Chapter 7
Daniel Foster disappeared the next morning.
But he didn't make it out of the country.
Investigators stopped him before he boarded an international flight.
By then, Patricia had coordinated with law enforcement, preserved our evidence, and helped me report the suspected financial crimes.
I didn't feel relief when she called.
Not immediately.
I felt exhausted.
For days, I had lived inside a nightmare.
Now the people responsible were finally being questioned.
But my marriage was still broken.
And no arrest could repair that.
I sat in Patricia's office when she explained the developments.
“Daniel is being investigated for conspiracy, financial fraud, and identity-related offenses.”
I nodded.
“Richard?”
“Investigators are examining his role. Several accounts and records have been preserved.”
“What about Terrence?”
“He's cooperating through counsel.”
I looked down.
“And Nia?”
Patricia hesitated.
“Her involvement is still being investigated.”
I closed my eyes.
I had known that question was coming.
My wife had helped Daniel.
She had allowed him into our home.
She had tried to convince me to change business ownership arrangements.
But I still didn't know exactly which parts of the financial scheme she understood.
I wanted the truth.
Even if it destroyed the last pieces of our marriage.
That afternoon, Nia called.
I answered from my car.
“Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“Can we meet?”
I stared through the windshield.
“Why?”
“I need to tell you everything.”
I closed my eyes.
“You should have done that on our anniversary.”
“I know.”
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, “Please.”
I agreed to meet her in a public café the following morning.
I arrived early.
I chose a table near the window.
When Nia entered, I barely recognized her.
Her hair was pulled into a loose bun.
She wore jeans and a plain white sweater.
There was no makeup on her face.
She looked tired.
She sat across from me.
“Thank you for coming.”
I nodded.
She stared at her hands.
“I don't know where to start.”
“Start with the truth.”
She swallowed.
“Daniel and I started talking more when you were busy with the Riverside project.”
I said nothing.
“He listened when I complained about feeling alone.”
I looked at her.
“Did you ever tell me you felt that way?”
She hesitated.
“Not clearly.”
I nodded.
“Continue.”
She wiped her eyes.
“He told me I deserved more attention.”
I felt my chest tighten.
“He made me feel important.”
I looked away.
She continued.
“At first, it was messages. Then lunches. Then I started hiding things.”
“How long before you slept with him?”
“About two months.”
I nodded.
She began crying.
“I kept telling myself I would stop.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
She looked at me.
“Because I liked how he made me feel.”
The honesty hurt.
But I needed it.
She swallowed.
“Then he started talking about your company.”
I leaned forward.
“What did he say?”
“He said Richard wanted to invest in Bennett Construction.”
“And?”
“He told me you were too proud to accept help.”
I almost laughed.
“He didn't need me to accept help. He needed me to surrender control.”
“I know that now.”
“When did you realize it?”
She hesitated.
“About three weeks ago.”
I stared at her.
“Three weeks?”
She nodded.
“And you still planned to leave me on our anniversary?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I thought if I stayed with Daniel, everything would work out.”
I looked at her.
“For whom?”
She didn't answer.
I leaned back.
“Nia, did you ever love me?”
Her face crumpled.
“Yes.”
“Then how did we get here?”
She cried harder.
“Because I was selfish.”
That was the first answer she gave me that didn't blame my work.
Didn't blame loneliness.
Didn't blame Daniel.
Just herself.
I looked down.
“Did you know about the forged signature?”
“No.”
“Did you authorize the holding company?”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“Why?”
“Daniel said it would help us prepare for the investment.”
“Did you understand what it meant?”
“Not completely.”
I stared at her.
“You used my name.”
She nodded.
“I did.”
“Without asking me.”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
She continued.
“I thought if the deal went through, you'd eventually agree.”
I looked at her.
“That isn't how marriage works.”
“I know.”
“That's not how business works either.”
She nodded.
Then she whispered, “I'm ready to cooperate with the investigation.”
I studied her.
“Why?”
“Because I don't want to keep lying.”
I wanted to believe her.
But trust wasn't something she could demand.
It was something she had destroyed.
We sat quietly.
Then she reached into her purse.
I flinched.
The movement reminded me of our anniversary.
The white envelope.
The separation papers.
But this time, she pulled out a small velvet box.
My heart tightened.
“I found this under your napkin.”
She placed it on the table.
I recognized it immediately.
The anniversary necklace.
She opened the box.
Inside was the gold pendant I had bought.
The engraving read:
M + N
FOREVER BEGAN WITH US
JUNE 14
Nia began crying.
“I didn't even notice it that night.”
I stared at the necklace.
“I know.”
She pushed it toward me.
“I don't deserve this.”
I looked at her.
Then I closed the box.
“No,” I said quietly. “You don't.”
Her face crumpled.
I put the box in my pocket.
She wiped her cheeks.
“Marcus, I don't expect you to forgive me.”
I said nothing.
“But I want you to know I never planned to hurt you this badly.”
I looked at her.
“Nia, you don't get to choose how much your betrayal hurts.”
She lowered her head.
I stood.
She looked up quickly.
“Are we really over?”
I stared at the woman I once believed I would grow old beside.
Then I answered as gently as I could.
“I don't know what our future looks like.”
Her eyes filled.
“But I know I can't go back to the marriage we had.”
I left the café.
For the first time, I didn't feel the need to chase an explanation.
I had heard enough.
That evening, Patricia called.
“Marcus, we found something important.”
I sat down.
“What?”
“The investigators obtained records showing Daniel made transfers to several accounts controlled by Richard.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
“But there's another transaction.”
My stomach tightened.
“What transaction?”
“A payment made directly to someone connected to your family.”
I froze.
“Who?”
Patricia hesitated.
“Jasmine.”
I stood so quickly my chair fell backward.
“My sister?”
“Yes.”
I stared at the wall.
“That isn't possible.”
“Marcus, we need to understand why Daniel sent her twenty-five thousand dollars.”
My mouth went dry.
Jasmine.
The person who warned me.
The person who held me while I cried.
The person who helped uncover the scheme.
I looked at my phone.
May you like
Her name was at the top of my recent calls.
And suddenly, I had no idea who I could trust.
