Chapter 2 - The USBAdrian stared at the drive.
His late wife, Elena, had died eighteen months earlier in what police called a single-car accident.
Rain.
A wet road.
A guardrail.
No other vehicle.
Case closed.
Or so he thought.
Maria said, “She told me to keep it hidden unless something happened to Oliver.”
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“Something happened to Elena.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t you give it to me?”
Maria looked ashamed.
“She made me promise.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“Convenient.”
Adrian ignored her.
“What’s on it?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“You had eighteen months.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of who?”
Maria looked at Vanessa.
That was answer enough.
Adrian plugged the drive into a laptop.
Encrypted folders appeared.
One video file opened immediately.
Elena appeared on screen.
Alive.
Tired.
Scared.
She looked directly into the camera.
“If Adrian is watching this, then something went wrong.”
Adrian gripped the table.
Vanessa stopped smiling.
Elena continued.
“Vanessa has been asking questions about Oliver’s trust.”
Adrian turned toward his fiancée.
“What trust?”
Vanessa said nothing.
Elena on the screen continued.
“I haven’t told Adrian because he still thinks Vanessa is just my friend from the foundation.”
Maria whispered, “She wasn’t.”
Adrian stared.
Elena said:
“If anything happens to me, do not let Vanessa near my son.”
Vanessa stepped backward.
Adrian noticed.
Then the video froze.
A password prompt appeared.
The rest of the drive was locked.
Under the prompt was one hint:
THE DAY OLIVER CAME HOME.
Adrian’s hands shook.
That date was not Oliver’s birthday.
It was the day Elena brought him home after a five-week NICU stay.
Maria knew the date.
So did Vanessa.
Vanessa moved toward the door.
Adrian blocked her.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You’re making a mistake.”
He pointed to the screen.
“My dead wife told me not to let you near my son.”
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Vanessa whispered:
“She lied to you too.”
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