Chapter 8: The Lie Nia Never Told Me
I stared at the photograph for nearly a minute.
Nia’s mother.
That was impossible.
I had met her dozens of times.
She was the woman who hugged me at Christmas.
The woman who cried when Nia and I announced our engagement.
The woman who told me I was “the son she never had.””
Now she was standing beside my father in a photograph I had never seen.
A photograph someone had left at my father’s abandoned house.
A photograph meant to destroy every assumption I had.
My phone rang.
Nia.
I watched the screen light up.
A week ago, I would have answered instantly.
A month ago, I would have defended her.
But now?
I let it ring.
Then it rang again.
And again.
Finally, a message appeared.
*Please. We need to talk. Alone.*
I almost deleted it.
Almost.
Then I remembered something.
The truth rarely came from the people who wanted to talk.
It came from the things they tried to hide.
I drove to a small coffee shop downtown.
The same place where Nia and I had our first date.
That memory hurt more than I expected.
Because I couldn’t tell which moments were real anymore.
Nia was already sitting there.
She looked exhausted.
No makeup.
No perfect wedding appearance.
Just a person who looked like she hadn’t slept.
When she saw me, she stood.
“Marcus.””
I stayed standing.
“Talk.””
Her eyes dropped.
“I know you hate me.””
“I don’t know what I feel.””
That seemed to hurt her more.
“I never wanted things to happen this way.””
I almost smiled.
“Everyone says that after they get caught.””
She looked away.
“I made mistakes.””
“You knew about the trust.””
“Yes.””
“You searched my documents.””
“Yes.””
“You planned to marry me because of money.””
“No.””
The answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
I leaned forward.
“Then explain.””
She wiped her eyes.
“I knew about the trust, but that wasn’t why I loved you.””
I said nothing.
Because love was a word people used when they wanted forgiveness.
“I was scared,” she continued.
“Of what?””
“My family.””
I frowned.
“What does your family have to do with this?””
She looked around the café.
Then lowered her voice.
“My mother.””
The photograph flashed in my mind.
“What about her?””
Nia swallowed.
“She has been hiding things for years.””
“Like what?””
“She knew your father.””
I stared at her.
“I know.””
Her face changed.
“How?””
I placed the photograph on the table.
The moment she saw it, all the color left her face.
“You found that.””
“You recognize it.””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
“What happened?””
Nia looked down.
“My mother worked for your father.””
“Everyone worked for my father, apparently.””
Her eyes filled with guilt.
“She wasn’t just an employee.””
“Then what was she?””
Nia whispered:
“His accountant.””
The word landed heavily.
“And?””
“She handled the company finances.””
I thought about the documents.
The transfers.
The missing money.
My father’s investigation.
“Was she stealing from him?””
Nia looked terrified.
“I don’t know.””
“But you suspected.””
“Yes.””
I sat back.
“Then why did you try to stop me from opening the envelope?””
She looked ashamed.
“Because I knew what was inside.””
“What?””
“The documents connecting my mother to your father’s investigation.””
I stared at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because my mother threatened me.””
My anger paused.
“What did she threaten?””
Nia’s hands trembled.
“She told me if I exposed her, she would make sure everyone believed I helped her.””
A strange silence settled between us.
For the first time, Nia didn’t look like someone manipulating me.
She looked scared.
But fear didn’t erase what she did.
“You still lied.””
“I know.””
“You still tried to marry me while hiding this.””
“I know.””
“Your friend Andre was involved.””
She looked away.
“Yes.””
My jaw tightened.
“How?””
“Because Andre helped my mother.””
The room spun slightly.
“So the wedding wasn’t just about my money.””
“No.””
“Then what was it?””
Nia looked at me.
And whispered:
“My mother needed access to something only you could unlock after the wedding.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
Before she answered, the café door opened.
A man walked in.
Daniel.
The man from the phone.
He looked directly at me.
Then at Nia.
And his expression changed.
“Marcus,” he said.
“You need to leave.””
I stood.
“Why?””
May you like
Daniel looked at Nia.
“Because she isn’t the only person who followed you here.””
