The Snake Under Our Roof

I pulled back the bouquet I'd been about to hand her.

Vanessa Hale had just stepped down from the graduation stage.

She was still in her gown, an honors pin fastened near the collar.

A minute earlier she'd stood under the lights and told a full auditorium that without Adrian and Claire Prescott, she'd never have made it this far.

The applause had been thunderous.

I'd been applauding too.

Then three translucent lines appeared in front of my eyes.

No source.

No voice.

They simply hung there.

There weren't many words.

Every one of them landed like a blade.

[Claire Prescott will die.]

[Prescott Logistics will collapse. The estate will be auctioned.]

[And the girl you supported for ten years is the reason.]

I looked at Vanessa.

"How much do you remember of what we've paid for over the years?"

She froze.

I took a step closer.

"Who paid for your mother's two surgeries?

"Who covered four years of housing? Your tuition? Your living expenses?"

My voice hardened.

"Have you spent all this time deciding none of it was help? That it was humiliation?"

The people around us went quiet.

Claire's face changed.

"Adrian," she said under her breath. "It's Vanessa's graduation."

I barely heard her.

My eyes never left Vanessa's face.

She recovered fast.

Too fast.

Her eyes reddened almost on instinct.

"Mr. Prescott, did somebody say something to you about me?"

Her voice was small.

Hurt, restrained, note-perfect.

"I know people say the only reason I got this far is the Prescott family.

"But I've never once thought of you that way.

"I'm just afraid I won't be good enough. That I'll let you and Mrs. Prescott down."

Claire softened immediately.

She took Vanessa's hand.

"Sweetheart, nobody's asking you to repay anything."

Vanessa lowered her head.

One tear fell at exactly the right moment.

Without the translucent text, I'd have thought I'd lost my mind.

Then it flickered again.

[She's performing.]

[Break with her now and she'll say you used money to force her into line.]

[You have no evidence.]

The anger went out of me all at once.

The warning was right. I'd lost control.

Vanessa hadn't done anything yet.

I had nothing on her.

If I pushed any harder, all she had to do was cry and say that after ten years the Prescotts had finally shown her that every dollar came with a leash.

People would believe her.

Because she was the weak one.

Because she was beautiful.

Because ten minutes ago she'd given a flawless speech about gratitude.

I forced the heat in my chest back down.

Then I took the flowers out of her arms.

"That was me. I'm in a bad mood today.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

Vanessa looked up, tears still clinging to her lashes.

"You're not angry with me?"

I looked at her.

"No."

I turned and walked out of the auditorium.

Claire followed me.

"What happened back there?"

"I'll explain at home."

She didn't understand.

Of course she didn't.

For ten years Claire had looked after that girl more carefully than I ever had.

Vanessa had a bad stomach. Claire remembered.

Vanessa got cold easily. Claire remembered.

Every time Denise Hale had a follow-up appointment, Claire drove her herself.

We never had children.

Somewhere along the way, Claire had started treating Vanessa as the closest thing we had to a daughter.

And now I knew that girl was going to kill her.

I got into the car with my palms soaked.

My phone buzzed.

Vanessa.

"Mr. Prescott, did I do something wrong today?"

A nervous little emoji after it.

I looked at the screen for a long time.

Then I answered.

"No. Come home for dinner."

If she wanted to perform, I'd give her a stage.