Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE SECURITY FOOTAGE
Marissa came to my father's house the next morning.
She sat in the living room with both hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.
She didn't drink it.
My father stayed in the kitchen.
Julia sat beside me.
I wanted answers.
Marissa looked at me.
“I didn't know what he was going to do.”
“Who?”
She closed her eyes.
“Evan.”
I stared at her.
“You signed documents for him.”
“I know.”
“You gave him access to my information.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
She began crying.
“I was afraid.”
I had heard that word before.
I had used it myself.
But hearing it from Marissa made me angry.
“Afraid of what?”
She looked toward the kitchen.
“Your father.”
I frowned.
“My father?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Not like that.”
“Then explain.”
Marissa took a breath.
“Evan found out something about me.”
“What?”
“That I had stolen money from my old employer.”
I stared.
“What?”
“I didn't mean to.”
“That's what everyone says.”
“I was in debt. I borrowed money. I planned to repay it.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
Marissa looked down.
“Evan found the records.”
I understood.
“He blackmailed you.”
She nodded.
“He said he would send everything to the police.”
“And you helped him.”
“I tried to stop him.”
“How?”
“I gave him the documents he asked for.”
I stared at her.
“That makes no sense.”
“I know.”
She began crying harder.
“I thought if I gave him what he wanted, he would leave you alone.”
I stood.
“You helped him take out loans in my name.”
“I didn't know about the loans.”
“You signed as a witness.”
“I thought they were business documents.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She covered her face.
“Because I was ashamed.”
I looked away.
My father entered the room.
“Lena.”
I turned.
“What?”
He held a tablet.
“We found something.”
It was security footage.
From a store near our house.
Evan was standing outside.
Marissa was with him.
The footage was from six months earlier.
They were arguing.
Evan grabbed her arm.
Marissa pulled away.
The video had no sound.
But the body language was clear.
She was afraid of him.
The footage continued.
Evan handed her a folder.
Marissa took it.
Then she walked away.
My father paused the video.
“That was the day the $300,000 loan application was submitted.”
I looked at Marissa.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
She wiped her face.
“I swear.”
“Then what was in the folder?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Julia studied the footage.
“Where did you get this?”
My father looked at me.
“From a security company.”
“Why were you investigating him?”
My father didn't answer immediately.
Then he said:
“Because I started investigating Evan before you married him.”
The room became silent.
I stared at him.
“What?”
He sat down.
“I didn't trust him.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Before your wedding.”
I remembered.
My father had asked me to meet him at a restaurant.
He had said:
“I think you need to slow down.”
I had accused him of hating Evan.
I had left.
My father had never brought it up again.
“I thought you were trying to control me.”
“I know.”
“Why didn't you show me the evidence?”
“Because I didn't have enough.”
I stared at him.
“What did you find?”
“Evan had been fired from a company for financial misconduct.”
My stomach tightened.
“What kind?”
“He manipulated payment records.”
“Was he charged?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He settled.”
I sat back down.
My father continued.
“I believed he had changed.”
“But you didn't.”
“I believed people could change.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That was generous.”
He looked at me.
“I didn't want to lose you.”
That sentence hurt.
Because I understood.
I had stayed with Evan for the same reason.
I had been afraid of losing my family.
Then Julia interrupted.
“There is something else.”
She placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Evan and Marissa meeting in a parking garage.
The date was two days before the attack.
I stared.
“Why were they meeting?”
Marissa shook her head.
“I don't know.”
My father zoomed in.
Evan was holding a small black device.
A recorder.
Marissa looked terrified.
Then I noticed something.
The meeting had happened outside my father's office.
I looked at him.
“Why was Evan there?”
My father's face hardened.
“I don't know.”
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
May you like
Then he looked at me.
“Evan has filed for emergency custody of Noah.”
