Chapter 3
For several seconds, I thought I'd misunderstood Marcus.
"Your bride said what?"
He stared at his phone.
His hands were shaking.
"Camille says my mother was supposed to die before the ceremony."
I felt sick.
The rooftop seemed to tilt beneath my feet.
Evelyn had nearly fallen twenty-seven floors.
Vanessa had pushed her.
Daniel had disappeared.
And now the bride was speaking as though the attack had been planned.
I looked toward the police officers.
"Tell them."
Marcus nodded.
He walked directly toward the detective who had taken my statement.
Her name was Detective Renee Walker.
She was a tall Black woman in her forties with calm eyes and a voice that made people listen.
Marcus explained the call.
Detective Walker immediately asked whether Camille had said where she was.
He shook his head.
"She wouldn't tell me."
"What exactly did she say?"
Marcus swallowed.
"She said Vanessa wasn't supposed to do it that way."
Detective Walker wrote something down.
"Did she say who planned it?"
He shook his head.
"No."
I stood beside him.
My knees were beginning to throb.
But I couldn't leave.
Something terrible was unfolding.
Detective Walker turned toward me.
"Ms. Carter, we need you to receive medical attention."
I looked down.
Blood had soaked through the knees of my uniform.
My wrist was swollen.
"I'm fine."
She gave me a firm look.
"You saved someone from a serious fall. You need to be examined."
I nodded reluctantly.
A hotel medic cleaned my injuries.
Then I was taken to a nearby hospital for X-rays.
Marcus insisted on accompanying me until staff confirmed he needed to join his mother in another treatment area.
I told him to go.
"She needs you."
He looked torn.
"You shouldn't be alone."
I smiled weakly.
"I've been taking care of myself for a long time."
He didn't smile.
Instead, he said, "That shouldn't always have to be true."
Something about those words stayed with me.
At the hospital, the doctor confirmed I had no broken bones.
My wrist was badly strained.
Both knees were bruised and scraped.
I would need rest.
Rest.
I almost laughed.
I had rent due in ten days.
My younger sister, Lily, needed money for college applications.
And missing work meant losing pay.
The doctor handed me discharge instructions.
I stared at the paper.
How was I supposed to rest?
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
My supervisor.
For a second, I couldn't move.
His name flashed across the screen.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?"
His voice sounded frantic.
"Nia, where are you?"
"At the hospital."
He cursed under his breath.
Then whispered, "You need to leave."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"Don't talk to the police anymore."
I stared at the wall.
"Daniel, what did you give Vanessa?"
Silence.
Then he said, "You don't understand."
I felt anger rising.
"Then explain."
His breathing sounded uneven.
"That envelope wasn't supposed to be opened on the rooftop."
My heart pounded.
"What was inside?"
He hesitated.
"Documents."
"What documents?"
"Nia, listen carefully. You're in danger."
I felt cold.
"From whom?"
He whispered, "Vanessa isn't working alone."
I stared at the hospital door.
"Who else?"
Before he could answer, I heard a loud noise.
A door slamming.
Then Daniel said something that made my blood run cold.
"They found me."
The call ended.
I sat completely still.
Then I called Detective Walker.
She answered immediately.
I told her everything.
The call.
The warning.
The sound of someone entering.
She asked for the number and time.
I gave her both.
Then she said, "Ms. Carter, do not contact Daniel again."
I nodded.
"Okay."
"And do not return to the hotel tonight."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
"Because we don't yet know who else is involved."
I looked down at my purple uniform.
It still had dried champagne on the apron.
I had gone to work expecting an ordinary shift.
Now a detective was telling me I might be in danger.
I called my sister.
Lily answered cheerfully.
"Hey, Nia!"
My throat tightened.
"Where are you?"
"At home."
I closed my eyes.
"Listen carefully. Pack a bag."
Her voice changed.
"What?"
"Just essentials. Clothes, identification, medication."
"Nia, what's wrong?"
I swallowed.
"I'll explain. But I need you to go to Aunt Renee's house tonight."
Lily became frightened.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm safe right now."
That was the most honest answer I could give.
She agreed.
Then I called our aunt.
She promised to pick Lily up immediately.
For the first time that day, I felt a little relief.
Then Marcus appeared outside my hospital room.
He looked exhausted.
His navy suit jacket was gone.
His white shirt was wrinkled.
There were dark circles beneath his eyes.
"How's your wrist?"
I looked at him.
"Strained."
He nodded.
"And your knees?"
"Bruised."
He sat beside me.
"I'm sorry."
I frowned.
"For what?"
"Everything."
I stared at him.
"You didn't push your mother."
He looked down.
"No. But I brought these people into her life."
I didn't know how to answer.
He continued.
"Camille and I have been together for almost two years."
I nodded.
"She always seemed kind."
His voice cracked.
"Now I don't know who she is."
I felt sad for him.
Then I remembered the phone call.
"Marcus, Daniel called me."
His head snapped up.
"What?"
I told him everything.
His expression hardened.
"He's involved."
"Yes."
Marcus rubbed his face.
Then whispered, "I think I know why."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
He hesitated.
Then looked directly at me.
"My mother was going to change her estate documents tomorrow."
I stared at him.
"What?"
He nodded.
"She told me this morning."
I felt cold.
"Change what?"
"Her controlling interests in several companies."
I swallowed.
"Who would benefit?"
Marcus looked away.
Then answered quietly.
"Not Vanessa."
My heart pounded.
He continued.
"Vanessa has been managing some of my mother's investments for years."
I stared at him.
"And?"
"Mom discovered financial irregularities."
I felt sick.
"How serious?"
Marcus looked at me.
"Millions of dollars."
The room went silent.
Then he whispered something that made everything click into place.
"Mom was going to remove Vanessa from every account she controlled."
I stared at him.
And suddenly, the push made terrible sense.
Vanessa wasn't trying to ruin a wedding.
She was trying to stop Evelyn from exposing something much bigger.
But before I could say anything, Marcus's phone vibrated.
A message from Camille.
He opened it.
His face went pale.
I leaned closer.
The message contained a photograph of Evelyn's hospital room.
Taken from the doorway.
Only minutes earlier.
Beneath it were four words.
"She still isn't safe."
May you like
I stopped breathing.
Because someone involved in the attack had found Evelyn again.
