Chapter 14 - THE CONFESSION
Vanessa inserted the silver key into the authorization device.
The laptop requested the second key.
One of her men produced a gold card stolen from the hotel vault.
Vanessa placed her finger on the scanner.
A transfer screen appeared.
Two hundred eighty million dollars waited inside the foundation’s master account.
Daniel stared at the amount.
“That money was donated to hospitals.”
Vanessa did not look at him.
“Money belongs to whoever is strong enough to keep it.”
Emma moved slightly closer to the table.
One of the armed men raised his weapon.
Vanessa lifted a hand.
“Let her watch.”
“She should understand what she failed to stop.”
Emma’s microphone had been jammed.
But the room’s hidden police cameras were still recording.
Cole had warned her that Vanessa might detect the wire.
He had not told Vanessa about the camera inside the smoke detector.
Emma needed her to keep talking.
“You pushed me because you were afraid,” Emma said.
Vanessa entered the transfer amount.
“I pushed you because you refused to leave.”
“You could have asked me to leave the family.”
“I did.”
“You sent messages.”
“You planted pills.”
“You forged medical files.”
“You tried everything except telling the truth.”
Vanessa looked up.
“The truth is that you did not belong.”
“Daniel was supposed to marry someone who understood our world.”
“Instead, he married a woman with no name, no connections, and no gratitude.”
Daniel’s voice became cold.
“She built her own career.”
“She found the fraud your accountants missed.”
“She protected me from you.”
Vanessa slammed her palm onto the desk.
“She humiliated us.”
“No,” Emma replied.
“You humiliated yourself.”
Vanessa stepped around the table.
“The night at the staircase was supposed to end this.”
“You knew I was pregnant.”
“I knew exactly where to push.”
Daniel lunged forward.
One of the men struck him and forced him to his knees.
Emma fought the urge to move toward him.
She kept her gaze on Vanessa.
“You wanted me to lose my baby.”
Vanessa leaned close.
“I wanted the baby to survive.”
Emma’s face went still.
Vanessa smiled.
“You were the unnecessary part.”
“You planned to take my child.”
“Our child.”
“A Whitmore heir.”
Emma felt rage rise inside her, but she kept her voice controlled.
“Thomas Bell discovered your plan.”
Vanessa’s expression shifted.
“Thomas discovered too much.”
“Did you kill him?”
“My father panicked.”
“Grant followed orders.”
“But you knew.”
“I knew everything.”
Emma glanced toward the smoke detector.
Vanessa followed her gaze.
For one second, confusion crossed her face.
Then she saw the tiny lens.
Her confidence shattered.
She grabbed the lamp and hurled it at the ceiling.
The camera broke.
But it was too late.
Cole had heard every word.
Outside the room, officers prepared to enter.
Vanessa pulled a second weapon from beneath the table and pressed it against Daniel’s shoulder.
“Open that door,” she ordered one of her men.
“We are leaving.”
The man looked through the peephole.
“The hallway is full of police.”
May you like
Vanessa turned toward Emma.
“Then she is coming with us.”
