Chương 5
My pulse climbed.
I still did not answer.
Then the final message arrived.
Claire, I didn’t know he took money from you.
I stared at those words until they blurred.
For the first time since Daniel’s call from Hawaii, the shape of the betrayal changed.
Vanessa was not denying the affair.
She was denying knowledge of the money.
That distinction mattered.
A minute later, Daniel called.
I let it ring.
He called again.
Then Vanessa’s number appeared.
I answered that one.
She did not say hello.
Her breathing was uneven.
“Claire,” she said, “Daniel lied to me too.”
Vanessa’s voice was so small that for a second I thought the call had dropped.
“What did he tell you?” I asked.
“That you two were separated.”
I closed my eyes.
Across the room, Lily made a soft snuffling noise and turned her face toward the side of the bassinet.
“When?”
“Months ago.”
“How many?”
“Since March.”
It was August.
I pressed my thumb against the edge of the blanket until the fabric left a white line in my skin.
“What exactly did he say?”
“That you were still living together because of the pregnancy.”
Her words came faster now.
“That the marriage had been over for a long time, but you didn’t want anyone to know until after the baby was born because your mother would make it a whole thing.”
My mother would, in fact, make almost anything a whole thing.
The detail was good enough to sound borrowed from real life.
“Did you believe him?”
Vanessa inhaled sharply.
“I wanted to.”
That answer was better than yes.
I looked at the dark screen of my laptop on the counter.
“What did he tell you about Hawaii?”
“That he had unused travel credits and the firm had meetings with investors.”
“Both things?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know your name was on an expense report?”
There was silence.
“What expense report?”
I felt the conversation change.
Not because I trusted her.
I did not.
But surprise has a texture that is difficult to fake.
“What did Daniel say after the company froze the card?”
“That somebody made a complaint.”
“To whom?”
“He won’t tell me.”
“Where is he now?”
“In the hotel lobby arguing with someone from finance.”
I sat straighter despite the pull at my incision.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Go somewhere private.”
“I am.”
“Then listen carefully.”
My voice sounded like Priya’s used to during interviews.
It unsettled me.
“Do not delete anything.”
“What?”
“Messages, emails, bookings, receipts, calendar invites, expense forms, photos, nothing.”
“Claire, I’m not trying to—”
“Do not delete anything.”
She stopped.
“Okay.”
“If anyone from the company contacts you, tell the truth.”
“And do not coordinate your story with Daniel.”
Her breath caught.
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
A knock sounded faintly on her end.
Then Daniel’s voice, distant and angry.
“Vanessa?”
She whispered, “I have to go.”
“Don’t tell him we spoke.”
Another knock.
Harder.
“Vanessa.”
She ended the call.
I stared at my phone for a long time.
The anger I had felt toward her had not disappeared.
It had changed shape.
That was worse.
Simple hatred was useful.
Complication was not.
My mother returned with a turkey sandwich, two bags of chips, and the expression of someone who had learned something she was not supposed to know.
“What?”
She put the food down.
“Daniel’s mother called me.”
I groaned.
“I didn’t call her.”
“What did she say?”
“She asked why Daniel was in Hawaii.”
I looked up.
My mother lowered herself into the chair.
“So apparently he told his parents he had a conference in Chicago.”
I almost laughed again.
Instead I whispered, “Of course he did.”
“She saw something online.”
“What?”
“Vanessa posted a picture this afternoon.”
That surprised me.
“Publicly?”
“Apparently.”
My mother handed me her phone.
I did not touch it.
“Read it to me.”
“She took it down already.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Your aunt screenshotted it.”
I stared at her.
“Why does Aunt Linda follow Vanessa?”
“Because Linda follows everyone.”
That was also true.
My aunt once followed the dentist who had given her a root canal.
My mother unlocked her phone and held up the screenshot.
Vanessa stood on the bow of the boat with the ocean behind her, smiling toward the person taking the picture.
The caption said, Finally taking the trip I was promised.
My stomach tightened.
Not because of the affair.
Because of the word promised.
“How old is the post?”
“Three hours.”
“Send me the screenshot.”
My mother did.
I saved it with the rest.
“Do you think she knew?”
“I think she knew he was married.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“No.”
My mother chewed the inside of her cheek.
“I don’t know.”
Neither did I.
And I hated not knowing.
The CFO emailed again.
This time the message was longer.
Claire, I apologize for reaching out under these circumstances.
Daniel’s corporate card has been suspended as part of an internal review unrelated to any contact from you.
We need to speak regarding transactions submitted under your name as an external consultant.
Please contact me when you are able.
I read the sentence twice.
Then a third time.
Transactions submitted under your name.
My throat went dry.
My mother watched my face.
“What?”
I handed her the phone.
She read it and looked up slowly.
“External consultant?”
“I’ve never consulted for Daniel’s company.”
“Could there be another Claire?”
“Not with my last name.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
This time the words sounded dangerous.
I called Meredith.
She answered immediately.
“I was hoping you were asleep.”
“I got an email from Daniel’s CFO.”
I read it to her.
Meredith became very quiet.
“Do not call him yet.”
“Why?”
“Because we need to determine whether you have exposure.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“That doesn’t mean your name wasn’t used.”
I swallowed.
“What kind of exposure?”
“Potential tax reporting, payments, contracts, maybe identity misuse.”
May you like
She paused.
“I’m not saying any of those happened.”
