The Girl at Her Father's Party
Chapter 4 - The Woman Beside Him
Adrian returned to the mansion before dawn.
Vanessa was waiting.
"You found her."
He placed the returned letter on the table.
Vanessa's face changed.
Only slightly.
But he saw it.
"Why is your handwriting on this?"
She didn't answer.
"Why were Claire's letters being returned?"
"Adrian, you're emotional."
"Answer me."
Vanessa looked toward Daniel.
"Can we speak privately?"
"No."
Adrian dropped copies of the financial records beside the letter.
"Claire didn't steal the money."
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"You believe her now?"
"I believe records."
"Your father handled those accounts."
"To cover your debts."
Silence.
Adrian stepped closer.
"Did he know you framed Claire?"
Vanessa looked away.
That answer was enough.
Richard had initially hidden Vanessa's gambling losses.
But Vanessa feared Claire would expose everything anyway.
So she stole Claire's access credentials and transferred additional money into accounts created under Claire's name.
Then she sent evidence anonymously to the board.
Claire was suspended immediately.
Before Adrian could confront her, Vanessa arranged another lie.
She told Claire that Adrian already believed she was guilty.
Then she delivered a message supposedly from him:
Leave before I call the police.
Claire left terrified.
Pregnant.
Alone.
Adrian's voice dropped.
"And the letters?"
Vanessa began crying.
"I thought she'd disappear eventually."
"You knew about Lily?"
"Not at first."
"When did you know?"
Vanessa hesitated.
Adrian understood.
"How long?"
"Six years."
His expression went empty.
Six years.
She had known he had a daughter.
"And you said nothing."
"You hated Claire."
"Because you made me hate her."
Vanessa snapped.
"She was going to take everything!"
"What?"
"You."
The words came out before she could stop them.
Vanessa had loved Adrian for years.
Claire knew.
Adrian didn't.
When Claire entered his life, Vanessa watched the future she imagined disappear.
The money gave her an opportunity.
She took it.
Adrian stared at her.
"That little girl came here hungry tonight."
Vanessa said nothing.
"She has been sleeping in a car."
"I didn't know."
"You knew Claire had my child."
"That doesn't mean—"
"You knew."
His voice cracked for the first time.
"And you watched me spend six years thinking I had no daughter."
Daniel entered with two police officers.
Vanessa turned.
Her face drained of color.
The evidence Claire kept was enough to reopen the original fraud investigation.
And Vanessa had just admitted more than she realized.
As the officers approached, she looked at Adrian.
"You're choosing her again."
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
He looked toward the door.
"I'm choosing the truth for the first time."
