Chapter 4: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
The name on the screen haunted me long after the police took the laptop away.
Elias Voss.
I had heard it before.
Everyone in our town had.
Eight years ago, Elias Voss had been the center of the biggest scandal our county had ever seen. A wealthy businessman, a respected philanthropist, a man whose picture appeared on charity banners and newspaper covers.
Then one night, he disappeared.
His car was found near a river.
His wallet was inside.
His phone was broken.
The police concluded he had died.
The town mourned him.
And somehow, my wife had been sitting beside him in a hidden room beneath our house.
I spent the entire night staring at the ceiling.
The house felt different.
The walls felt closer.
Every shadow looked like it was hiding something.
Beside me, Vanessa lay awake.
I knew because she hadn’t moved in hours.
Neither of us had spoken.
Finally, I turned toward her.
“How long?””
Her eyes opened.
“Marcus…”
“How long have you known him?””
She swallowed.
“I don’t know where to start.””
“Start with the truth.””
The words came out colder than I expected.
Vanessa sat up slowly.
Her face looked exhausted.
“I met Elias before I met you.””
I felt something inside me crack.
“Before me?””
“Yes.””
“Were you together?””
She looked away.
“That’s complicated.””
I laughed quietly.
“Everything with you seems to be complicated.””
She closed her eyes.
“I was twenty-six. I was working at his company.””
“The company that was investigated?””
She nodded.
“Elias wasn’t who everyone thought he was.””
“What does that mean?””
“It means he had secrets.””
I stared at her.
“You’re saying that like you didn’t.””
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“I left because I found out what he was doing.””
“What was he doing?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
That scared me.
“Vanessa.””
“He was hiding money.””
“Everyone suspected that.””
“No.””
Her voice dropped.
“He was hiding people.””
The room went silent.
I sat up.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“There were employees who disappeared after they tried to expose him.””
A chill moved through me.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?””
“I tried.””
“And?””
She looked toward the bedroom door.
Toward where Lily slept.
“Elias found out.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did he do?””
“He threatened me.””
“With what?””
She wiped her face.
“With you.””
I froze.
“With me?””
“He knew about you before we even met.””
That made no sense.
I felt anger replacing confusion.
“You’re telling me a man who supposedly died eight years ago knew about me?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He knew everything.””
I stood.
“Then why marry me?””
Her eyes filled with pain.
“Because you were the only person who made me feel safe.””
I wanted to believe that.
I really did.
But the image of the video kept playing in my mind.
Vanessa sitting beside another man.
Vanessa hiding a room.
Vanessa saying I wasn’t Noah’s father.
“What about Noah?””
She went completely still.
“I need to tell you something.””
I waited.
The silence stretched.
Then she whispered:
“When Noah was born, Elias came back.””
My hands curled into fists.
“What?””
“He showed up at the hospital.””
“Why?””
Her voice broke.
“Because he believed Noah was his son.””
The air disappeared from my lungs.
I walked toward the window.
Outside, police cars still sat in front of the house.
Neighbors watched from behind curtains.
My entire life was collapsing in front of strangers.
“You let me raise a child while another man believed he was his?””
“No.””
Vanessa stood.
“That’s not what happened.””
“Then explain it.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
That was the answer.
I turned away.
“Where is he?””
Vanessa looked confused.
“Who?””
“Elias.””
Her face changed.
Fear.
Again.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then help me understand.””
“He’s not coming for Noah.””
“Then who is he coming for?””
She looked directly at me.
And said:
“You.””
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated.
A message.
Unknown number.
My heart stopped when I saw the picture attached.
It was a photo of my house.
Taken from outside.
Taken minutes ago.
Underneath it were six words.
*You finally know the truth, Marcus.*
Then another message appeared.
*Now ask your wife what she did to me.*
I looked at Vanessa.
May you like
She was already crying.
Because she knew exactly who sent it.
