Chapter 12: The Attorney’s Confession
The room felt like it had stopped existing.
All I could see was Evelyn.
The woman who walked through the front door carrying my mother’s final wishes.
The woman who told me she was protecting me.
The woman I trusted.
“I made one mistake.””
Her words repeated in my head.
I shook my head.
“No.””
Evelyn looked devastated.
“Nia…”
“No.””
I stepped backward.
“You knew.””
She closed her eyes.
“I knew some things.””
The anger inside me exploded.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
My voice echoed through the room.
“Some things. Pieces. Mistakes.””
I pointed toward the door.
“But my whole life has been destroyed by everyone’s little pieces of truth.””
Evelyn accepted my anger.
She didn’t defend herself.
That somehow made it worse.
Marcus smiled.
“This is why I kept the letter.””
Evelyn glared at him.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.””
“Oh, I do.””
He looked at me.
“Your mother trusted Evelyn completely.””
I looked at the attorney.
“Did she?””
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.””
“Then why did Marcus know things only you should have known?””
Silence.
A terrible silence.
Finally, Evelyn spoke.
“Because I told him.””
My breath caught.
My father closed his eyes.
Diane looked shocked.
I couldn’t move.
“Why?””
Evelyn looked broken.
“I was blackmailed.””
Nobody expected that.
Even Marcus looked annoyed.
“Don’t make yourself the victim.””
Evelyn turned toward him.
“You threatened my daughter.””
My heart stopped.
“You have a daughter?””
Evelyn nodded.
“She was twenty years old when this happened.””
Marcus looked cold.
“I only asked for information.””
“You threatened her.””
The room became silent.
Evelyn continued.
“Marcus knew where she worked. Where she lived.””
My hands shook.
“So you betrayed my mother to protect your daughter.””
Evelyn looked at me.
“I thought I could control it.””
A painful laugh escaped me.
“Everyone thought they could control it.””
My father looked down.
Diane looked away.
Marcus smiled.
“Exactly.””
Evelyn stepped closer.
“But I never gave him everything.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“What?””
“I gave him false information.””
Everyone froze.
“What are you talking about?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Your mother knew.””
I stared.
“What?””
“She discovered I was being pressured.””
The room went silent.
“She knew I was afraid.””
My eyes widened.
“So my mother knew you were helping Marcus?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she still trust you?””
Evelyn smiled sadly.
“Because she knew I was trying to stop him.””
Marcus laughed.
“That’s not what happened.””
Evelyn looked at him.
“Your mistake was thinking Evelyn Carter was helpless.””
My mother.
Even gone.
Still fighting.
I looked at the documents on the table.
“The evidence.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your mother created copies.””
“How many?””
“Three.””
Marcus’s smile disappeared.
“One was hidden in the house.””
She looked at me.
“One was given to me.””
My father looked confused.
“And the third?””
Evelyn looked toward the window.
“I don’t know.””
That made everyone stop.
“You don’t know?””
“No.””
My mother had kept a secret even from her own attorney.
Marcus suddenly stepped forward.
“Enough.””
For the first time, he looked angry.
Not calm.
Not controlled.
Angry.
“I’m done listening to this.””
He moved toward the table.
Evelyn stepped in front of the documents.
“You’re leaving.””
Marcus smiled.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Nia, you still don’t understand.””
“What?””
“Your mother didn’t hide the final evidence from me.””
He paused.
“She hid it from everyone.””
A chill went through me.
“What are you saying?””
Marcus looked at the staircase.
“I’m saying your mother knew someone would come looking.””
My eyes followed his.
The hallway.
The bedroom.
The house.
Then he said:
“She left the final piece somewhere only you would think to search.””
I looked at him.
“Where?””
Marcus smiled.
“Ask yourself where your mother would hide the one thing she wanted her daughter to find.””
Before anyone could answer, a loud crash came from downstairs.
Everyone turned.
A window had shattered.
My father ran toward the sound.
Then stopped.
Because on the floor beneath the broken glass was a small envelope.
With my name written on it.
May you like
And beneath my name were six words:
*“Your mother knew who killed her.””*
