Chapter 8 - Thomas Wanted The Missing Account
The ledger documented years of unauthorized transfers.
But Thomas’s recent interest in Ethan was not primarily about avoiding
old charges.
One account remained unresolved.
Claire’s mother had created an education trust for Mason shortly after
his birth.
Thomas had secretly borrowed against assets connected to it.
When Claire discovered the irregularity, she moved part of the trust
under independent control.
Thomas could not find the final account credentials.
He believed Claire gave them to Ethan.
Ethan knew nothing.
Thomas apparently refused to believe that.
The surveillance was designed to learn whether Ethan accessed the
account.
Mason became part of the monitoring because Thomas thought Claire might
have hidden information among the boy’s belongings.
Ethan exploded when Detective Grant explained.
“He was watching a child over bank records?”
“That appears to be part of it.”
“Did he plan to hurt Mason?”
“We don’t have evidence of that.”
Ethan forced himself to hear the distinction.
Surveillance was frightening.
It did not automatically mean kidnapping or physical violence.
Facts mattered.
Thomas was charged based on financial evidence and more recent conduct
investigators could prove.
The case would take time.
Meanwhile, Mason started seeing a child therapist.
The first sessions revealed something Ethan had missed.
Vanessa’s food punishment was only one part.
She had also required Mason to keep a notebook of “mistakes.”
Forgot backpack.
Talked back.
Left shoes downstairs.
Cried too long.
Mentioned Mom to hurt Vanessa.
Ethan read the pages and felt ashamed.
Not because he had created the rules.
Because the notebook had sat inside Mason’s backpack for months.
He had never looked.
One entry broke him.
I cried because I forgot Mom’s voice for a second. Vanessa said I was
doing it for attention.
Ethan put the notebook down.
Mason watched him.
“Are you mad?”
“No.”
“At her?”
“Yes.”
Mason looked nervous.
Ethan softened.
“But I’m not going to do anything scary.”
“Okay.”
“I’m also mad at myself.”
“Why?”
“Because I wasn’t paying enough attention.”
Mason immediately defended him.
“You were working.”
“That explains where I was.”
Ethan touched the notebook.
“It doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have noticed you were hurting.”
Mason began crying.
Ethan opened his arms.
His son climbed into them.
“I miss Mom.”
“I know.”
“Sometimes I don’t remember her.”
“That happens.”
“Does it mean I didn’t love her?”
Ethan’s eyes filled.
“No. Never.”
That night, they listened to old videos of Claire laughing.
No investigation.
No Thomas.
May you like
No Vanessa.
Just her voice.
