Chapter 2: The Man in the Kitchen
Marcus couldn't move.
The man's name was printed at the bottom of the page.
*Darius Coleman.*
Twenty-five thousand dollars.
Marcus read it again.
Then again.
His fingers tightened around the folder.
“Darius?””
The man near the kitchen doorway lowered his head.
Aaliyah whispered, “Please don't.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Don't what?””
She couldn't answer.
Evelyn suddenly stepped toward Darius.
“Go outside.””
Darius looked at her.
“Mrs. Brooks—”
“I said go outside.””
Marcus raised a hand.
“No.””
Everyone stopped.
Marcus pointed toward the chair across from him.
“Sit down.””
Darius hesitated.
“Marcus, this isn't what you think.””
Marcus almost laughed.
“That sentence has never been followed by anything good.””
Darius slowly sat.
Marcus remained standing.
“How do you know my fiancée?””
Darius looked at Aaliyah.
She shook her head.
“Don't look at her,” Marcus said.
“Look at me.””
Darius finally met his eyes.
“We've known each other for a long time.””
“How long?””
“About six years.””
Marcus felt something cold settle in his stomach.
He looked at Aaliyah.
“You've known him for six years?””
“Yes.””
“And you never mentioned him?””
Aaliyah wiped her face.
“There was no reason to.””
Marcus pointed at the folder.
“No reason?””
He dropped the papers onto the table.
“You sent him twenty-five thousand dollars.””
“I borrowed it from you.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You borrowed twenty-five thousand dollars from me without asking?””
“I knew you'd say no.””
The words hung in the room.
Marcus slowly nodded.
“At least that's honest.””
Evelyn interrupted.
“She was going to pay it back.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“With what?””
Evelyn didn't answer.
“With what, Evelyn?””
Silence.
Marcus looked at Darius.
“What was the money for?””
Darius rubbed his palms together.
“It wasn't for me.””
Marcus frowned.
“Then who was it for?””
Darius looked toward Aaliyah.
She whispered, “Tell him.””
Darius took a breath.
“It was for a property.””
Marcus’s eyebrows rose.
“What property?””
“A house.””
Marcus looked at Aaliyah.
“You bought a house?””
“No.””
Darius quickly added, “She didn't buy it.””
“Then what did she do?””
“She made a down payment.””
Marcus felt his jaw tighten.
“On whose house?””
Darius didn't answer.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Whose house?””
Darius looked at Evelyn.
Marcus followed his gaze.
His stomach dropped.
“No.””
Evelyn's face had gone completely white.
Marcus looked from her to Aaliyah.
“You bought your mother a house?””
Aaliyah started sobbing.
“It wasn't supposed to happen like this.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You used wedding money to buy your mother a house?””
“I was going to replace it.””
“When?””
“After the wedding.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“After the wedding?””
He picked up the folder and flipped through it.
“That's why the hotel charges were under Darius's name?””
Darius nodded.
“And the jewelry?””
Darius said nothing.
Marcus looked at Aaliyah.
“You didn't even pay the jeweler directly.””
She lowered her eyes.
“You routed the money through him.””
“I needed someone I could trust.””
Marcus stared at Darius.
“You?””
Darius looked uncomfortable.
“I was helping her.””
Marcus's voice became quieter.
“How many times?””
Darius frowned.
“What?””
“How many times have you helped her hide money from me?””
Darius didn't respond.
Marcus flipped through another page.
“Five payments.””
He counted them.
“Three thousand. Four thousand five hundred. Seven thousand.
Twelve thousand. Twenty-five thousand.””
His eyes narrowed.
“That’s over fifty thousand dollars.””
Aaliyah whispered, “Marcus…”
He held up his hand.
“No.””
He looked at her.
“I'm not finished.””
He pulled out his phone and opened another statement.
“There’s something else.””
Aaliyah froze.
Marcus turned the screen toward her.
“Every time money disappeared from my account, Darius was nearby.””
Darius stood abruptly.
“That doesn't mean anything.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Then explain this.””
He zoomed in on the transaction history.
The final transfer had been made three days earlier.
But underneath it was a note Marcus hadn't noticed before.
*Final payment — before ceremony.*
Marcus looked up.
“Before ceremony?””
Aaliyah covered her face.
Darius went silent.
Marcus felt his heart pounding.
“What ceremony?””
Nobody answered.
Then Marcus noticed something sticking out from beneath the wedding planner.
A second contract.
He pulled it free.
At the top was a name.
Not his.
*Darius Coleman.*
Marcus stared at it.
May you like
Then he looked at Aaliyah.
“Why is your wedding contract signed by another man?””
