Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN ADRIAN THOUGHT HE MARRIED
Vanessa denied everything.
She denied taking the encryption key.
Denied copying files.
Denied knowing anything about Orion.
Even after Adrian showed her the footage.
“You’re misunderstanding what you’re seeing.”
Adrian almost laughed.
“Which part?”
“The part where you opened my desk?”
She looked away.
“Or the part where proprietary data left the house eleven minutes later?”
“Ask your employees.”
“I am asking my wife.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
She was thirty-five.
Elegant.
Blonde.
Born into a family that had once owned half a dozen luxury dealerships in Southern California.
By the time she met Adrian, most of the family money was gone.
She never admitted that.
To magazines, Vanessa was still described as an heiress.
She hosted charity dinners.
Sat front row at fashion events.
Photographed beautifully.
Adrian had met her at a fundraiser two years after his first wife died.
She was confident.
Funny.
Effortlessly affectionate with Lily.
Or so he thought.
They married fourteen months later.
Now he could not stop wondering which parts had been real.
Diane Park arrived before sunrise with two forensic specialists.
By 7:30, they had the answer.
Vanessa’s laptop had copied portions of Orion’s architecture.
Three transfers.
All sent through encrypted relay servers.
The final destination could not yet be confirmed.
But money had arrived in an account controlled by a company registered to Vanessa’s brother.
$750,000.
Adrian placed the record in front of her.
“What is this?”
Vanessa stared.
“It isn’t mine.”
“It went to Julian.”
“I don’t control my brother.”
“Was he paid for Orion?”
“No.”
“For you?”
“Adrian—”
“Answer me.”
Her eyes filled.
For one instant, she looked frightened enough that Adrian almost softened.
Then he remembered Emma on the floor.
“No.”
He said.
Vanessa blinked.
“What?”
“Whatever you’re about to do.”
“Cry.”
“Tell me you were confused.”
“Tell me you were pressured.”
“Save it until you tell me the truth.”
She stared at him.
Then something changed.
“You always do this.”
“What?”
“You interrogate.”
“This is my company.”
“And I’m your wife.”
“You framed an innocent woman.”
“She’s a nanny.”
The room went silent.
Adrian felt something inside him close permanently.
Vanessa realized it.
Too late.
“What did you say?”
“I didn’t mean—”
“You said she’s a nanny.”
“Because she is.”
“As though that makes what you did smaller.”
Vanessa stood.
“You are choosing an employee over your marriage.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You chose this.”
Then Marcus entered.
He held a sealed evidence bag.
Inside was another black flash drive.
“Where did you find that?”
Adrian asked.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“Emma’s room.”
Vanessa smiled.
The transformation was instant.
“See?”
Emma had been called downstairs.
She stopped in the doorway.
Her face turned white.
“I’ve never seen that.”
Vanessa laughed.
“She lied to you.”
Adrian did not look at Vanessa.
He looked at Marcus.
“Who entered Emma’s room after the Rolex was recovered?”
Marcus checked the electronic access logs.
His expression changed.
“Three people.”
“Names?”
“Myself.”
“One housekeeper.”
“And?”
Marcus looked toward Vanessa.
“Natalie Briggs.”
May you like
Vanessa’s personal assistant.
Vanessa’s smile disappeared.
