Chapter 4 – The Missing Footage
Chapter 4 – The Missing Footage
Olivia Bennett's voice barely rose above a whisper.
"Daniel."
The name settled over Richard's study like a storm cloud.
No one spoke.
Even Vanessa, who had spent the last two hours denying every accusation, stared at Olivia in stunned disbelief.
Richard was the first to move.
He pulled a chair away from the conference table.
"Sit down."
Olivia hesitated before lowering herself into the leather chair. Her hands trembled so violently that Maya quietly poured her a glass of water.
"Thank you," Olivia whispered.
Richard remained standing.
"I want the truth."
"You'll have it."
"No more half-answers."
Olivia nodded.
"No more."
Michael's Last Week
"I was Michael's executive assistant for five years," Olivia began.
"I managed his calendar, his meetings, and most of his confidential files."
Richard nodded.
"I know."
"The week before he died..."
She swallowed.
"...everything changed."
Michael had become obsessed with the company's internal audit.
He canceled business trips.
Stayed late at the office.
Asked Olivia to make copies of financial records without telling anyone—not even Richard.
"He said someone inside the family was stealing from the company."
Richard frowned.
"He never told me."
"He wanted proof first."
Olivia lowered her eyes.
"He didn't want to accuse anyone without evidence."
The Security Room
"Three days before the accident," Olivia continued, "Michael asked me to go to the security office."
"What for?" Richard asked.
"He believed someone had entered his office after hours."
"The security cameras?"
"Yes."
She took a slow breath.
"We watched the footage together."
"And?"
"I saw Daniel."
The room fell silent.
"He entered Michael's office at 2:17 in the morning."
Richard stared at her.
"Daniel had access."
"Yes."
"But he wasn't alone."
Olivia turned toward Vanessa.
"You were with him."
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"No..."
"You were."
"I wasn't!"
Olivia shook her head.
"I saw you."
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"I... I don't remember."
The Missing Video
Richard immediately looked at Thomas.
"The footage."
Thomas nodded.
"I'll contact building security."
Olivia slowly shook her head.
"It won't help."
"Why not?"
"Because the footage disappeared."
Richard's expression hardened.
"What do you mean?"
"The next morning..."
"The entire recording was gone."
"Deleted."
"Every backup."
Thomas frowned.
"That's almost impossible."
Olivia gave a bitter smile.
"Unless someone had administrator access."
Richard already knew the answer.
Daniel.
Only four executives possessed that level of authorization.
Richard.
Michael.
Daniel.
And the head of corporate security.
A Forgotten Backup
Maya suddenly remembered something.
"Mr. Cole..."
Richard turned.
"Yes?"
"When restaurants replace their security systems..."
"They usually archive old recordings."
Thomas looked at her.
"You're right."
Richard frowned.
"How does that help?"
Maya smiled nervously.
"What if your office building did the same thing?"
The room became quiet.
Thomas immediately picked up his phone.
"I'm calling the IT director."
Daniel's Phone Call
Before Thomas could dial, Richard's phone rang again.
Daniel.
Richard answered.
"Daniel."
His brother sounded calm.
"Richard, I've been trying to reach Vanessa."
"She's unavailable."
A pause.
"Everything all right?"
Richard leaned against the desk.
"You tell me."
"I don't understand."
Richard's voice remained even.
"Olivia Bennett is here."
Silence.
Longer this time.
Finally Daniel laughed.
"I haven't heard that name in years."
"You will."
"What does that mean?"
"She's talking."
Daniel's breathing became audible.
Then he answered quietly.
"Be careful who you trust."
The line disconnected.
Richard slowly lowered the phone.
"He hung up."
Olivia looked terrified.
"He's running."
The IT Director
Forty minutes later, the company's IT director arrived.
His name was Kevin Marshall.
He carried a laptop and several encrypted hard drives.
Richard wasted no time.
"I need security footage from three years ago."
Kevin looked uncomfortable.
"Sir..."
"What?"
"It was deleted."
"I know."
Kevin nodded.
"But..."
He connected one of the drives.
"...our system automatically creates emergency backups every ninety days."
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"You still have them?"
Kevin hesitated.
"I wasn't supposed to."
"What does that mean?"
"When Daniel ordered us to erase the files..."
"I copied one archive before deleting the server."
The room became perfectly still.
Richard stepped closer.
"You disobeyed him?"
Kevin nodded.
"Something didn't feel right."
Richard placed a hand on his shoulder.
"For the first time tonight..."
"...I'm grateful someone ignored an order."
The Recovery
The computer screen lit up.
Folders appeared one after another.
Three years.
Old surveillance files.
Hundreds of recordings.
Kevin searched by date.
Finally...
One file appeared.
Office Corridor – 2:17 A.M.
Olivia gasped.
"That's it."
Kevin clicked Play.
The black-and-white video filled the screen.
The hallway outside Michael's office.
A timestamp glowed in the corner.
2:16:48 A.M.
The elevator doors opened.
Daniel stepped out first.
He looked exactly as Olivia remembered.
Calm.
Confident.
He unlocked Michael's office.
Then another figure entered behind him.
The image wasn't clear enough to identify the face.
Only the outline.
A woman.
Tall.
Wearing heels.
Long hair.
Vanessa leaned toward the screen.
"That's not me."
Richard didn't answer.
The woman disappeared into Michael's office.
Twenty-three minutes later...
Daniel came out carrying a thick manila envelope.
The woman followed.
She was wearing gloves.
Kevin froze the frame.
Richard stared.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Maya suddenly spoke.
"Zoom in."
Kevin enlarged the image.
The picture became grainy.
But one detail remained visible.
The woman wore a bracelet.
A thick silver bracelet with a distinctive emerald charm.
Vanessa immediately lifted her wrist.
Nothing.
She wasn't wearing one.
Olivia slowly whispered,
"Vanessa never wore bracelets."
Richard looked carefully.
Then his eyes widened.
He had seen that bracelet before.
Hundreds of times.
Not on Vanessa.
On someone else.
His own sister-in-law.
Daniel's wife.
Caroline Cole.
Another Lie
Everyone stared at the frozen image.
Richard felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath him.
"If that's Caroline..."
He looked at Olivia.
"Then why did you say Vanessa?"
Olivia's face turned white.
"I..."
She closed her eyes.
"I remembered wrong."
"No."
Maya quietly shook her head.
"You didn't."
Olivia looked at her.
"What?"
"You weren't mistaken."
"You were frightened."
Olivia's tears began to fall.
"I promised..."
"Promised who?"
She buried her face in her hands.
"Daniel."
The room fell silent.
"He made me swear that if anyone ever asked..."
"...I would blame Vanessa."
Richard's heartbeat quickened.
"Why?"
Olivia looked at him with haunted eyes.
"Because Vanessa was never supposed to be the mastermind."
She took a shaky breath.
"She was only supposed to become the perfect suspect."
A Message from an Unknown Number
Before anyone could react, Maya's phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
No name.
No photo.
Only seven words.
Stop helping Richard... or you're next.
Attached was a photograph.
Maya's apartment building.
Taken only minutes earlier.
Someone was watching her.
Richard read the message over her shoulder.
His expression turned cold.
He slowly looked toward the security chief standing outside the study door.
"Double the guards."
"Yes, sir."
"No one touches Miss Torres."
The guard nodded.
Richard turned back toward Maya.
From this moment forward...
She was no longer just a waitress who had interrupted a dinner.
She had become the most dangerous witness in a conspiracy that had been hidden inside the Cole family for three years.
And somewhere in Chicago...
Daniel Cole already knew exactly where she was.
May you like
End of Chapter 4
Next: Chapter 5 – The Family That Lied
