Chapter 4: What Vanessa Had Been Saving
Adrian handed Emma to Olivia.
"Give us five minutes," he said.
Olivia looked at him.
Then at Clara.
Clara gave a small nod.
The room emptied.
Olivia carried Emma toward the kitchen.
Clara walked to the far end of the hallway and stood with her back against the wall, arms crossed, waiting.
Inside the living room, Vanessa sat down like she owned the chair.
"She's been going through your accounts," Vanessa said.
"Your personal savings.
The joint account.
I have screenshots."
Adrian sat across from her.
"Where did you get screenshots of my accounts?"
"Clara showed me.
Months ago, when she thought we were still friends.
She was proud of it, Adrian.
She said you never checked the statements."
"That's not true," he said.
But his voice had a question in it.
"Eleven thousand dollars.
Between January and April.
Small amounts.
Always under a thousand so it wouldn't flag.
She's been moving money somewhere and I don't know where, but I know it wasn't for this household."
Adrian was quiet for a moment.
"I'm going to need to see those screenshots."
Vanessa handed him the phone.
He looked at the images for a long time.
His face didn't change, but his thumb stopped scrolling.
In the hallway, Clara heard nothing.
The silence was worse than shouting.
Olivia appeared at her elbow, Emma still on her hip.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Do you know what she's showing him?"
"I can guess." Clara pressed the back of her hand against her mouth for a moment.
"She's been building this for a long time, Olivia.
Whatever she's in there saying, she didn't put it together tonight.
She had it ready."
"Ready for what?"
"Ready for the moment she needed it." Clara looked toward the closed door.
"She knew the camera was there.
She knew Olivia would show the footage.
She was counting on it."
Olivia shifted Emma higher on her hip.
"She pushed the stroller on purpose knowing we'd catch her?"
"Not to get caught.
To force the confrontation early, before she was ready to play the rest of it." Clara's voice was low and very careful.
"She wanted Adrian angry.
She wanted him to hjt me.
She wanted that moment to happen so that when she pulled out her phone, everyone was already emotional and off-balance."
Olivia stared at her.
"That's—"
"Calculated.
Yes."
The living room door opened.
Adrian stood in the frame.
He looked at Clara with an expression she couldn't fully read.
"She says there's more," he said.
"She says she has messages.
Between you and someone named Daniel."
Clara blinked.
"Who is Daniel?" Adrian asked.
Clara's lips parted.
For a moment she said nothing.
Then, quietly: "How does she know about Daniel?"
Adrian took one step forward.
May you like
"Clara.
Who is Daniel?"
