Chapter 9: The Final Lie
Everyone looked at me.
Everyone except Marcus.
Because Marcus had gone completely still.
The phone remained pressed against my ear.
My mother’s breathing was the only sound.
“Mom,” I whispered.
“What are you talking about?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
And somehow that scared me more.
“Leave that house, Nia.””
I looked around.
Ava.
Daniel.
Marcus.
“Why?””
“Because if Marcus knows you have the letter, it’s already too late.””
My eyes moved to him.
Marcus looked hurt.
But was that real?
I didn’t know anymore.
“Mom, explain.””
Her voice trembled.
“I tried to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
Everyone said that.
Everyone claimed protection after keeping me in the dark.
“By lying to me?””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
A pause.
Then:
“Of what your father discovered.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Nia, put her on speaker.””
I did.
My mother’s voice filled the room.
“Nia?””
“Mom, everyone is here.””
Silence.
Then:
“Marcus is there?””
“Yes.””
My mother exhaled.
“That means I’m too late.””
Marcus’s face changed.
“Mrs. Carter—”
“Don’t call me that.””
Her voice became sharp.
“You know exactly what you did.””
Marcus looked confused.
“I don’t.””
“Don’t lie to me.””
I stared at him.
Because I had heard those words before.
From me.
To him.
My mother continued.
“You were never supposed to know where the shares were.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I didn’t know.””
“Then why did you marry my daughter?””
The question landed heavily.
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Marcus.
Waiting.
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
That hurt.
Because silence was becoming his answer.
Finally he said:
“Because I loved her.””
My mother laughed softly.
A sad sound.
“Love.””
She said the word like it was something fragile.
“Your father used that word too.””
I frowned.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
Everyone became quiet.
My mother continued.
“Your father knew Marcus’s father was planning to take everything from him.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“But you said Marcus’s father betrayed him.””
“He did.””
“Then why did your father trust him?””
My mother answered:
“Because he believed people could change.””
I looked at Marcus.
The same thing I had believed.
My mother sighed.
“Nia, there is something you need to understand.””
“What?””
“The reason Marcus found you wasn’t because of your money.””
I swallowed.
“Then why?””
“Because your father asked his father to protect you.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
My mother continued.
“Marcus was assigned to watch over you.””
I looked at him.
His face went pale.
“I didn’t know.””
My mother’s voice sharpened.
“But you found out.””
Marcus didn’t respond.
I stepped closer.
“When?””
He looked at me.
And I knew.
Before he answered.
“When did you find out who I was?””
His eyes filled with regret.
“The year we got married.””
My heart broke again.
Because even if there was a reason…
Even if there was a bigger secret…
He still chose silence.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You knew everything.””
“No.””
“Enough.””
My voice shook.
“You knew enough to make a choice.””
Marcus looked devastated.
“I was scared.””
“Everyone is scared.””
I pointed around the room.
“Everyone has an excuse.””
My mother spoke again.
“Nia, there is one more thing.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course there was.
“What now?””
“You need to find the original documents.””
“What documents?””
“The ones your father hid.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Where?””
My mother answered:
“Where Marcus proposed.””
I frowned.
“The restaurant?””
“No.””
Her voice lowered.
“The place he took you before that.””
I felt a chill.
Because I remembered.
The first place Marcus ever told me he loved me.
The old abandoned building overlooking the city.
The place he said:
“I feel like I can tell you anything here.””
My mother continued:
“Nia, go there.””
“Why?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because that’s where Marcus hid the truth.””
I looked at Marcus.
His face had lost all color.
“You knew.””
He whispered:
“I didn’t hide anything there.””
I stared at him.
But before I could answer, Daniel’s phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed instantly.
“What?””
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
He slowly turned the phone around.
A news alert was displayed.
*Local businessman Marcus Bennett under investigation after suspected identity fraud allegations.*
My stomach dropped.
“How did they find out?””
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“Because someone reported you.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
“Who?””
Marcus stared at the screen.
Then whispered a name.
A name none of us expected.
“Lauren.””
May you like
And at that moment, I realized the woman I thought was my husband’s secret…
might have been the person trying to expose him all along.
