Chapter 12: They Threatened My Children

For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.

The photograph was still open on my phone.

My three children were standing outside their school, completely unaware that someone had been watching them.

I immediately called their father.

“Are the kids with you?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Don't let them leave with anyone except you or me.”

My voice must have sounded strange because he stopped asking questions.

“Genevieve, what's going on?”

“I'll explain later. Just keep them with you.”

I hung up and turned to my attorney.

“We need police protection.”

He nodded.

“Already calling them.”

Within twenty minutes, investigators were at the office.

The photograph was transferred to a secure device and examined for metadata.

The image had been taken that same afternoon.

From across the street.

Someone had deliberately followed my children.

That was the moment fear turned into anger.

I had been willing to fight for my apartment.

I had been willing to defend myself against false accusations.

But my children were not part of this.

I looked at the investigator.

“Find whoever did this.”

He nodded.

“We will.”

The next morning, security footage from the school was obtained.

A dark sedan had been parked across the street for nearly an hour.

The license plate was partially visible.

Investigators traced it to a private security company.

The company was owned by a man named Victor Hale.

Victor Hale had one major client.

Marcus Vale.

Everything led back to him.

Later that afternoon, investigators searched Daniel's office.

They found a hidden folder on an encrypted drive.

Inside were photographs of my apartment, copies of my purchase agreement, my children's school schedules, and a spreadsheet showing every attempt to pressure me into selling.

There was even a section titled:

“Escalation Plan.”

The first step had been direct negotiation.

The second was the false noise complaint.

The third was the lawsuit.

The fourth was the threat to my reputation.

And the final step was listed in bold.

“Force relocation through personal pressure.”

I stared at those words.

They hadn't planned to scare me for a few days.

They had planned to destroy my ability to stay.

Then investigators found something that made the entire case even darker.

A second payment had been made to Adriana.

The first payment was for the fabricated noise evidence.

The second payment was made after her grandmother died.

The description read:

“Emergency cooperation bonus.”

My attorney looked at me.

“This could explain why she pushed the death claim so aggressively.”

I nodded slowly.

“She was paid more if I was blamed for the death.”

That evening, Adriana requested to speak with me.

I almost refused.

But I agreed.

We met in a secure conference room with investigators nearby.

Adriana looked nothing like the confident woman who had stood in court accusing me of murder.

She looked exhausted.

“Genevieve…”

I raised my hand.

“Don't apologize.”

She lowered her eyes.

“I know what I did was wrong.”

“You lied about my children.”

“You lied about my apartment.”

“You used your grandmother's death to make me look like a criminal.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I know.”

“Why?”

She was silent for a long time.

Finally, she whispered, “Marcus promised to pay for Nonna's medical bills.”

I stared at her.

“He knew you couldn't afford them.”

“Yes.”

“And when she died?”

Adriana's voice broke.

“He told me that if I testified against you, he would make sure I had enough money to bury her.”

I felt no satisfaction hearing it.

Only disgust.

“So you sold your grandmother's death.”

Adriana began sobbing.

“I was desperate.”

I stood.

“So was I.”

“But I didn't destroy someone else's life because I was afraid.”

Before I left, Adriana said one final thing.

“Marcus wasn't acting alone.”

I stopped.

“What do you mean?”

She looked terrified.

“There was someone else at the meetings.”

“Someone who knew everything about your purchase.”

“Someone who had access to your personal records.”

My heart sank.

“Who?”

Adriana shook her head.

“I don't know her name.”

“But everyone called her the buyer's representative.”

“She was the one who told Marcus which pressure tactics would work on you.”

I frowned.

“What did she look like?”

Adriana hesitated.

Then she described a woman I knew.

A woman who had congratulated me when I bought Unit 1608.

A woman who had been standing beside me at the closing table.

My real estate agent.

The person who had helped me buy the apartment in the first place.