Chapter 5 - Nathan Put His Entire Fortune at Risk to Protect My Daughter—Then Vanessa Discovered I Wasn't Just the Maid AnymoreThe wedding was ten days away.
Nathan continued the performance.
He became weaker.
Vanessa became happier.
The newspapers published photographs.
People talked about the billionaire groom who seemed exhausted but determined.
Nobody knew the truth.
Behind closed doors, evidence was being collected.
Federal investigators were finally involved.
Not local police.
Federal.
Too many officials had connections to the old network.
We had to be careful.
I spent every day beside Sophia.
Nathan spent every evening with us.
He taught her new signs.
She taught him how badly he was signing them.
Sometimes I laughed.
He smiled at me.
Those moments became dangerous.
Because I began feeling something.
One night, after Sophia fell asleep, Nathan and I stood in the kitchen.
“You should go home.”
“I don't want to.”
“You need rest.”
“So do you.”
He smiled.
“I sleep better when you are here.”
My heart skipped.
I looked away.
He stepped closer.
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“I know this is complicated.”
“You're my employer.”
“I know.”
“You're engaged.”
“I know.”
“And I'm—”
“The woman who saved my life.”
I swallowed.
“Don't say things like that.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm trying not to care.”
He looked at me.
“So am I.”
Silence.
We almost kissed.
Then Sophia screamed from upstairs.
We ran.
She was pointing toward the hallway.
A shadow disappeared.
Someone had entered the estate again.
We found a camera hidden inside her bedroom.
Vanessa.
The camera was registered to her.
Nathan stared.
“She has been watching you.”
The next morning, Vanessa confronted me.
She smiled.
“You've become very comfortable here.”
I stood.
“She saved Nathan.”
“I know.”
“I work for this family.”
“You work for me too.”
“No.”
She stared.
“What?”
“You work for anyone who believes in you.”
Her smile disappeared.
“You think Nathan is going to marry you?”
I froze.
She stepped closer.
“You're a maid.”
I said nothing.
“He will get bored.”
“Maybe.”
“He doesn't love you.”
I looked at her.
“Maybe not.”
She smiled.
“Then stay out of his life.”
I walked away.
But Nathan had heard.
He came into my room.
“She threatened you.”
“Yes.”
“You don't have to endure that.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“I love you.”
My heart stopped.
“You don't know me.”
“I know enough.”
He kissed me.
Slow.
Careful.
Then he pulled away.
“I'm ending the engagement.”
“No.”
He stared.
“Why?”
“Because if you do it now, they know we found out.”
He nodded.
“You're right.”
We planned to wait.
But Vanessa discovered the relationship.
She attacked emotionally.
Then financially.
She leaked false information about me.
Called me a gold digger.
Claimed I had manipulated Nathan through his health crisis.
The media exploded.
I was humiliated.
Nathan wanted to defend me publicly.
I stopped him.
“Don't.”
“You don't deserve this.”
“I know.”
“Then let me fix it.”
“Fix the real problem.”
He looked at me.
The real problem was Edward.
The wedding became the final trap.
Vanessa believed Nathan was still under her control.
The wedding would proceed.
The insurance policy would be active.
The trust documents ready.
The poison planned.
We knew.
Federal agents knew.
The only missing evidence was direct involvement.
We needed Vanessa to order the final act.
Sophia unexpectedly helped.
She had developed a way to recognize certain people's movements.
She could identify Vanessa's footsteps through floor vibrations.
One evening, she signed:
VANESSA.
ROOM.
I followed.
Vanessa was talking to Richard.
She said:
“The wedding day.”
Richard answered:
“Everything is prepared.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“What about Elena?”
“She'll be blamed.”
My heart stopped.
“They'll make it look like she poisoned him.”
I felt sick.
Vanessa continued:
“She'll become the perfect scapegoat.”
Richard laughed.
“And the deaf child?”
“She disappears.”
I almost moved.
But federal agents were recording.
We finally had them.
Then Vanessa said something worse.
“After Nathan dies, his mother signs the transfer.”
Margaret.
My heart tightened.
They planned to force her too.
The trap was complete.
Nathan was ready.
The wedding was three days away.
Then something went wrong.
Sophia disappeared.
I screamed.
Nathan tore through the estate.
Security found nothing.
No cameras.
No footprints.
Only one thing.
Her stuffed rabbit.
A note.
COME TO THE OLD CLINIC ALONE.
Nathan looked at me.
“We're going.”
“No.”
“I won't leave her.”
“Neither will I.”
We went together.
The clinic was abandoned.
But someone was waiting.
Edward Harrow.
He held Sophia.
She looked scared.
He smiled.
“Now we can finish.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
“Give me the company.”
“No.”
“Then the child dies.”
Nathan looked at me.
Then at Sophia.
He took one step.
“I'll give you everything.”
My heart broke.
He was willing to sacrifice billions.
Edward laughed.
“You really are your father's son.”
Nathan answered:
“No.”
“I am the man who refuses to become him.”
Federal agents stormed the building.
Edward escaped.
Sophia was safe.
But Edward left one final message.
The wedding still happens.
Nathan stared at me.
May you like
We both knew what that meant.
The final battle would be at the altar.
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