Diane Marsh had worked with Vanessa for six years at a mid-size marketing firm.

She had left the company fourteen months ago.

She met Daniel at a coffee shop two days after her call, arriving five minutes early, already seated, hands wrapped around a cup she hadn't touched.

She was perhaps forty-five.

She looked like someone who had rehearsed what she was going to say and was now deciding whether to say it anyway.

"I need to know this won't come back to me," she said.

"I can't promise that," Daniel said.

"But I can tell you I'm not looking to cause you any trouble.

I'm trying to protect my children."

She looked at him for a moment.

Then she nodded.

"There's a woman named Carla," she said.

"She was Marcus's assistant for two years.

She left the company around the same time I did.

The three of us — Carla, me, and one other woman — we all left within four months of each other." She paused.

"That wasn't a coincidence."

"What happened?"

"Marcus was using the company.

Not just the resources — the relationships.

He had a pattern.

He identified women who were isolated in some way.

Married, stressed, feeling invisible.

He was very good at seeing that." She looked at her cup.

"Vanessa wasn't the only one.

She was just the one who stayed the longest."

Daniel kept his voice steady.

"How long did you know about them?"

"I suspected for about a year.

I knew for certain about eight months before I left." She looked up.

"The reason I'm telling you this is Carla.

Carla has emails.

From Marcus to Vanessa, from the period when Vanessa was pregnant with Sophie.

Carla was managing his calendar and his correspondence — he trusted her because he didn't think she was paying attention."

"What do the emails say?"

"That Marcus knew Vanessa was pregnant.

That he knew the child was likely his.

That he told her — in writing — to stay with you.

To maintain the marriage.

To not make any claims on him." Diane's voice was flat.

"He told her Sophie was a complication he couldn't afford.

Those were his words.

A complication he couldn't afford."

Daniel sat with that for a moment.

"And now he's filing for visitation rights."

"Now he's filing." Diane's mouth pressed thin.

"Carla thinks it's about money.

Vanessa's family has assets — her father's estate.

Carla thinks Marcus found out about the inheritance and recalculated."

"Sophie's inheritance."

"Yes."

Daniel looked out the window at the street.

A woman walked past with a pushchair.

He watched her until she was gone.

"Will Carla speak to my lawyer?"

"That's why I'm here.

She'll speak to your lawyer.

She'll provide the emails." Diane finally picked up her cup.

"She has a daughter of her own.

She said she couldn't sit on this anymore."

Daniel called Carol from the car park outside.

"I need you to speak to someone," he said.

"Today if possible."

"Who?"

"A woman named Carla.

She has emails from Marcus Hale.

From the period of Vanessa's pregnancy." He looked at the coffee shop door.

"He told Vanessa in writing to stay in the marriage and say nothing.

He called Sophie a complication."

Carol was quiet for two seconds.

"Send me her contact details."

"I'll have them within the hour."

"Daniel." Carol's voice shifted slightly.

"If those emails are what you're describing, this changes the shape of his filing considerably.

A man who told the mother of his child to conceal the paternity and maintain a false marriage — who called that child a complication — is going to have a very difficult time presenting himself to a court as a devoted father."

"I know."

"Get me those emails."

He got them.