Chapter 4 - Daniel
Daniel was Madison's former fiancé.
They had been engaged two years before she met me.
He lived in Connecticut.
I called him.
At first, he didn't want to speak.
Then I mentioned Olivia.
He went silent.
“Does she hurt your daughter?”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
He sighed.
“I knew she would.”
“What does that mean?”
Daniel told me Madison had a history of manipulating people.
He had once accused her of stealing money from his business.
She denied it.
Then she disappeared.
“She was always obsessed with control,” he said.
“What happened to you?”
“I left.”
“Why?”
“Because I found hidden recordings.”
“What recordings?”
“Conversations she had with people.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why would she record them?”
“To use later.”
He emailed me several files.
Most were harmless.
One wasn't.
Madison was talking to another man.
She was discussing a woman named Sarah.
My wife's name.
I listened again.
Then again.
Madison's voice was unmistakable.
“Ethan is still grieving.”
The man asked:
“Does he trust you?”
“Yes.”
“And the daughter?”
“She'll be a problem.”
I stopped breathing.
“When was this recorded?”
Daniel replied:
“About six months before your wedding.”
I felt physically ill.
Madison had been planning.
Before I even proposed.
Before she moved in.
Before Olivia called her family.
She had known exactly what she was doing.
But why?
Then Daniel said something that changed the investigation.
“Madison wasn't looking for Ethan.”
“What?”
“She was looking for money.”
He explained that Madison had accumulated significant debts.
Credit cards.
Private loans.
Gambling losses.
She needed a wealthy husband.
And I was one.
My late wife's life insurance.
My company.
Our house.
My investments.
Everything.
But there was another detail.
Madison was pregnant.
Daniel didn't know who the father was.
I did.
The man in the recording.
His name was Ryan.
Ryan had been Madison's boyfriend before me.
And he was still involved.
I called Naomi.
She helped trace financial transfers.
Money had moved from my accounts to an online investment account controlled by Madison.
Nearly $40,000.
Small amounts.
Designed not to attract attention.
There were also withdrawals.
Cash.
Gift cards.
Payments to Ryan.
I felt something inside me go cold.
This wasn't just abuse.
It was a plan.
A financial plan.
And Olivia had been an obstacle.
I asked Daniel one final question.
“Why did you send me that message?”
“Because I saw her online.”
“What was she doing?”
“Searching for houses.”
“For what?”
“Ones in your name.”
I hung up.
Then I looked at my daughter's bedroom.
Her stuffed rabbit sat on the bed.
The same rabbit she held every night.
I whispered:
“I'll protect you.”
May you like
This time, it wasn't a promise made from hope.
It was a vow.
