Chapter 6
Olivia Price met Danielle two days later.
I wasn't present for the initial interview.
Danielle wanted to make sure Olivia could speak freely and that any documents she provided were handled properly.
I agreed.
But waiting was difficult.
Every hour felt like another chance for Marcus to move money.
I spent most of the day reviewing business records with Tiana.
Then Danielle called.
“Olivia provided useful information.”
My heart quickened.
“What did she say?”
“She described several proposed transfers involving foreign accounts.”
I sat upright.
“Did they happen?”
“Some appear to have been initiated. Others were only planned.”
I swallowed.
“Can we stop them?”
“We're notifying the relevant institutions and pursuing legal remedies.”
I nodded.
Danielle continued.
“Olivia also provided correspondence suggesting Marcus knew Carter Development was facing severe financial trouble.”
I looked toward the window.
“Then why was he pretending everything was fine?”
“Because acknowledging the problems could trigger lender action.”
My stomach tightened.
“And he wanted me to sign away my claims first.”
“That appears consistent with the documents.”
I closed my eyes.
For years, Marcus had accused me of caring too much about money.
Now I saw the truth.
He was willing to sacrifice our marriage, our home, and his company's future to protect his image.
I looked at Danielle.
“What happens next?”
“We're moving for appropriate court orders to preserve disputed assets.”
I nodded.
“Do it.”
That evening, Dad came over.
He brought dinner from my favorite Jamaican restaurant.
I laughed when I saw the containers.
“You remembered.”
He smiled.
“Of course.”
We sat together in the kitchen.
For a while, he didn't mention Marcus.
We talked about Tiana's children.
About his garden.
About the vacation he kept postponing.
Then he looked at me.
“Nia, have you eaten properly today?”
I smiled faintly.
“Not really.”
He pushed another container toward me.
“Then eat.”
I obeyed.
He watched quietly.
Then he said, “You know, when your mother died, I thought I'd never feel whole again.”
My chest tightened.
Mom had died when I was nineteen.
She had been the center of our family.
Warm.
Patient.
Always singing while she cooked.
Losing her changed everything.
Dad continued.
“I spent years believing grief meant I had failed to protect her.”
I looked at him.
“You didn't fail.”
He nodded.
“I know that now.”
He reached for my hand.
“And you didn't fail your marriage because Marcus betrayed you.”
My eyes filled.
I swallowed.
“I keep thinking about what I could've done differently.”
Dad shook his head.
“You can always learn from a relationship.”
He paused.
“But you cannot love someone into being honest.”
I began crying.
He moved beside me and held me.
I didn't realize how badly I needed those words.
After dinner, I opened an old photo album.
There was a picture of Mom holding me as a baby.
Another showed Tiana and me wearing matching Christmas dresses.
Then I found a photograph taken shortly after my graduation.
Mom stood beside me.
Her arms were wrapped around my shoulders.
On the back, she had written:
“Never make yourself smaller to keep someone else comfortable.”
I stared at the words.
Then I smiled through tears.
She had understood something I was only beginning to learn.
The next morning, Danielle called with good news.
The court had granted temporary restrictions on certain disputed transactions.
It also ordered preservation of relevant financial records.
I nearly collapsed with relief.
“So Marcus can't just move everything?”
“Any transfers covered by the order are restricted. We still need to monitor compliance.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
Danielle continued.
“There's another development.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Meridian Equity Partners has begun its own investigation into the loan documents.”
I sat upright.
“And?”
“They've raised concerns about the authority representations submitted with the application.”
I closed my eyes.
The walls were beginning to close in around Marcus's financial scheme.
But my personal life was still falling apart.
A few days later, I received a letter from the fertility clinic Marcus and I had visited.
At first, I assumed it was a billing statement.
Then I opened it.
Inside was a notice concerning records and consent forms from our previous treatment.
I sat at the kitchen counter and stared.
For years, I had wanted a baby.
I imagined tiny shoes beside our front door.
Birthday parties.
Bedtime stories.
A child with Marcus's smile.
Now Vanessa was pregnant with his child.
And I was sitting alone in an apartment holding documents from a clinic where I had once believed our dreams would come true.
I began crying.
Tiana found me ten minutes later.
She sat beside me.
“Nia?”
I handed her the letter.
She read it quietly.
Then she wrapped an arm around me.
“I don't know how to stop missing the future I thought I had,” I whispered.
She held me.
“You don't have to stop today.”
I looked at her.
“What if I never become a mother?”
Her eyes filled.
“Nia, your future isn't over.”
I shook my head.
“It feels like it is.”
She cupped my face.
“You are allowed to grieve.”
I began crying harder.
She continued.
“But don't let Marcus convince you that his choices decide what your life can become.”
I held her tightly.
For the first time, I allowed myself to grieve more than my marriage.
I grieved the children we had imagined.
The home we decorated.
The family dinners.
The promises.
Everything that had existed only because I believed him.
That evening, Vanessa called me.
I stared at the screen.
I had no desire to speak with her.
But something made me answer.
“Hello?”
Her voice sounded shaky.
“Nia?”
I closed my eyes.
“What do you want?”
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she whispered, “I'm sorry.”
I stared at the wall.
“Vanessa, I don't need another apology.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you calling?”
She began crying.
“Because Marcus told me something today.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“He said if I didn't stop talking to lawyers, he would leave me too.”
I closed my eyes.
I wasn't surprised.
She continued.
“He said the baby would be my problem.”
I felt a painful twist in my chest.
An innocent child.
Whatever Vanessa had done, the baby didn't deserve to become another weapon.
I took a breath.
“Vanessa, you need independent legal advice.”
She sniffed.
“I know.”
I looked toward the window.
“Do you have somewhere safe to stay?”
She hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Then she whispered something unexpected.
“Nia, I need you to know that Marcus lied to me.”
I closed my eyes.
“About what?”
“He told me you were already separated.”
I remained silent.
“He said you only stayed in the mansion because you wanted money.”
My throat tightened.
She continued.
“He told me your marriage had been over for years.”
I felt anger rise.
But I kept my voice steady.
“Vanessa, you knew I was his wife.”
“I know.”
“And you came to dinners in my home.”
She began crying harder.
“I know.”
I took a breath.
“Whatever Marcus told you, you still made choices.”
She was silent.
Then she whispered, “You're right.”
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she said, “There's something else.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Marcus asked me to sign documents making it look like my company earned consulting fees it never earned.”
I sat upright.
“Did you sign them?”
She hesitated.
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“Then you need to tell your attorney.”
“I already did.”
I nodded.
“Good.”
Then she whispered the words that made my heart pound.
“Nia, he said none of us would be here when the lenders came looking.”
I stared at the phone.
“What does that mean?”
She swallowed.
“He has plane tickets.”
My blood ran cold.
“For where?”
“Dubai.”
I gripped the phone.
“When?”
She began crying.
“Saturday.”
I looked at the calendar.
May you like
Saturday was three days away.
And I knew Marcus was running out of time.
