The Teddy Bear Held Her Mother's Secret

CHAPTER 3 - What Happened the Night Emily Died

Jonathan confronted Vanessa in the library.

She denied everything.

She claimed Emily had been paranoid and Luna was using Caroline to gain money.

"You are trusting a maid over the woman you planned to marry," Vanessa said.

"I am trusting my daughter."

Vanessa's face hardened.

"Your daughter needs professional help."

Evelyn placed the bottle of sleeping medicine on the table.

"No. She needed someone to protect her from you."

Vanessa tried to leave, but police officers were already waiting outside.

The video alone was not enough to arrest her for Emily's death. However, investigators could question her about the stolen pension money and the medicine given to Caroline.

Felix Ward disappeared before police reached his home.

That afternoon, Luna told Jonathan the rest of Teresa's story.

On the night before Emily's accident, Teresa saw Vanessa leaving the garage. The next morning, she found a damaged brake hose in a rubbish bin.

Teresa took it and contacted the police.

Before she could give a formal statement, someone entered her home and searched every room. A man later warned her that Luna would be hurt if she continued asking questions.

Teresa became frightened and remained silent.

But she kept the brake hose, the mechanic's invoice, and a recording of the threat.

Luna led investigators to a storage unit rented under her mother's name.

The missing evidence was still inside.

The invoice included Felix's signature.

Police arrested the mechanic that evening. He admitted Felix paid him to damage Emily's brakes. Vanessa had planned the crime because Emily discovered the pension theft.

Felix was arrested at an airport while attempting to leave the country.

He offered a full confession in exchange for a reduced sentence.

The conspiracy went further than Jonathan expected.

Vanessa had been using Caroline's sleeping medicine to make the child appear emotionally unstable. After the wedding, she intended to send Caroline to a private institution and take control of the trust containing Emily's company shares.

Jonathan sat beside his daughter's bed that night.

"I should have known you were afraid."

Caroline held her teddy bear.

"You were always working."

"I thought working was how I took care of you."

Caroline looked toward Luna, who stood near the door.

"Luna listens."

Jonathan nodded.

"Then I need to learn how to listen too."

A police officer entered carrying Vanessa's phone.

Investigators had recovered a message sent only an hour earlier.

Remove the child before she tells him about the medicine.

The message had been sent to someone inside the Ashford house.

Vanessa and Felix had been arrested, but one of their accomplices was still close to Caroline.