Chapter 3: The Woman Vanessa Never Expected
“Claire, stay upstairs,” Mr.
Hale said.
“Evelyn Hart has entered the building.”
My mother gripped the vanity.
“The designer?”
“The owner of the gown,” I said.
A woman answered downstairs, her voice calm and sharp.
“I came because Vanessa used my company to move money that never belonged to her.”
Vanessa laughed too loudly.
“You’re confused, Evelyn.”
“I recognize your laugh,” Evelyn replied.
“You used it the day I dismissed you.”
Daniel stopped pounding on the door.
“Claire,” he said, “please let me in.
I can explain the photograph.”
I unlocked the door but stood in his path.
“Start explaining.”
Daniel looked at my ruined gown, then at the image on my phone.
“She called me to that hotel three weeks ago,” he said.
“She told me you were taking money from my company.”
“And you hugged her?”
“She started crying.
She said she was frightened for you.”
Lena stepped between us.
“Vanessa doesn’t cry unless somebody is watching.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes,” I said.
“You should have.”
Vanessa’s heels struck the stairs before Evelyn’s slower footsteps followed.
Vanessa appeared first, her smile gone.
“Daniel, don’t say another word,” she snapped.
“Claire has been collecting private recordings for months.
Ask yourself why.”
“I collected them because invoices with my name kept appearing,” I said.
“You always need someone to blame.”
“And you always need me to carry it.”
Vanessa pointed at the dress.
“You cannot prove I meant to ruin it.”
Lena held up her phone.
“The hallway camera has sound.”
Vanessa’s face tightened.
Evelyn reached the landing carrying a navy garment case and a thick envelope.
She looked at the glue, then at Vanessa.
“You chose the only sample whose insurance documents you copied before I dismissed you,” Evelyn said.
Vanessa folded her arms.
“I copied nothing.”
Evelyn opened the envelope.
“Your login downloaded the gown’s valuation, Claire’s loan agreement, and my company seal.”
“That login was shared.”
“No,” Evelyn said.
“You changed the password yourself.”
My mother moved toward Vanessa.
“Tell me she’s wrong.”
Vanessa glanced at Daniel.
“Before everyone decides I’m the villain, ask Claire why her signature is on a transfer for two hundred and forty thousand dollars.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Because you copied it.”
“Did I?” Vanessa reached into her purse.
“Then perhaps Claire can explain this.”
She unfolded a document bearing my name, my address, and a perfect copy of my signature.
Beneath it was Daniel’s signature authorizing me to access his company account.
Daniel took the page.
“I never signed this.”
Vanessa’s smile returned.
“Your bank believes you did.”
Mr.
Hale was still on speaker.
“Do not touch anything else,” he warned.
“That document may be evidence.”
Vanessa pulled it away.
“Evidence against Claire.”
Evelyn set the garment case beside me.
“Not after the files I brought.”
Vanessa’s eyes dropped to the case.
“That isn’t yours.”
“It belonged to my mother,” Evelyn said.
“Claire will not walk downstairs wearing your cruelty.”
She unzipped it.
Inside was a simple ivory gown with long lace sleeves.
My mother covered her mouth.
Vanessa stepped backward, then raised her phone.
“It doesn’t matter what she wears.
Daniel’s company will be frozen by the end of the hour.”
Daniel’s phone rang.
He answered, listened, and gripped the railing.
“What is it?” I asked.
He looked directly at Vanessa.
“The bank has frozen every company account,” he said.
“And they’ve named Claire as the suspected thief.”
Vanessa slipped the document into her purse.
May you like
Then she smiled at me again.
“You should have canceled the wedding when I gave you the chance.”
