Chapter 8 - CLARA'S SECRET
Adrian did not call Clara immediately.
He knew what the old version of himself would have done.
He would have reacted.
He would have confronted.
He would have demanded an explanation before gathering facts.
That version of Adrian had already caused enough damage.
Instead he went upstairs.
Olivia was feeding Emma.
“Vanessa said something about Clara.”
Olivia looked suspicious immediately.
“What?”
“She said I should ask why Clara was really in my office.”
Olivia rolled her eyes.
“She was getting Emma’s pacifier.”
“That’s what the recording said.”
“Because that’s what happened.”
Adrian sat beside her.
“You saw it?”
“Not all of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Olivia adjusted Emma in her arms.
“I saw Clara come out of the nursery with Emma.”
“She was fussy.”
“Clara went downstairs.”
“Then Vanessa followed.”
“After that I heard them arguing.”
“So Clara was already carrying Emma?”
“Yes.”
Adrian frowned.
There was no reason for Clara to bring Emma into his office while searching financial documents.
Still, Vanessa’s accusation had been specific.
An hour later, Clara called.
“I spoke to Detective Mercer.”
“Good.”
“He asked about the job call.”
“What did they say?”
“They think someone wanted me away from town for a few days.”
Adrian sat straighter.
“Why?”
“The job was supposedly in Boston.”
“Starting immediately.”
Adrian understood.
Someone wanted Clara gone.
Again.
Clara continued.
“There’s something else.”
Adrian waited.
“Vanessa told you to ask why I was in your office.”
“Yes.”
“I figured she would.”
Adrian remained quiet.
Clara took a breath.
“The pacifier story was true.”
“I believe you.”
“But it wasn’t the whole truth.”
Adrian’s grip tightened around his phone.
“Okay.”
“I had been suspicious before I found the bank letter.”
“Why?”
“Because I saw Vanessa taking envelopes from your office twice.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure what I saw.”
“What did you do?”
“The night I found the letter, I looked at the name on the envelope.”
“Anything else?”
“I took a picture.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
“A picture of what?”
“The account number and company name.”
“Why?”
“Because Vanessa had spent weeks telling everyone I forgot things.”
Clara’s voice cracked slightly.
“She told Rosa I had left the stove on.”
“I hadn’t.”
“She told Olivia I lost Emma’s pediatric appointment card.”
“I hadn’t.”
“She told you I left the door unlocked.”
“I hadn’t.”
Adrian remembered every accusation.
“I started questioning myself.”
Clara continued.
“So when I saw the letter, I took a picture because I wanted proof I wasn’t imagining things.”
Adrian felt ashamed all over again.
“Do you still have it?”
“Yes.”
“Can you send it to Detective Mercer?”
“I already did.”
A pause.
“Adrian.”
“Yes?”
“I need to tell you something else.”
His stomach tightened.
“Tell me.”
“Two weeks ago Vanessa offered me money.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Clara’s voice lowered.
“The first offer wasn’t money to resign.”
Adrian waited.
“She offered me money to say Olivia had been careless with Emma.”
Adrian stood so quickly his chair scraped against the floor.
“What?”
“She wanted me to tell you Olivia had left Emma alone near the stairs.”
His face went cold.
“When?”
“About eighteen days ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I told her absolutely not.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Clara became quiet.
Then she answered.
“Because I thought you would believe her over me.”
The truth hurt because Adrian had already proven her right.
“What exactly did Vanessa say?”
“She said Olivia was becoming a problem.”
Adrian’s hand tightened around the phone.
“She called my daughter a problem?”
“She said you were too protective of Olivia because of Rachel.”
Adrian stopped moving.
Few people spoke Rachel’s name in that house.
Clara continued.
“She said if Olivia caused one serious incident with Emma, you might finally agree to send her to boarding school.”
For several seconds Adrian could not speak.
He had heard Vanessa mention boarding school before.
She framed it as an opportunity.
A prestigious program.
A chance for Olivia to become independent.
Adrian had rejected the idea because Olivia did not want to leave.
Now he understood why Vanessa had kept bringing it up.
First Olivia.
Then Clara.
Remove the people who questioned her.
Isolate Adrian.
Control the house.
Control the money.
Adrian spoke slowly.
“Did you record the conversation?”
“No.”
His heart sank.
“But Rosa heard the end of it.”
Adrian’s eyes closed.
“Rosa.”
“Yes.”
“She walked into the laundry room while Vanessa was talking.”
Adrian immediately called Detective Mercer.
But before Mercer answered, another call appeared.
Rosa.
Adrian switched over.
“Rosa?”
The housekeeper was breathing hard.
“Mr. Adrian.”
“What happened?”
“Someone broke into my apartment.”
Adrian went cold.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“What did they take?”
Rosa paused.
“Nothing.”
“Then how do you know someone broke in?”
“Because they left every drawer open.”
Her voice trembled.
“And they took only one thing.”
May you like
“What?”
“The old phone I used when I worked at your house.”
