Chapter 8- THE STAR NECKLACE
1626 Words
She would have to uncover it herself.
Veronica stood motionless, staring at the photograph in Victor's hand.
The woman standing beside Daniel was unfamiliar.
She searched her memory, trying to place the face.
Nothing.
She looked at Umoru.
“Daddy, who is that woman?”
Umoru did not answer.
His silence frightened Veronica more than anything Victor had said.
Michael moved closer to the window.
“Victor is still outside.”
“Should we call the police?” Mama Umoru asked.
“Yes,” Veronica replied immediately.
Michael took out his phone.
But before he could make the call, Victor turned around and walked back toward his vehicle.
“Wait!” Veronica shouted.
She rushed toward the door.
Umoru caught her arm.
“Don't go outside.”
“Why?”
“We don't know what he wants.”
“He knows something about Daniel.”
“And that is exactly why you shouldn't confront him.”
Veronica stopped.
Victor opened the car door.
Before getting inside, he looked toward the house one last time.
Then he drove away.
Michael quickly wrote down the vehicle details.
“We should give this to the police.”
Veronica nodded.
“But first, I want to know what happened.”
She turned toward Umoru.
“You knew Victor was involved in Daniel's past. You knew Daniel was with him the night he disappeared. Now Victor has returned, and you still haven't told me everything.”
Umoru lowered his eyes.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from the truth?”
He sighed.
“There are things I should have explained much earlier.”
“Then explain them now.”
Umoru sat down.
“When Daniel was younger, he became involved in a business that was bigger than he could manage. Victor introduced him to several investors. At first, everything worked.”
“What changed?”
“Money began disappearing.”
“Was Daniel responsible?”
“No.”
Umoru's answer was firm.
“But he was careless. He trusted the wrong people.”
Veronica looked at the photograph again.
“And the woman?”
Umoru shook his head.
“I don't know who she is.”
Veronica studied his face.
“You're lying.”
“I am not.”
“You hesitated.”
Umoru remained silent.
Mama Umoru spoke softly.
“Maybe you should tell her.”
Umoru looked at his wife.
“Not here.”
Veronica's frustration grew.
“Why not?”
“Because Daniel should be the one to explain.”
“He is in police custody!”
Umoru closed his eyes.
“I know.”
Veronica looked toward Michael.
“Can we see him tonight?”
Michael shook his head.
“Not unless the police allow it.”
“Then tomorrow morning.”
She turned back to Umoru.
“I need you to promise me something.”
“What?”
“No more secrets.”
Umoru nodded slowly.
“I promise.”
Later that night, Veronica went upstairs with her daughter.
She placed the baby in her cot and sat beside her.
The little girl slept peacefully, unaware of the danger surrounding her family.
Veronica picked up her phone and looked at the photograph again.
She zoomed in.
Daniel's face was younger.
Victor stood beside him.
The mysterious woman was smiling.
Veronica noticed something.
Around the woman's neck was a necklace.
A small silver pendant shaped like a star.
She had seen it before.
But where?
She searched through her memories.
Then she remembered.
Amara had worn a similar necklace during her first visit to the Umoru house.
Veronica's eyes widened.
Could the woman in the photograph be Amara?
She quickly rejected the thought.
The woman looked different.
Her hairstyle was shorter, and the photograph appeared to have been taken many years ago.
Still, the necklace bothered her.
Veronica searched through old pictures on her phone.
She found the photograph from the day Amara came to the house.
The pendant was there.
Her heart began pounding.
Maybe there was a connection.
She immediately called Michael.
“Michael, I need to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Do you know if Amara had any connection to Victor?”
There was a long pause.
“I don't know.”
“You're hesitating.”
“Veronica, why are you asking?”
“I noticed something in the photograph Victor showed us.”
“What?”
“A necklace.”
Michael became quiet.
“Why does that matter?”
“Because Amara owns the same kind.”
“I don't think that's enough to prove anything.”
“I know. But I need to find out.”
Michael sighed.
“I can check the old company records.”
“Please do.”
“I'll call you when I find something.”
The next morning, Veronica woke early.
She barely slept.
After feeding her daughter, she went downstairs.
Umoru was already sitting in the living room.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Daddy.”
He looked at her carefully.
“Did you sleep?”
“Not really.”
“Neither did I.”
Veronica sat opposite him.
“Tell me about the woman.”
Umoru sighed.
“I don't know her name.”
“But you've seen her before?”
He hesitated.
“Once.”
“Where?”
“At one of Daniel's business meetings.”
“Why didn't you say that yesterday?”
“Because I wasn't certain she was the same person.”
“Who was she?”
“I believe she worked with one of the investors.”
Veronica frowned.
“What was she doing with Daniel and Victor?”
“I don't know.”
Before Umoru could continue, Michael entered the house.
“I found something.”
Veronica stood.
“What?”
Michael held a folder.
“I checked the old records.”
He placed them on the table.
“There was a woman connected to the company.”
“What was her name?”
Michael opened the folder.
“Lydia.”
Veronica's heart skipped.
“Lydia?”
“Yes.”
“Is she the woman in the photograph?”
Michael nodded.
“I'm almost certain.”
Umoru looked troubled.
“What does the file say?”
Michael continued reading.
“Lydia worked as an accountant for one of the investors. She had access to financial records.”
Veronica felt a chill.
“So she could have known about the missing money.”
“Exactly.”
“Where is she now?”
Michael shook his head.
“That's the strange part.”
“What?”
“She disappeared around the same time Victor left.”
Veronica stared at him.
“Both of them disappeared?”
“Yes.”
Umoru stood abruptly.
“That is enough.”
Veronica turned toward him.
“No. It isn't.”
“Veronica—”
“You promised no more secrets.”
Umoru looked at her.
She continued.
“If Lydia disappeared with Victor, and now Victor has returned, she may know what happened.”
Michael nodded.
“That's what I think too.”
Just then, Veronica's phone rang.
The number was unknown.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A familiar woman's voice replied.
“Veronica.”
She recognized it immediately.
“Amara?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you calling me?”
“I heard about Daniel.”
Veronica's expression hardened.
“How?”
“People talk.”
“Amara, I need to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Do you know Victor?”
Silence.
Veronica waited.
Finally, Amara answered.
“Yes.”
Veronica's heart dropped.
“How?”
“I knew him years ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I thought it was no longer important.”
“It is important now.”
“I know.”
“Do you know Lydia?”
Amara stopped breathing for a moment.
Veronica noticed the hesitation.
“You do.”
“Veronica, listen to me.”
“Who is she?”
“I can't explain over the phone.”
“Then meet me.”
“That's dangerous.”
“For whom?”
“For you.”
Veronica stood.
“I'm already in danger.”
Amara became quiet.
Then she whispered,
“Lydia is not the person you should be looking for.”
Veronica's heart raced.
“Then who should I look for?”
Amara took a deep breath.
“Ask your father-in-law what happened to the money before Daniel met you.”
Veronica looked toward Umoru.
He had heard enough to understand what Amara was saying.
“What money?”
Amara's voice became even quieter.
“The money that disappeared before Victor ever became involved.”
The call ended.
Veronica slowly lowered her phone.
Umoru's face had gone pale.
She stared at him.
“What money was she talking about?”
He said nothing.
“Daddy?”
Still nothing.
Veronica stepped closer.
“You promised me there would be no more secrets.”
Umoru finally looked at her.
“There was another account.”
“What account?”
“An account that belonged to the family.”
Veronica's eyes widened.
“What happened to it?”
Umoru looked toward the stairs.
Then he whispered,
“That money was transferred the night Daniel was born.”
Veronica froze.
“What?”
Umoru's voice trembled.
“And the person who made the transfer was not Daniel.”
“Who was it?”
He looked directly into Veronica's eyes.
“It was me.”
Veronica could barely breathe.
The secret she thought belonged to Daniel's past had suddenly reached much deeper.
It had begun with Umoru.
And it had started before Daniel was even old enough to understand what money meant.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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