Chapter 3: The Secret In The Basement
I drove to meet Evelyn alone.
I didn’t tell Serena.
I didn’t tell anyone.
For the first time in years, I didn’t know who I could trust.
Evelyn sat inside a small coffee shop outside the city.
She looked nothing like the woman I remembered.
Her hair was messy.
Her eyes were exhausted.
She looked afraid.
When she saw me, she immediately stood.
“I’m sorry.””
“For what?””
“For leaving Noah.””
I studied her face.
“You didn’t hurt him.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“But I should have protected him.””
I sat down.
“Tell me about Claire.””
Evelyn looked toward the window.
“Your wife knew something was wrong.””
“With Serena?””
She nodded.
“Claire didn’t trust her.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
“Because Serena changed after she realized something.””
“What?””
“That Claire was going to leave you.””
I stared at her.
“Claire wanted to leave me?””
Evelyn looked surprised.
“You didn’t know?””
“No.””
She looked down.
“Claire found something.””
“What?””
“She wouldn’t tell me everything.””
“Evelyn.””
“She only said Serena wasn’t who she pretended to be.””
I leaned forward.
“What else?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“Your wife was collecting proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“Money.””
I frowned.
“Money?””
“Serena had been moving money from accounts connected to Blackwood Industries.””
“That’s impossible.””
“I saw the documents.””
My mind raced.
Serena had always been involved in charity work.
Always talking about helping people.
Always presenting herself as generous.
But now every memory felt different.
Every smile.
Every compliment.
Every perfect moment.
“What happened the night Claire died?””
Evelyn looked away.
“That’s the part I never told anyone.””
“Tell me now.””
She closed her eyes.
“I saw Serena arguing with Claire.””
The world went quiet.
“Where?””
“At the manor.””
“When?””
“The night of the accident.””
I felt my hands become cold.
“Why didn’t you tell police?””
“Because Serena threatened me.””
“What did she say?””
Evelyn’s voice dropped.
“She said nobody would believe a nanny over the future wife of Victor Blackwood.””
I stood.
“Why now?””
“Because Noah saw something.””
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Something he wasn’t supposed to see.””
I returned home before sunset.
Serena was gone.
I searched the house.
Her office.
The library.
The bedrooms.
Then I noticed something.
A door in the basement.
A door I had never seen open.
The lock was new.
My heart started pounding.
I found a spare key in the maintenance drawer.
It fit.
Inside was a small room.
Not storage.
A hidden office.
Files covered the desk.
Photos.
Documents.
My hands shook as I opened the first folder.
It was about Claire.
The second folder was about me.
The third folder had Noah’s name.
I opened it.
And stopped breathing.
Inside were pages of notes.
Observations.
Dates.
Details about my son’s behavior.
His fears.
His routines.
Someone had been studying my child.
A sound came from behind me.
The basement door closed.
Slowly.
I turned.
Serena stood there.
No smile.
No perfect expression.
Only cold anger.
“Victor.””
My voice barely worked.
“What is this?””
She looked at the files in my hands.
Then she smiled.
A smile I had never seen before.
“You weren’t supposed to find that.””
I stepped back.
“Who are you?””
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she walked closer.
“You really want to know?””
The lights flickered.
May you like
And Serena whispered:
“Ask yourself why Claire was trying to run away the night she died.””
