Chapter 6 - WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO HER FATHER
The next morning, Madeline sat across from Jeffrey.
No lawyers.
No shouting.
Just silence.
“Tell me.”
Jeffrey stared at the table.
“I don't know everything.”
“Then tell me what you know.”
“My father told me your father was investigating financial fraud.”
“Whose fraud?”
“Noelle's.”
Madeline's stomach tightened.
“She stole from my father?”
“Millions.”
“And my father found out?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Jeffrey closed his eyes.
“He confronted her.”
Madeline waited.
“She threatened him.”
“With what?”
“Your life.”
Madeline went silent.
“My father died in a car accident.”
“It wasn't an accident.”
Madeline's hands trembled.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I was twenty-seven.”
“You were my husband.”
“I was afraid.”
Madeline stood.
“You're always afraid.”
Jeffrey looked up.
“I know.”
She walked toward the window.
“Then why stay with my family?”
Jeffrey's voice broke.
“Because I loved you.”
Madeline turned.
“No.”
He stared at her.
“You loved what my family could give you.”
He didn't deny it.
Then Rachel entered.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Cynthia disappeared.”
Madeline's heart sank.
“When?”
“Three hours ago.”
“Where?”
“She left the house before dawn.”
Rachel handed her a note.
Madeline opened it.
I'M SORRY. I CAN'T LET NOELLE FIND HIM.
Him.
Austin?
Or someone else?
Rachel looked at Jeffrey.
“Who is she protecting?”
Jeffrey shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Then Madeline noticed Liam standing in the doorway.
He was holding the broken stuffed rabbit.
He looked at Jeffrey.
“Daddy?”
Jeffrey froze.
Liam hadn't called him that in years.
Jeffrey crouched.
“I'm here.”
Liam slowly approached.
Then whispered,
“Grandma said Daddy was bad.”
Madeline's heart broke.
“Which Grandma?”
Liam pointed upstairs.
“Noelle.”
Rachel immediately began recording.
“Liam, what else did Grandma say?”
Liam looked frightened.
“She said Mommy went away because she didn't want me.”
Madeline closed her eyes.
Then Liam said something that changed everything.
“She said Mommy would never come back.”
Madeline knelt.
“I came back.”
Liam nodded.
Then he whispered,
“She told me not to tell Mommy about the room.”
Madeline froze.
“What room?”
Liam pointed toward the basement.
Rachel looked at Madeline.
“There's a basement?”
Madeline had never seen it.
They went downstairs.
A hidden door was behind a storage cabinet.
The lock had recently been replaced.
Rachel broke it.
Inside was a small room.
There were cameras.
Hard drives.
Children's drawings.
Food wrappers.
A chair.
And a monitor.
Madeline walked toward it.
The screen contained hundreds of recordings.
Liam.
For two years.
Someone had been filming him.
Rachel opened the newest file.
The video showed Noelle sitting in the room.
Across from her was Liam.
Noelle was holding a photograph of Madeline.
“Your mother left you.”
Liam cried.
“She doesn't love you.”
Then Noelle leaned closer.
“But if you behave, maybe Mommy will come back.”
Madeline felt sick.
Then another person entered.
It was Jeffrey.
He looked at Noelle.
“Stop.”
Noelle smiled.
“You're weak.”
Jeffrey looked at Liam.
“I'll take him upstairs.”
“No.”
Noelle pointed at him.
“You want to keep your company?”
Jeffrey froze.
Madeline watched the recording.
Jeffrey slowly walked away.
She covered her mouth.
Then another file began.
This one was dated the day Madeline left for London.
Jeffrey was standing in the same basement.
Noelle handed him an envelope.
Inside was a contract.
Jeffrey signed it.
Madeline zoomed in.
The contract transferred control of Liam's trust.
Rachel stared.
“This is the evidence we need.”
Madeline nodded.
“Then let's destroy them.”
But before she could leave, the basement door slammed shut.
Someone had locked them inside.
May you like
And through the small window, Madeline saw Noelle standing outside.
Smiling.
