Chapter 16 - Vanessa Asked for One ConversationVanessa was arrested Tuesday.
Conspiracy.
Attempted fraud.
Evidence manipulation.
Charges connected to Rose remained under review.
Her attorney requested a meeting with Grant.
He refused twice.
Then Michael said something that changed his mind.
“She says she knows where Emma’s original folder is.”
Grant agreed.
Police supervised.
Vanessa entered wearing plain clothes.
No bridal makeup.
No diamonds.
She looked nothing like the woman from the suite.
“Where is Emma’s folder?”
Grant asked immediately.
Vanessa sat.
“Richard has a storage unit.”
“Police searched his properties.”
“Not this one.”
“Where?”
“I’ll give it to them.”
“Why now?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because it’s over.”
Grant almost laughed.
“It was over when you knocked flowers out of my daughter’s hands.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
Grant leaned back.
“Then explain something.”
“What?”
“Why Rose?”
Vanessa looked down.
“You want the plan?”
“No.”
His voice hardened.
“Why were you cruel when nobody was watching?”
Vanessa flinched.
“That wasn’t Richard.”
“No.”
“That wasn’t Charles.”
“No.”
“That was you.”
Silence.
Grant continued.
“She loved you.”
“I know.”
“She trusted you.”
“I know.”
“She called you Mommy.”
Vanessa began crying.
“Stop.”
“No.”
Grant leaned forward.
“You don’t get to hide behind the conspiracy for that part.”
Vanessa wiped her face.
“I resented her.”
“Why?”
“Because she loved me too much.”
Grant stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does to me.”
“Explain.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Every time she called me Mommy, I remembered what I was doing.”
Grant went still.
“She made you feel guilty.”
“Yes.”
“So you punished her for it.”
Vanessa cried harder.
“Yes.”
Grant felt disgust.
“She would climb into my lap. Ask me to braid her hair. Want me to choose dresses.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“And I knew I was helping people build a case against her father.”
Grant’s jaw tightened.
“The more she trusted you, the worse you felt.”
“Yes.”
“So you tried to make her stop loving you.”
Vanessa nodded.
“You could have left.”
“I know.”
“You could have told me.”
“I know.”
“You could have protected her.”
“I know.”
“But instead you taught her to need you less.”
Vanessa sobbed.
“Yes.”
Grant sat silently.
There was nothing to say.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“I didn’t knock the flowers away because I hated her.”
Grant looked at her.
“I did it because when she handed them to me, she said exactly what Emma said.”
“What?”
Vanessa’s voice broke.
“‘I just want you to like me.’”
Grant froze.
“How would you know Emma said that?”
Vanessa looked up.
“Richard showed me a recording.”
Grant’s pulse quickened.
“What recording?”
“Emma confronting him.”
“Where?”
“His office.”
Grant stared.
“When?”
“The afternoon she died.”
That contradicted Katherine’s story but fit the evidence.
Emma had confronted Richard earlier.
Then left.
Later she headed to police.
“What happened?”
“Emma accused him of destroying everyone around him.”
Grant’s heartbeat increased.
“And?”
“Richard told her people helped him because they wanted things.”
“What did Emma say?”
Vanessa remembered.
“She said, ‘I just wanted Grant to believe me.’”
Grant’s throat closed.
Emma had been frightened he would interpret the truth as betrayal.
Just like Rose begging Vanessa to like her.
Vanessa continued.
“When Rose said almost the same words…”
“You couldn’t stand yourself.”
“No.”
“So you hurt her.”
Vanessa nodded.
Grant stood.
“I don’t forgive you.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know if I ever will.”
“I know.”
“But give police the storage unit.”
“I already did.”
Grant paused.
“Why?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because Rose should someday know her mother tried to get home.”
Grant stared at her.
Then left.
Police searched the unit.
They found Emma’s folder.
Inside were printed emails.
Corporate records.
Katherine’s payment history.
Evidence against Richard.
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And one sealed envelope addressed to Grant.
His name was written in Emma’s handwriting.
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