless.
Mateo placed a glass of water beside me.
“Your granddaughter?””
I nodded.
“She knows something.””
“Can she help you?””
“Maybe.””
I looked at the documents on the table.
“But I need to be careful. Julian has already proven he can hurt the people closest to him.””
At two in the afternoon, Margaret sent a photograph.
It showed Vanessa entering my private office.
She was carrying a black leather folder.
I zoomed in.
I recognized it immediately.
It belonged to Catherine.
I called Margaret.
“That's my daughter's folder.””
“I thought you should see this.””
“Where is Vanessa now?””
“She left the house twenty minutes ago.””
“Did anyone follow her?””
“Yes. One of our investigators.””
“Where is she going?””
Margaret hesitated.
“Eleanor, there's something strange.””
“What?””
“She isn't going to the airport or a hotel.””
“Then where?””
“She has just entered the Whitmore Global headquarters.””
I frowned.
“Why would she go there?””
“Because she has a meeting.””
“With whom?””
Margaret's voice dropped.
“Julian.””
I stood up so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor.
“Put someone outside the building.””
“I already have.””
“Listen carefully. I want to know what happens inside that office.””
“I'll do what I can.””
Then Margaret added:
“Eleanor, there's one more thing. Vanessa isn't alone.””
“Who is with her?””
“Richard.””
I looked toward Mateo.
The three people who had arranged my death were now together in my company headquarters.
I asked Margaret to send me the building's security footage.
Twenty minutes later, she did.
I watched the recording on my laptop.
Vanessa entered the executive elevator.
Richard followed.
Julian was waiting outside his office.
He embraced Vanessa.
Not a business handshake.
Not a polite greeting.
An embrace.
Then he kissed her.
I stared at the screen.
Mateo looked away.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
“Your son's girlfriend?”” he asked quietly.
I shook my head.
“She's been my personal assistant for eleven years.””
The recording continued.
Julian opened his office door.
Vanessa walked inside.
Richard followed.
The door closed.
I replayed the embrace.
Then I noticed something.
Vanessa was wearing a necklace.
A small gold heart.
I recognized it.
It had belonged to Catherine.
I had given it to Vanessa two years earlier after she told me she admired my daughter's memory.
I had thought she would treasure it.
Instead, she was wearing it while helping my son destroy me.
My phone rang.
Margaret.
“Eleanor, you need to see something.””
“What now?””
“Security managed to recover audio from the executive corridor.””
“Play it.””
A recording began.
First came Julian's voice.
“Did you get the original documents?””
Vanessa answered.
“Yes. Everything is in the folder.””
Richard spoke next.
“What about Catherine's letter?””
My blood ran cold.
Vanessa replied, “I found it.””
“Good,” Richard said.
“We need to know whether she told Eleanor anything before she died.””
Julian laughed.
“She never told anyone. Catherine was too trusting.””
Then Vanessa spoke again.
“What if Eleanor knows about the accident?””
I stopped breathing.
Richard answered immediately.
“She doesn't.””
“But what if she does?””
Julian's voice turned cold.
“Then we have a bigger problem than the company.””
A pause followed.
Then Richard said something that made the room seem to disappear around me.
“Catherine should have stayed quiet. We wouldn't be in this position if she had.””
I stared at the screen.
My daughter.
Her accident.
The letter.
The photograph of my bedroom.
The forged medical records.
Suddenly, they weren't separate pieces anymore.
They were connected.
I grabbed the phone.
“Margaret.””
“Yes?””
“Find out everything about Catherine's accident.””
“Eleanor—”
“Everything. The police report. The insurance investigation.
The witnesses. Every document.””
My voice broke.
“And find out why my husband just said my daughter should have stayed quiet.””
There was silence on the other end.
Then Margaret whispered:
“Eleanor, I think I know why they were so desperate to find that letter.””
“What?””
She took a breath.
“Because Catherine may have discovered what Richard and Julian were stealing from the company twelve years ago.””
I looked at the screen again.
Vanessa was leaving Julian's office.
The gold heart around her neck caught the light.
And I finally understood why my son had smiled when he watched me disappear beneath the river.
He didn't just want my money.
He wanted to bury a secret.
A secret my daughter had died trying to expose.
May you like
And somewhere inside my Virginia home, the last evidence of what she had discovered was sitting in a black leather folder.
Unless Vanessa had already destroyed it.
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