Chapter 6 - Vanessa’s True Face
Vanessa screamed, horrified. "Adrian! You coward! You said you loved me! You said she was nothing!"
"Shut up, you parasite!" Adrian snarled at her, turning his venom on his mistress. "You ruined everything with your stupid dress!"
I raised a hand. The room fell silent.
"Leo," I said toward the phone on the table. "Play it."
The giant 85-inch television mounted on the dining salon wall flickered on automatically. Leo had overridden the estate’s smart home network.
On the screen, high-resolution camera footage appeared.
It wasn't from the ballroom. It was from the penthouse suite of the Four Seasons, dated three nights before the birthday party.
Vanessa was lying across the bed, wrapped in a sheet. Standing by the window, pouring two glasses of scotch, was Marcus Vale.
Adrian’s breath hitched in his throat.
On the recording, Vanessa’s voice was crystal clear: *"Adrian is an arrogant idiot, Marcus. Once he forces Anna to sign over her shares, I’ll make sure he transfers the intellectual property to our shell company in Panama. We take the money and leave him holding the debt."*
Marcus on screen smiled, raising his glass: *"To my brother’s stupidity. He actually thinks you love him."*
The salon went dead silent.
Eleanor Vale stared at her youngest son in utter horror. "Marcus... tell me that isn't real."
Marcus backed toward the wall, stammering incoherently. "Adrian... listen... it wasn't... she manipulated me! She was blackmailing me!"
"You sick bastard!" Adrian lunged across the dining table, knocking plates and silverware flying, tackling his own brother to the floor.
The two brothers grappled on the Persian rug, throwing wild, clumsy punches, cursing each other in a frenzy of betrayal. Eleanor screamed, clutching her chest, while Vanessa bolted toward the side exit.
She reached the door, pulled the handle—and slammed directly into the chest of a man standing outside.
May you like
Luca Moretti stood on the threshold.
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