Chapter 3 - THE MAN WHO KNEW THE TRUTH
Daniel Brooks entered the apartment only after Mariana checked the hallway twice.
He did not sit immediately.
Instead, he looked around.
His eyes moved from the photographs on the shelf to the closed bedroom door and finally to Chloe.
The little girl remained beside Mariana.
Daniel crouched down.
“Hello, Chloe.”
The child stared at him.
“Do I know you?”
“No.”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“But I knew your mother before everything happened.”
Mariana's heart hammered.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel stood.
“It means your husband lied to you.”
The sentence was so direct that Mariana almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because she had already begun to suspect it.
Still, hearing someone else say it made the room feel smaller.
“What happened to me?”
Daniel took a folder from inside his coat.
“I was hired by your mother.”
Mariana stared at him.
“My mother died six years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then how could she hire you?”
“She hired me through a trust.”
Mariana's confusion deepened.
Daniel placed the folder on the table.
“Your mother believed Lucas was hiding money.”
Mariana opened her mouth.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because my mother adored Lucas.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Did she?”
Mariana said nothing.
He opened the folder.
Inside were bank statements, photographs, copies of emails, and several handwritten notes.
“There were transfers from your husband's construction company into accounts you didn't know existed.”
Mariana looked at the numbers.
Large amounts.
Tens of thousands.
Then hundreds of thousands.
“What does this have to do with Chloe?”
Daniel's expression became serious.
“Everything.”
He pulled out a photograph.
It showed Lucas standing outside a medical research facility.
Beside him was a doctor.
Mariana recognized him.
Dr. Samuel Reeves.
He had been Chloe's oncologist.
Her hands began to shake.
“Why is Lucas with him?”
“Because Lucas was desperate.”
“For what?”
Daniel hesitated.
“To save Chloe.”
Mariana stared at him.
That answer sounded almost kind.
Until Daniel continued.
“Then something happened.”
“What?”
“The treatment worked.”
Mariana's heart stopped.
“Chloe survived?”
“Yes.”
Mariana looked at her daughter.
The child was watching them silently.
Daniel continued.
“The doctors expected a long recovery. But Chloe went into remission.”
Tears filled Mariana's eyes.
“Then why did I think she died?”
Daniel looked at the floor.
“Because someone wanted you to believe she did.”
Mariana gripped the edge of the table.
“Who?”
“Lucas.”
The room became silent.
Chloe began crying.
Mariana pulled her close.
Daniel's voice softened.
“Your husband discovered that your mother had left you a substantial inheritance.”
Mariana blinked.
“My mother left me a few thousand dollars.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She left you a property trust.”
Mariana stared at him.
“What property?”
“Twenty-seven acres outside Phoenix.”
Mariana's mouth opened.
“That land belonged to my grandfather.”
“Exactly.”
“I thought it had been sold.”
“It was never sold.”
Daniel turned another page.
“The trust was worth several million dollars.”
Mariana's knees nearly gave out.
Lucas had always told her the property was worthless because of zoning problems.
He had told her the land was practically impossible to develop.
He had convinced her to sign several documents relating to taxes and property management.
Mariana suddenly remembered something.
A week before Chloe supposedly died, Lucas had brought her several papers.
He had told her they were insurance documents.
She had signed them while sitting beside Chloe's hospital bed.
Or at least she thought she had.
“Wait.”
Mariana's voice trembled.
“I signed something.”
Daniel nodded.
“That is why I came.”
He opened the folder again.
“The signature was forged.”
Mariana stared at him.
“My signature?”
“Yes.”
“On what?”
“Transfer documents.”
She felt sick.
“Transfer of what?”
“Your mother's trust.”
Mariana looked at Chloe.
The child was still holding her hand.
Daniel continued.
“Lucas attempted to transfer control of the property into a company he secretly controlled.”
“Did he succeed?”
“Partially.”
Mariana's heart pounded.
“Then why am I still living here?”
“Because the transfer was challenged.”
“By whom?”
“Your mother anticipated something like this.”
Daniel reached into his folder.
He removed a letter.
The envelope had Mariana's name on it.
Her mother's handwriting.
Mariana began crying before she even opened it.
Inside was a single page.
“My dearest Mariana,
If you are reading this, something has gone wrong.”
Mariana covered her mouth.
Daniel looked away respectfully.
She continued.
“Never allow anyone to convince you that you are incapable of understanding your own life. You have always trusted people more than you trusted yourself. That is your kindness, but it can also become your weakness.”
Mariana's tears fell onto the paper.
“Your father taught me that property is not wealth unless the person who owns it understands its value. I have placed everything in your name because I want you to have something no one can take from you.”
The next line made Mariana stop.
“Especially Lucas.”
She looked up.
Daniel said nothing.
Mariana continued reading.
“I do not know what he may try to do. I only know that he has been asking questions he should not be asking.”
Her hands shook.
“Protect Chloe. Protect yourself. And never sign anything you have not read.”
The letter ended with one sentence.
“I love you more than you will ever understand.”
Mariana lowered it.
“What happened to my mother?”
Daniel's expression changed.
“She didn't die peacefully.”
Mariana froze.
“What are you saying?”
“She was investigating Lucas when her health suddenly deteriorated.”
“My mother had cancer.”
“I know.”
“She was sick for years.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“But?”
“But the medical records show something unusual.”
“What?”
“Someone accessed her medication records using credentials belonging to Lucas.”
Mariana stared at him.
“You think he poisoned her?”
“I don't know.”
Daniel's answer was careful.
“But I know there were irregularities.”
Mariana felt the room spin.
Then Chloe tugged her sleeve.
“Mommy.”
Mariana looked down.
“What's wrong?”
“Daddy is coming.”
Daniel immediately turned toward the window.
“How do you know?”
Chloe pointed.
“His truck.”
Mariana's heart slammed against her ribs.
Daniel grabbed the folder.
“Hide this.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere he won't look.”
Mariana rushed toward the bedroom.
She opened the closet.
Then stopped.
The small plastic key was still in her pocket.
She suddenly remembered the hospital.
A storage facility.
Lucas once mentioned something about a locker near the old medical center.
She looked at Daniel.
“Where does 317 lead?”
His face changed.
“Where did you get that?”
“Chloe's dress.”
Daniel's expression became grim.
“Then we don't have much time.”
The front door opened.
Lucas called from the hallway.
“Mariana?”
Daniel whispered, “Don't tell him I was here.”
Mariana shoved the documents beneath a mattress.
Then she walked into the living room.
Lucas stood there.
His eyes moved to Daniel.
For one second, absolute panic crossed his face.
Then it disappeared.
“Who is this?”
Mariana forced herself to breathe.
“A friend.”
Lucas stared at her.
Daniel extended his hand.
“Daniel Brooks.”
Lucas did not shake it.
Instead, he looked at Chloe.
Then at Mariana.
And Mariana saw it.
Fear.
May you like
Real fear.
Lucas knew exactly who Daniel was.
