Chapter 7- FOOTPRINT AT THE HOUSE
1633 Words
The person hiding in the shadows wasn't trying to win Daniel back.
They were trying to destroy the entire Umoru family.
Veronica remained frozen beside the car, the photograph of her daughter still glowing on her phone.
Michael stared at her face.
“What is it?”
She slowly turned the screen toward him.
His expression changed instantly.
“Where did they get this?”
“I don't know.”
“When was this taken?”
Veronica looked carefully at the picture.
Her daughter was asleep in Mama Umoru's arms.
The background looked familiar.
Then she recognized it.
The photograph had been taken outside their house.
Someone had been close enough to see into the compound.
Michael immediately took out his phone.
“We need to get back there.”
Veronica nodded.
“Please drive faster.”
Neither of them spoke during the journey.
Veronica called Mama Umoru.
The phone rang several times before she answered.
“Veronica?”
“Mummy, are you inside?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Lock every door and window. Don't let anyone into the house.”
Mama Umoru became worried.
“What happened?”
“I'll explain when I arrive. Just stay inside.”
“Where are you?”
“On my way.”
The call ended.
Michael increased his speed.
When they reached the compound, the main gate was locked.
Veronica hurried inside.
“Mummy!”
Mama Umoru came from the sitting room with the baby in her arms.
“What is happening?”
Veronica rushed to them and checked her daughter.
The little girl was safe.
She kissed her forehead repeatedly.
Mama Umoru looked confused.
“Why are you behaving like this?”
Veronica showed her the photograph.
Mama Umoru stared at it.
Her face went pale.
“Who took this?”
“We don't know.”
“Was someone here?”
“I think so.”
Mama Umoru tightened her arms around the baby.
Michael walked around the compound, checking the windows and doors.
A few minutes later, he returned.
“I found something.”
Veronica turned.
“What?”
He pointed toward the side of the house.
There were faint footprints in the soft ground beneath one of the windows.
Someone had stood there recently.
Veronica's heart pounded.
“They were watching us.”
Michael nodded.
“Probably.”
Mama Umoru's voice trembled.
“Why would anyone want to harm this family?”
Veronica looked at her.
“I don't know.”
But she knew one thing.
They could no longer treat the situation as a simple business dispute.
This was personal.
That night, nobody slept properly.
Umoru returned home shortly before midnight after Veronica called him and explained what had happened.
When he saw the photograph, his expression hardened.
“Who sent this?”
“We don't know,” Michael answered.
Umoru looked at Veronica.
“Did the police see it?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
“They are investigating.”
Umoru paced across the room.
“This has gone too far.”
Veronica watched him.
“Daddy, do you know anyone who would want revenge against Daniel?”
Umoru stopped.
“There are many people in business who become angry when they lose money.”
“I'm not asking about ordinary enemies.”
She showed him the message again.
“This person knows where we live. They know about the baby. They know Daniel is in custody.”
Umoru stared at the photograph.
After a long silence, he spoke.
“There is someone I should have told you about.”
Daniel's father walked toward the sofa and sat down.
“Before Daniel started his current business, I helped him establish another company.”
Veronica listened carefully.
“That company had financial problems. Victor was involved.”
Michael nodded.
“I remember.”
Umoru looked at him.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell Veronica?”
Michael lowered his head.
“We didn't want to frighten her before we had evidence.”
Veronica frowned.
“What happened?”
Umoru sighed.
“Money disappeared. Daniel believed Victor was responsible, but Victor insisted someone else had access to the accounts.”
“Was Amara involved?”
“No.”
The answer came quickly.
Veronica looked surprised.
“How are you so certain?”
“Because I investigated the matter myself.”
Umoru leaned forward.
“Victor disappeared after he was dismissed. We later discovered that some of the missing money had passed through several accounts.”
“Whose accounts?”
“We couldn't identify all of them.”
Veronica's thoughts returned to the message.
Amara's company account.
Victor.
Daniel's authorization.
Someone had carefully created a trail pointing toward Daniel.
“Daddy,” she said slowly, “what if Victor is back?”
Umoru looked at her.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because Michael said he knew the company's system. And now someone is using Daniel's information.”
Michael nodded.
“It is possible.”
Umoru stood.
“Then we need to find him.”
Just then, Veronica's phone rang.
Everyone became silent.
The number was unknown.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A distorted voice came through.
“Did you enjoy the photograph?”
Veronica's blood ran cold.
“Who are you?”
“You should stop asking questions.”
“Where is my husband?”
“He is paying for mistakes that were never his alone.”
“What does that mean?”
The caller laughed softly.
“You really don't know, do you?”
Veronica gripped the phone.
“Know what?”
“The truth about Daniel.”
Her heart began racing.
“I know my husband.”
“No, Veronica. You know the man he became after meeting you.”
She looked at Umoru.
“What are you talking about?”
The voice continued.
“Ask Daniel about the night Victor disappeared.”
The call ended.
Veronica stared at the screen.
“What did they say?” Umoru asked.
She repeated the message.
When she mentioned Victor's disappearance, Umoru's face changed.
Veronica noticed.
“You know something.”
Umoru looked away.
“Daddy?”
“I know what happened.”
“Then tell me.”
“It isn't that simple.”
Veronica's voice became firm.
“My husband is in a police station because someone is framing him. A stranger is threatening my daughter. If you know something that can help us, you have to tell me.”
Umoru remained silent.
Finally, he sat down.
“The night Victor disappeared, Daniel was with him.”
Veronica's eyes widened.
“What?”
“They had a serious argument.”
“About the money?”
“Yes.”
“What happened afterward?”
“Daniel came home alone.”
“And Victor?”
“We never saw him again.”
Veronica's stomach tightened.
“Did Daniel tell you what happened?”
“He said Victor left after their argument.”
“Did you believe him?”
Umoru looked at her.
“At the time, yes.”
Michael suddenly spoke.
“Wait.”
Everyone turned toward him.
“I remember that night.”
“What do you remember?” Veronica asked.
“Daniel called me.”
“When?”
“After midnight.”
“What did he say?”
Michael struggled to remember.
“He sounded frightened.”
“What exactly did he say?”
“He told me something had gone wrong.”
Veronica stepped closer.
“What went wrong?”
Michael shook his head.
“I can't remember the exact words.”
“Try.”
He closed his eyes.
“He said, ‘If anything happens to me, don't trust Victor.’”
Silence filled the room.
Veronica felt a strange chill.
“If Victor disappeared that night, why is someone blaming Daniel now?”
No one answered.
Then Umoru's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice spoke.
“Umoru.”
Umoru's face went pale.
“Who is this?”
“You should have told your family the truth years ago.”
Umoru stood completely still.
“What do you want?”
“You know what I want.”
“I don't have it.”
“You do.”
The caller ended the conversation.
Veronica stared at Umoru.
“What did he mean?”
Umoru slowly lowered the phone.
“I don't know.”
But his voice betrayed him.
Veronica knew he was hiding something.
Before she could question him further, another sound came from outside.
A vehicle stopped near the gate.
Everyone froze.
Michael moved toward the window.
“There's someone outside.”
Umoru reached for the curtain.
Veronica held her daughter tightly.
A figure stepped out of the vehicle.
He stood beneath the security light.
Veronica could not see his face clearly.
Then he looked directly toward the house.
Michael whispered one name.
“Victor.”
Veronica's eyes widened.
The man outside slowly raised his hand.
In it was a photograph.
He held it against the glass as though he wanted them to see it.
Veronica stepped closer.
The photograph showed Daniel.
But he was not alone.
Beside him stood Victor.
And behind them was a woman Veronica had never seen before.
On the back of the photograph, written in bold letters, were six words:
Ask Daniel who she really was.
Veronica's heart sank.
She turned toward the room.
Daniel had always told her that the secrets of his past were finally behind them.
Now a stranger was standing outside her home with proof that there was still another chapter nobody had told her about.
And this time, Veronica knew she could not wait for someone else to reveal the truth.
She would have to uncover it herself.
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