"Vanessa said Catherine was going to expose everything. She said that if Catherine changed the trust documents, Vanessa would lose access to the money.""
"Did Vanessa tell you she had anything to do with Catherine's death?""
"No. She insisted Catherine's death was an accident.""
Daniel stared at him.
"Then why bring it up?""
"Because a few weeks before Catherine died, Vanessa asked me to find out whether Catherine had updated her life insurance and estate documents.""
Daniel's face went cold.
"Did you?""
"I refused. I told her I wouldn't get involved in something like that.""
"And she still went ahead with her plan?""
Grant nodded.
"I ended our engagement shortly afterward. She told me I'd regret it.""
The detective asked several more questions, and Grant agreed to provide his financial records and communications with Vanessa.
As Daniel left the conference room, his phone rang.
It was Maria.
He answered immediately.
"Maria? Is everything all right?""
Her voice was trembling.
"Mr. Whitmore, I need to tell you something. Someone threatened Sofia again.""
Daniel stopped walking.
"Where is she?""
"At home. She's safe right now, but I'm frightened.""
"I'm arranging additional protection for both of you. Don't leave your apartment until the officers arrive.""
"Daniel, there's something else. The man who threatened me was connected to Richard Hale's office. I recognized him from the footage.""
Daniel looked at Marcus.
The pieces were falling into place.
"Maria, listen carefully. We've found evidence that Vanessa was trying to remove me as Ethan's guardian. She used your name in a false statement.""
Maria gasped.
"What?""
"I have the document. Your signature was copied.""
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then her voice hardened.
"She tried to ruin my life because I saved that baby.""
"Yes.""
Daniel swallowed.
"And I'm sorry. I should have believed you from the beginning.""
Maria didn't answer immediately.
Finally, she said, "Then don't make the same mistake with the next person who tells you the truth.""
The call ended.
Daniel stood in the hotel corridor, ashamed of how long it had taken him to understand the danger.
He had been looking for a single villain, someone he could confront and force to confess.
But this conspiracy had spread through money, legal documents, and years of misplaced trust.
And now he had to discover whether Vanessa's plan had begun with Ethan—or with Catherine.
Marcus approached him.
"Sir, the detective just received an update.""
Daniel turned.
"What is it?""
"The police have obtained a warrant to search Vanessa's temporary residence. They found something in her room that may be connected to the trust.""
"What?""
Marcus looked troubled.
"A handwritten list of names, dates, and payments.""
Daniel frowned.
"Whose names?""
Marcus handed him a photograph of the document.
At the bottom of the list were three names.
Richard Hale.
Grant Mercer.
And Maria Alvarez.
Beside Maria's name, Vanessa had written a date.
The date Catherine Whitmore died.
And beneath it, in bold handwriting, were five words that made Daniel's blood run cold.
*SHE KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.*
Daniel read the words again.
*SHE KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.*
Maria Alvarez's name appeared directly above them.
For the first time, Daniel wondered whether the woman who had worked in his home for seven years had been hiding something about Catherine's death.
The thought made him sick.
He called Maria immediately.
"Maria, I need to ask you something difficult.""
"Is Sofia safe?""
"Yes. Officers are with her now.""
"Then ask.""
Daniel looked at the photograph of Vanessa's handwritten list.
"Did you know anything unusual about the night Catherine died?""
The silence on the other end lasted so long that he checked whether the call had disconnected.
Finally, Maria whispered, "I was afraid you would ask me that one day.""
Daniel's stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?""
"I didn't cause what happened to Catherine. But there was something I never told you.""
"Why?""
"Because I promised Catherine I wouldn't speak about it unless Ethan was in danger.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Ethan is in danger now.""
"I know.""
He heard Maria take a shaky breath.
"Can you come to my apartment?"" she asked.
"I'll tell you everything, but not over the phone.""
Daniel agreed.
An hour later, he arrived at Maria's apartment with Marcus and a detective. Sofia was safe at a relative's house, and two officers remained outside the building.
Maria opened the door.
She looked exhausted. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and she held a faded envelope against her chest.
"Come in, Mr. Whitmore.""
Daniel entered the small living room.
He noticed the family photographs on the walls, the stack of nursing textbooks on the table, and the old photograph of Catherine and Maria beside the rose garden.
He had never visited Maria's home before.
He had employed her for seven years without once asking where she lived or what her life looked like outside his mansion.
The realization stung.
Maria sat down and placed the envelope on the table.
"Before I tell you what happened, I need you to understand something. Catherine was my friend. She trusted me with something because she was frightened.""
Daniel sat opposite her.
"Frightened of Vanessa?""
Maria shook her head.
"Not at first.""
She opened the envelope and removed a folded sheet of paper.
"This is a copy of a note Catherine gave me two days before she died.""
Daniel unfolded it.
Maria, if anything happens to me, please make sure Daniel checks the blue folder in the nursery cabinet. I found something that doesn't make sense, and I don't want him worrying until I know the truth.
The note was signed with Catherine's initials.
Daniel stared at it.
"The nursery cabinet?""
Maria nodded.
"She asked me to keep the note somewhere safe. She said she would retrieve it herself once she had spoken to Richard.""
"Richard knew?""
"I don't know how much he knew. Catherine told me she was meeting him to discuss some financial documents.""
Daniel looked up sharply.
"When?""
"The afternoon before she died.""
He stood and began pacing.
"Why didn't you tell me this when she died?""
Maria's eyes filled with tears.
"Because you were devastated. You could barely speak. You spent days sitting beside her things, and every time someone mentioned the hospital, you looked like you were going to collapse.""
Daniel stopped.
Maria continued.
"Catherine made me promise not to tell you until she understood what was happening. I thought she meant I should wait a few days. Then she died, and I couldn't bring myself to break that promise.""
"What happened on the night she died?""
Maria folded her hands.
"I was working late. Catherine had asked me to bring tea to the nursery because she wanted to sort some of Ethan's things. She was pregnant then, and she had been having trouble sleeping.""
Daniel remembered that night.
He had been in Dallas for a business meeting, expecting to return the following morning. Catherine had called him before dinner, sounding tired but cheerful.
She had told him she missed him.
He had promised to be home early.
Instead, he had received the hospital's call just after midnight.
Maria's voice pulled him back.
"When I entered the nursery, Catherine was standing beside the cabinet. She looked frightened.""
"What did she say?""
"She asked whether anyone had been in the room.""
Daniel frowned.
"Had someone?""
"I told her I hadn't seen anyone. But she showed me that the blue folder was missing.""
Daniel felt a chill.
"What was in it?""
"Bank statements, copies of the trust documents, and some letters. She said someone had taken them.""
"Did she accuse Vanessa?""
"No. She said she wasn't sure who had access to the cabinet.""