Chapter 7: The Secret Nia Was Protecting
I read Andre’s message three times.
*Marcus, don’t meet Nia alone. She knows something about your father’s death that nobody else knows.*
The words felt heavier each time.
My father’s death had always been the one thing in my life I never questioned.
He got sick.
He fought.
He died.
That was the story I grew up with.
But now everything I believed was cracking apart.
I sat in my car outside Vanessa’s house, staring at the message.
Then another notification appeared.
Nia.
*I know you hate me right now. But if you want the truth, meet me at the old lake house. Please come alone.*
The old lake house.
My father’s favorite place.
The place where he used to take me fishing when I was a child.
A place I hadn’t visited since his funeral.
I should have ignored her.
Every part of me screamed not to go.
But I needed answers.
So I drove.
The lake house looked exactly the same.
The wooden porch.
The old fishing dock.
The oak tree where my father carved my initials when I was eight years old.
For a moment, I forgot everything.
I remembered his laugh.
His voice.
The way he used to lift me onto his shoulders.
Then I saw Nia standing near the water.
And the memories disappeared.
She looked different.
Not like the confident woman who screamed at my mother.
Not like the person who lied to me.
She looked scared.
“Marcus.””
I stopped several feet away.
“Start talking.””
She wiped her eyes.
“I know what you found.””
“You mean the truth?””
She looked down.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you lie?””
Her lips trembled.
“Because I was afraid.””
I almost laughed.
Everyone was afraid.
Everyone had an excuse.
“You stole from me.””
“I know.””
“You forged documents.””
“I know.””
“You tried to make me throw my mother out of my wedding.””
Her face tightened.
“I was desperate.””
“Desperate enough to destroy me?””
She looked at the ground.
“I didn’t think it would go this far.””
That answer made me angry.
“You didn’t think?””
I stepped closer.
“You were moving my money. You were changing property documents. You were hiding meetings with lawyers.””
“I never wanted to hurt you.””
“Then what did you want?””
She looked toward the lake.
“I wanted protection.””
“For who?””
She didn’t answer.
“Nia.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“For my father.””
I froze.
“What?””
“My father knew your father.””
The wind moved through the trees.
“What are you talking about?””
She took a deep breath.
“My father worked for your father’s company years ago.””
“And?””
“And he knew about Vanessa. He knew about Ethan.””
I stared at her.
“So your family knew?””
She nodded.
“My father was the one who helped hide the information.””
My stomach twisted.
“Why?””
“Because your father wanted to protect everyone.””
I shook my head.
“No. My father wanted to protect himself.””
Nia looked hurt.
Maybe because she still loved him.
Maybe because she knew something I didn’t.
“My father kept records,” she said.
“What records?””
“About the money. About the trust. About Vanessa.””
I stared at her.
“And you found them?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before we got engaged.””
The confession hit harder than I expected.
“You knew before you said yes to marrying me?””
She started crying.
“I didn’t know what to do.””
“You could have told me.””
“I thought you would hate me.””
“You’re right.””
She looked away.
“I deserve that.””
For the first time, she wasn’t defending herself.
And somehow that made it worse.
“Why the house transfer?””
She swallowed.
“Because I thought if I controlled the inheritance, I could stop everything from falling apart.””
“That makes no sense.””
She looked at me.
“Your father wasn’t killed by cancer.””
The world went silent.
“What?””
Her face went pale.
“He was poisoned.””
I stared at her.
“No.””
“I saw the file.””
“What file?””
“The one my father kept.””
I stepped back.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because the person responsible is still alive.””
My heart pounded.
“Who?””
Nia looked toward the trees.
Then whispered:
“The same person who sent you to Vanessa.””
I felt a chill.
“Who?””
Before she could answer, headlights appeared on the road.
A car stopped near the lake house.
Nia’s expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
“Marcus,” she whispered.
“What?””
She grabbed my arm.
“You need to leave.””
“Who is that?””
The car door opened.
A man stepped out.
An older man.
Gray hair.
Black coat.
Nia looked like she had seen a ghost.
“That’s him.””
“Who?””
She whispered the name.
“Your father’s attorney.””
And then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“Marcus Brooks.””
May you like
He smiled.
“Your father was waiting for you to find me.””
