Chapter 2
The man in the gray coat was named Victor Harlan.
And the last time I'd seen him, he'd promised to destroy my family if I ever spoke his name again.
I stood frozen beside our restaurant table.
Marcus followed my gaze.
"Who is that?"
I couldn't answer.
Victor was standing near the entrance, speaking to the hostess.
He looked older than I remembered.
His hair had gone gray around the temples.
But his smile was exactly the same.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
I grabbed Marcus's sleeve.
"Please. We need to leave."
He pulled away.
"Stop avoiding my questions."
"Marcus, I'm begging you."
Vanessa stood.
"Nia, what's happening?"
I looked at her.
"Call the police."
Everyone froze.
Brianna whispered, "What?"
"Call them."
Tasha's face went completely pale.
Victor spotted our table.
He started walking toward us.
My knees weakened.
Marcus stepped between us.
"Who is he?"
Victor stopped a few feet away.
Then smiled.
"Nia Carter."
My heart pounded.
He looked at Marcus.
"And you must be the husband."
Marcus stared at him.
"Do I know you?"
Victor extended his hand.
"Victor Harlan. An old family acquaintance."
I shook my head.
"Stay away from us."
Victor laughed softly.
"That's not very welcoming."
Marcus didn't take his hand.
"What do you want?"
Victor looked at the divorce papers.
His smile widened.
"Looks like I've arrived at an interesting moment."
I felt sick.
He knew.
Somehow, he already knew.
I looked toward Tasha.
She was trembling.
"Did you contact him?"
Her eyes filled.
"Nia, I didn't—"
Victor interrupted.
"Let's not embarrass your friends."
I stared at him.
"You have no right to be here."
He leaned closer.
"Then perhaps you'd prefer I visit Elijah."
My blood froze.
Marcus turned toward me.
"Your brother?"
I closed my eyes.
Victor smiled.
"Ah. So your husband knows he's alive."
My voice broke.
"Don't you dare go near him."
Victor adjusted his coat.
"That depends on whether you're ready to settle your obligations."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Whatever business you have with my wife, you can discuss it with me."
Victor studied him.
Then laughed.
"How noble."
I grabbed Marcus's arm.
"Don't."
He looked at me.
"For once, Nia, tell me what's happening."
I swallowed.
But before I could answer, two uniformed officers entered the restaurant.
Vanessa had called them.
Victor noticed.
His smile faded.
He straightened.
"Well. I suppose we'll continue this another time."
He turned toward me.
"Check your messages."
Then he walked away.
I watched him leave.
My entire body shook.
One officer approached.
"Ma'am, someone reported a threatening situation."
I nodded.
"Yes."
"Did that man threaten you?"
I hesitated.
Victor hadn't directly threatened me in front of them.
But he'd mentioned Elijah.
That was enough.
I explained that he had previously threatened my family and had appeared unexpectedly.
The officer took his description and asked whether I wanted to make a formal report.
"Yes," I whispered.
Marcus stared at me.
I could feel his anger changing into confusion.
The officers collected our information and asked whether we felt safe leaving.
I looked at the restaurant entrance.
"No."
Marcus finally spoke.
"Then I'll take her somewhere safe."
I turned toward him.
He wouldn't meet my eyes.
But he stayed.
After the officers left, Marcus gathered the divorce papers.
"Get your purse."
I stared at him.
"Marcus—"
"Not here."
His voice was sharp.
"We're leaving."
I looked toward my friends.
Vanessa was crying.
Brianna looked frightened.
Tasha stood motionless.
I wanted to scream at her.
To ask why she'd betrayed me.
But I was too exhausted.
I followed Marcus outside.
The ride home was silent.
He drove with both hands gripping the steering wheel.
I sat beside him, staring at the streetlights.
Finally, he spoke.
"Start talking."
I swallowed.
"Please let me explain from the beginning."
He laughed bitterly.
"That would be a nice change."
I looked down.
"Four years ago, my brother Elijah worked as a financial analyst."
Marcus stared ahead.
"You told me he died in a car accident."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because Victor threatened to kill him."
Marcus turned toward me.
"What?"
I took a shaking breath.
"Elijah discovered that Victor was stealing money from a private investment fund."
Marcus slowed the car.
"How much money?"
"Millions."
He looked stunned.
I continued.
"Elijah found records showing Victor was moving money through shell companies and using clients' identities to hide the transfers."
Marcus frowned.
"And he reported it?"
"He tried."
My eyes filled.
"He contacted an attorney. Then Victor found out."
I looked toward the window.
"Two days later, Elijah's apartment was broken into."
Marcus said nothing.
"His computer disappeared. His car was damaged. And someone followed him home from work."
My voice broke.
"Then Victor sent me photographs of our mother outside her church."
Marcus looked at me.
"Your mother?"
I nodded.
"He knew where she lived."
I wiped my cheeks.
"He told Elijah that if he didn't disappear, our entire family would suffer."
Marcus pulled into a quiet parking lot.
He turned toward me.
"Why didn't you go to the police?"
"We did."
I swallowed.
"But the first report didn't lead to an arrest. Victor had lawyers, connections, and enough money to make people afraid."
Marcus shook his head.
"So you staged your brother's death?"
I closed my eyes.
"Elijah went into hiding. The story about his death was something our family agreed to tell people outside a very small circle."
Marcus stared at me.
"Even me?"
My heart broke.
"Yes."
He looked away.
I continued.
"I thought keeping you away from the truth would protect you."
Marcus laughed without humor.
"You let me comfort you while you pretended to mourn him."
Tears rolled down my face.
"I know."
"You let me believe your family had suffered a tragedy."
"I know."
He stared at me.
"How could you?"
I couldn't answer.
Because nothing I said would erase that betrayal.
Marcus looked toward the dashboard.
Then asked, "What about the money?"
I froze.
"The account."
He turned.
"Four hundred and eighty thousand dollars, Nia."
I swallowed.
"That money came from my business."
His eyes narrowed.
"Your consulting business?"
"Yes."
"Then why was it hidden?"
I looked down.
"Because I was helping Elijah."
Marcus stared.
"Helping him do what?"
"Stay alive."
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he asked something that made my chest tighten.
"Did you use our joint money?"
I shook my head.
"No."
"Not a dollar?"
"Not for Elijah."
He leaned back.
"Then why does the report show transfers connected to our company?"
I stared at him.
"What?"
Marcus reached for the folder.
He opened a statement.
"These transfers."
I leaned forward.
The account numbers were unfamiliar.
The dates were recent.
I studied them.
Then my stomach dropped.
"Marcus, I didn't make these."
He stared at me.
"Don't."
"I'm telling you the truth."
He pointed at the page.
"Your name is on the account."
"But I didn't authorize these transfers."
I looked closer.
There was an electronic approval attached to one transaction.
My signature.
Or something that looked like it.
I stopped breathing.
"Someone used my credentials."
Marcus stared at me.
I looked up.
"Whoever accessed that account moved money without my permission."
He shook his head.
"Then who?"
I thought of Tasha.
The laptop.
The documents.
Her lowered eyes.
And suddenly, I understood something terrifying.
Tasha hadn't simply betrayed my secret.
Someone had been using her to reach me.
I grabbed Marcus's arm.
"We need to contact the bank."
He stared at me.
"Why?"
"Because Victor didn't come back for Elijah."
My voice trembled.
"He came back for the money."
Marcus looked down at the statements.
Then at me.
For the first time that night, I saw uncertainty replace his anger.
But before either of us could speak, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
Tell your husband to stop asking questions.
Below it was a photograph.
Our house.
Taken from across the street.
I showed Marcus.
His face went white.
Then another message arrived.
May you like
And this time, it contained three words that made me stop breathing.
ELIJAH IS NEXT.
