Chapter 5 - The Wife Before Claire
Julian’s first wife was named Rebecca Shaw.
According to Julian, she left him after stealing company money.
He claimed she moved overseas and never contacted him again.
Claire had believed him.
Inside Harrison’s envelope was a photograph of Rebecca standing beside a damaged car.
The back was dated eleven years earlier.
A police report described a late-night crash near Mercer Lake.
Rebecca’s vehicle had gone through a guardrail.
Her body was never recovered.
Julian had told Claire Rebecca abandoned him.
He had never mentioned the crash.
A handwritten note from Harrison was clipped to the report.
Julian said Rebecca was driving.
I saw him return home that night covered in blood.
Claire felt the vault walls close around her.
Rachel read the report carefully.
“This is not proof that Julian killed her.”
“No,” Claire said. “But it proves he lied about what happened.”
The flash drive contained Harrison’s private video diary.
In one recording, Harrison sat in his library, weak but alert.
“If Julian ever tries to take Maya from Claire, it means he is using the same strategy he used against Rebecca.”
Harrison explained that Rebecca had discovered Julian stealing money from early investors.
She threatened to expose him.
Julian began telling friends she was mentally unstable.
He forged medical records.
He coached employees to describe her as violent.
Then Rebecca disappeared.
Claire’s blood turned cold.
Julian was repeating the same pattern.
Different wife.
Same accusations.
Harrison’s video continued.
“I failed Rebecca because I protected my son. I will not fail Claire and Maya.”
Suddenly, the vault lights went out.
An alarm sounded.
Smoke drifted through the air vents.
Daniel pulled Claire away from the table.
“Fire alarm. We need to move.”
The bank manager opened the vault door.
Sprinklers activated in the lobby.
People ran toward the exits.
Julian was gone.
Claire looked back at the blue box.
The flash drive was no longer in her hand.
Someone had taken it during the confusion.
Then Maya’s stuffed rabbit began ringing from inside Claire’s bag.
She opened the zipper.
A small phone had been hidden inside.
Julian’s voice came through the speaker.
May you like
“You should have left Rebecca buried.”
👉 Julian had stolen Harrison’s flash drive, but his threat confirmed that Rebecca’s disappearance was far more than an old family scandal.
