Daniel Found Vanessa’s Missing Necklace Inside Sophie’s Bunny — Then He Pulled Out a Plane Ticket for the Next Morning
Chapter 4 — Something Belonging to Sophie
Daniel stared at her.
“Marcus doesn’t even know Sophie.”
“He knew her mother.”
Daniel stopped.
Sophie’s mother, Rachel, had died four years earlier.
Daniel had married Vanessa two years after that.
As far as he knew, Rachel and Vanessa had never met.
“How did Marcus know Rachel?”
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
“Through me.”
Daniel felt anger rising again.
“You told me you didn’t know Rachel before we met.”
Vanessa whispered:
“I lied.”
Daniel stood completely still.
Years before Daniel met Vanessa, Rachel had worked for a nonprofit arts foundation.
Vanessa occasionally organized events for the same foundation.
They knew each other casually.
Marcus handled photography for several events.
“Why hide that from me?”
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“Because the first time you told me about Rachel, I realized who she was.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I thought you’d think I was trying to replace her.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You keep deciding what I’m allowed to know.”
Vanessa had no response.
He returned to the important question.
“What does Marcus have?”
“A storage key.”
“For what?”
“He says Rachel left a box with him years ago.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Why would my wife leave something with your ex-husband?”
“I don’t know.”
“And you were going to fly there without telling me?”
Vanessa nodded.
“I wanted to confirm it was real first.”
Daniel held up the necklace.
“And this?”
Vanessa looked away.
“That was supposed to pay for something.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“What?”
“Marcus wanted money.”
