Less than an hour later, Vanessa ordered me to carry up six heavy boxes of clothes, mocked my accent, and accused me of stealing a diamond bracelet that she had deliberately hidden in her purse.
When I discovered the exact spot where she had placed it, she moved close enough for me to smell her perfume.
“People like you should be grateful to people like me for letting you in.”
Then she spotted a mud stain near the entrance hall.
She demanded that I rub her with my bare hands.
When I refused, she went to get the bucket.
Daniel was now standing halfway up the stairs, staring at me with an incredulous look.
Vanessa turned abruptly towards him.
“Honey, that woman was threatening me.”
I took off my glasses.
Daniel’s face turned livid.
“Mom?” he whispered.
Vanessa turned pale.
But my ordeal wasn’t over yet…
PART 2
For three long seconds, nobody moved.
Then Vanessa got her voice back.
“This is madness! You disguised yourself to spy on me? This is manipulation, Eleanor.”
Daniel slowly descended the stairs, his gaze fixed on my soaked clothes.
“Did you throw that bucket at him?”
“She provoked me.”
“I asked you a question.”
Vanessa’s tone became drier.
“She’s trying to destroy us because she no longer controls you.”
I took my hand out of my pocket and placed the recorder on the marble table.
Vanessa stared at him.
For the first time that afternoon, she understood that the woman standing in front of her was not powerless.
She had simply believed him.
I pressed play.
His voice echoed in the hall:
“People like you should be grateful to people like me for letting you in.”
Then came the accusation about the bracelet, her order to rub me on my knees, the sound of splashing water, and her laughter.
Daniel looked as if he’d been punched when he heard the recording.
Vanessa tried to grab the device, but I covered it with my hand.
“This recording is saved,” I said.
“So what?” she retorted sharply. “You think one bad afternoon is enough to cancel everything? Daniel loves me. The wedding is in six days. Everyone will be there.”
“Not anymore,” said Daniel.
She turned towards him.
“You don’t really mean it.”
” If. ”
For the first time, fear appeared in her eyes.
“Then you’ll regret it,” she hissed. “I signed contracts in both our names. The venue, the decorators, the villa for the honeymoon… nearly nine hundred thousand dollars. Cancel now, and your family will pay.”
This was the confirmation I was waiting for.
Vanessa had pressured Daniel into agreeing.
