Chapter 6 - The Man in the Recording
Adrian Cole was found in a rented house outside Newark.
He did not resist when Dominic's investigators arrived. He sat at his kitchen table with his hands visible and a cup of untouched coffee in front of him.
When Dominic entered, Adrian looked older than he remembered.
“You should have stayed away,” Adrian said.
Dominic closed the door.
“You took money from my wife's trust. You lied about her death. You threatened my son.”
Adrian lowered his eyes.
“I never wanted Ethan hurt.”
“Then start talking.”
Adrian explained that Vanessa had approached him months before Isabella's accident. She claimed Isabella was mentally unstable and had been hiding financial documents that belonged to the Sterling family.
At first, Adrian believed her.
Then he discovered the truth.
Vanessa had been using his access to the estate to obtain medical records, financial documents, and information about Isabella's family.
“She told me Isabella was going to destroy everyone,” Adrian said. “She said the trust contained evidence that could ruin her father.”
“What evidence?”
“I never saw the original. Only copies. Something about payments made through shell companies and a foundation.”
Dominic leaned forward.
“And the night Isabella died?”
Adrian swallowed.
“I was ordered to follow her car.”
“By whom?”
“Vanessa.”
The room went silent.
Adrian admitted he had followed Isabella to a private road near the estate. Another vehicle was already there. A man named Victor Sterling, Vanessa's older brother, had been waiting.
According to Adrian, the confrontation escalated when Isabella refused to hand over a small storage device.
“She got into her car and tried to leave,” he said. “Victor followed her.”
Dominic's fists tightened.
“Did he cause the crash?”
“I don't know. I heard the impact. When I reached the road, the car was already against the barrier.”
“And you did nothing?”
Adrian looked ashamed.
“I panicked. Vanessa told me the police were coming. She said if I talked, my family would be destroyed.”
“You helped cover it up.”
“Yes.”
Dominic wanted to strike him, but he remembered Ethan upstairs, waiting for his father to return.
Instead, he stood.
“Give me everything you have. Every message, every payment, every name.”
Adrian reached beneath the table and produced a small metal case.
Inside were copies of emails, bank records, and a photograph of Victor Sterling standing beside the wrecked car.
There was also a note written by Vanessa.
The child must never learn what happened. Once Dominic remarries, the trust will be under our control.
Dominic took the case.
“Why did you keep this?”
“Because three years ago, Vanessa told me Isabella's death had solved the problem. Then she started asking about Ethan's memories. I realized she wasn't afraid of losing the money.”
Adrian looked directly at him.
“She was afraid the boy would remember who was in the car.”
Before Dominic could question him further, Marco rushed into the room.
“Boss, we have a problem.”
“What?”
“Vanessa's gone.”
The security team had found her room empty. A service gate had been opened using a valid access code. Her phone and passport were missing.
Dominic called the estate.
“Where is Ethan?”
“With Lily,” Marco answered. “They're in the safe room.”
“Keep them there. Nobody opens that door unless I authorize it.”
A second call came through.
This time, it was Lily.
Her voice was shaking.
“Mr. Moretti, Ethan's asking for you.”
“Put him on.”
A small voice came through the phone.
“Daddy, I remembered something else.”
Dominic stopped walking.
“What is it, buddy?”
“Mommy wasn't alone in the car.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Who was with her?”
Ethan began to cry.
“The man with the red mark. He was sitting beside her.”
Dominic looked at Adrian.
Adrian's face had gone white.
“That's impossible,” he whispered.
Dominic turned back toward the phone.
“Ethan, did you see his face?”
“No. But I heard Mommy say his name.”
“What name?”
The boy whispered it.
“Victor.”
Then the phone went dead.
Dominic called back immediately.
No answer.
He turned to Marco.
“Get everyone to the estate. Now.”
But as they raced toward the door, Adrian spoke behind him.
“Dominic, there's something you don't understand.”
Dominic spun around.
“What?”
Adrian's voice cracked.
“Victor wasn't supposed to be in that car.”
He paused.
May you like
“Because according to Vanessa, the person driving it that night was supposed to be your wife.”
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