Chapter 6 - THE ROOM BEHIND THE WINE CELLAR
Rachel advised me not to guess what Clara meant.
I guessed anyway.
The Vance estate contained a security room behind the wine cellar. Ethan had shown it to me once while we were engaged. Hundreds of camera feeds covered gates, hallways, gardens, and reception rooms.
I convinced myself the floral device had transmitted there.
Instead of waiting for discovery, I drove to the estate.
That was my second major mistake.
The gate denied access.
I used an old code Ethan had never changed.
Inside, I entered through the service corridor and reached the wine cellar before security stopped me.
I saw only one open monitor.
My own apartment appeared on it.
Lena’s apartment.
Harper’s temporary nursery.
A live image from inside the room where my daughter slept.
Security detained me until police arrived.
I reported the illegal surveillance.
Victoria reported trespassing.
The police found no active feed when they entered the room with a warrant several hours later. The monitors displayed only estate cameras.
Victoria claimed I had imagined the image.
My description of the nursery was accurate because I lived there.
The trespass weakened me in family court.
The judge did not remove Harper, but she warned that I was making impulsive choices.
I accepted responsibility.
“I entered without permission because I believed my child was being watched.”
“You had counsel and police available.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you not use them?”
“Because I wanted proof before they erased it.”
The judge’s voice softened without becoming forgiving.
“Fear does not make every method lawful.”
Ethan’s visits continued.
Clara disappeared from them.
His attorney said she had resigned.
The following morning, police found her car near the river.
No body.
Her passport remained at home.
Her phone had been wiped.
Victoria’s attorney suggested Clara fled after fabricating allegations.
Rachel obtained the estate access logs from the night I entered.
The wine-cellar security room had been opened twelve minutes before my arrival.
User: E. Vance.
Ethan had known I was coming.
I had called him from the car, demanding access.
May you like
He reached the room first.
The live feed I saw was gone because my husband erased it.
