Chapter 3
I felt every eye in the ballroom turn toward me.
Marcus stood beside the microphone.
His expression was confused.
Not angry.
Not yet.
But I could see the question in his eyes.
Why had I secretly met with a lawyer?
And how did his mother know?
Evelyn smiled.
"Well, Nia?"
I took a breath.
"Yes. I met with an attorney."
A shocked murmur moved through the room.
Marcus looked at me.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I swallowed.
"Because I wasn't ready."
Evelyn laughed.
"How convenient."
I turned toward her.
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh, I know plenty."
She waved the document.
"Your lawyer's name is Rebecca Monroe."
I froze.
That was correct.
She continued.
"You met her on September twelfth."
Also correct.
"And you discussed protecting assets."
Several guests whispered.
Marcus looked stunned.
"Nia?"
I reached for his hand.
"Please let me explain."
Evelyn stepped forward.
"She's already preparing to take your money, Marcus."
The words hit me like a slap.
I stared at her.
"What?"
"She wanted legal protection before marrying you."
I shook my head.
"That's not why I went."
"Then prove it."
I looked at Marcus.
He was waiting.
My heart pounded.
I had wanted to tell him privately.
Not in front of hundreds of guests.
Not while my hair lay on the ballroom floor.
But Evelyn had forced my hand.
"I went because I discovered financial documents involving your family's property company."
Marcus frowned.
"What documents?"
I looked toward Evelyn.
Her smile disappeared.
"The ones showing money transferred out of the family trust."
The ballroom went quiet.
Evelyn's face changed.
"That's none of your business."
Marcus turned toward her.
"What trust?"
She looked away.
I felt sick.
Marcus's late father, Robert Carter, had owned several rental properties.
He died five years earlier.
Evelyn always claimed the estate had been settled.
She told Marcus the properties were sold to cover debts.
Marcus believed her.
I believed her too.
Until three weeks earlier.
I worked as a financial compliance analyst.
My job involved reviewing transactions, identifying inconsistencies, and investigating suspicious records.
One afternoon, while helping Marcus organize old family tax documents, I found statements bearing his father's name.
They referenced an account Marcus had never mentioned.
At first, I thought nothing of it.
Then I noticed several transfers after Robert's death.
Large transfers.
To accounts connected to Evelyn.
And one to a company I didn't recognize.
I showed the documents to Rebecca Monroe.
She advised me not to draw conclusions without complete records.
She also explained that I needed to protect confidential financial information and avoid accessing anything unlawfully.
I had planned to discuss it with Marcus after the wedding.
But now Evelyn was standing in front of everyone, trying to turn my caution into proof that I was after his money.
I looked at my husband.
"Marcus, I wasn't trying to take anything from you."
His eyes filled.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid of ruining our wedding."
I looked down at my severed braid.
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"That worked out well."
He stepped closer.
"Nia."
"I'm sorry."
My voice broke.
"I should have trusted you."
He took my hand.
Then turned toward his mother.
"Did Dad leave a trust?"
Evelyn's jaw tightened.
"Your father had debts."
"That wasn't my question."
She looked at the guests.
"This is inappropriate."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Mom."
His voice was firm.
"Did Dad leave money or property for me?"
Evelyn hesitated.
Then said, "Your father wanted me to handle his affairs."
"That's not an answer."
Security stood nearby.
Nobody moved.
Finally, Evelyn whispered, "There was a trust."
Marcus went still.
For several seconds, he seemed unable to breathe.
Then he asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Evelyn looked away.
"Because you weren't ready."
Marcus laughed once.
A hollow, painful sound.
"I was twenty-seven when Dad died."
"You were grieving."
"For five years?"
She said nothing.
I watched my husband's face change.
The humiliation of our wedding suddenly seemed connected to something much larger.
Evelyn hadn't simply wanted to embarrass me.
She had been afraid of what I knew.
Marcus looked at her.
"How much?"
Evelyn shook her head.
"Not here."
"How much, Mom?"
She stepped backward.
"Marcus, don't do this."
He stared at her.
Then lowered his voice.
"Did you take money Dad left me?"
Evelyn's eyes filled.
"I did what I had to do."
My stomach twisted.
Marcus released my hand.
He looked as though someone had punched him.
"What does that mean?"
Before Evelyn could answer, Lorraine stepped forward.
Her face was pale.
"Evelyn."
"Stay out of this."
Lorraine shook her head.
"No."
Evelyn glared at her.
"Lorraine, I said stay out of it."
But Lorraine looked at Marcus.
"Your father didn't leave you with nothing."
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Lorraine continued.
"He left instructions."
My heart pounded.
"What instructions?" Marcus asked.
Lorraine looked at me.
Then back at him.
"Instructions your mother was supposed to follow when you turned thirty."
Marcus stared.
He had turned thirty two years earlier.
Lorraine swallowed.
"And there's something else."
Evelyn suddenly shouted.
"Don't!"
Lorraine ignored her.
"Robert left a letter explaining why he didn't trust Evelyn to make those decisions alone."
The room fell silent.
Marcus looked at his mother.
Then whispered, "Where is that letter?"
Lorraine reached into her handbag.
And pulled out an old cream-colored envelope.
His father's handwriting appeared across the front.
May you like
TO MY SON, MARCUS.
My husband stopped breathing.
