Chapter 2
I read the message three times before I could speak.
My biological father, Raymond Ellis, was standing outside my wedding venue.
And he was threatening to reveal something about Arthur.
The same Arthur who was holding my legal document with trembling hands.
The same man who had spent twenty-three years making sure I never felt abandoned.
I looked toward my mother.
She noticed my expression immediately.
"Nia, what's wrong?"
I hesitated.
Then I showed her the phone.
Her face drained of color.
Arthur looked up.
"What's happened?"
Mom turned away.
That frightened me more than Raymond's message.
"Mom?"
She took a slow breath.
"Raymond is at the venue?"
I nodded.
Arthur carefully folded the document.
"Then someone needs to tell him to leave."
I looked at him.
"Dad, he says there's something I don't know about you."
Arthur's expression changed.
Not dramatically.
He simply became very still.
I felt a terrible tightening in my chest.
"What does he mean?"
Arthur looked at my mother.
She looked back.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Mom whispered, "Not today."
I stared at her.
"What?"
She reached for my hand.
"Sweetheart, today is your wedding."
I pulled away.
"Mom, why do you look scared?"
Arthur stepped forward.
"Nia, whatever Raymond has to say, we can deal with it after the ceremony."
I shook my head.
"No."
My voice trembled.
"I've spent months planning this day. I'm not walking into my wedding wondering whether somebody is hiding something from me."
Arthur's face softened.
"You're right."
Mom looked at him sharply.
"Arthur."
He shook his head.
"She's not a child anymore, Denise."
I swallowed.
My mother's name was Denise Carter.
She had married Arthur when I was five.
Before that, she had spent two years raising me alone after Raymond disappeared.
I knew almost nothing about their marriage.
Whenever I asked questions, Mom told me they were young and incompatible.
Raymond had other priorities.
Eventually, he stopped coming around.
That was all I knew.
Arthur sat on the sofa.
He looked exhausted.
"Nia, your mother and I were hoping you'd never have to deal with Raymond's anger again."
I sat beside him.
"What anger?"
He looked down.
"Raymond didn't disappear simply because he didn't want responsibility."
My heart began pounding.
"What does that mean?"
Mom sat across from us.
Her eyes filled.
"He had problems, baby."
"What kind?"
She swallowed.
"Money. Gambling. People he owed."
I stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were a child."
"I'm twenty-eight now."
"I know."
Her voice broke.
"And I should have explained more when you got older."
Arthur reached for her hand.
She held it tightly.
I looked from one to the other.
"Did Raymond threaten you?"
Mom lowered her eyes.
"Yes."
My breath caught.
Arthur continued.
"Before I married your mother, Raymond showed up at her apartment demanding money."
I stared at him.
"Why?"
"He believed she was hiding savings from him."
Mom began crying.
"I wasn't."
I moved closer.
"He threatened to take you away from me."
My stomach turned.
Arthur's jaw tightened.
"I was there one evening when he came."
I looked at him.
"What happened?"
"He was angry. He frightened your mother. You were hiding behind the kitchen door."
A memory flashed through my mind.
A loud voice.
A broken drinking glass.
My mother's arms wrapped around me.
I had always believed it was a nightmare.
Now I wondered.
Arthur continued.
"I told him to leave."
"Did he?"
"Eventually."
Mom wiped her cheeks.
"After that, I got legal help."
I leaned forward.
"Was Raymond arrested?"
"No," she said. "But I obtained protection through the court and began formal custody proceedings."
I stared at her.
Arthur looked directly at me.
"Raymond stopped participating in those proceedings. Later, your mother received legal custody."
I took a shaky breath.
"Then why is he saying there's something about you?"
Arthur hesitated.
I felt my stomach drop.
"Dad?"
He looked toward the folded document.
"Because Raymond has never forgiven me for becoming your father."
I shook my head.
"That can't be the whole story."
Mom began crying harder.
Arthur closed his eyes.
Then he said, "There was a financial settlement."
I froze.
"What settlement?"
"Raymond owed money to several people. One of those debts was secured against a vehicle your mother had helped purchase."
I stared.
"Arthur paid it?"
He nodded.
"I helped your mother resolve the debt so she wouldn't lose transportation."
I leaned back.
My mind raced.
Raymond had been telling relatives that Arthur paid him to disappear.
I remembered hearing that accusation when I was seventeen.
Mom called it nonsense.
I never asked again.
Now I looked at Arthur.
"Did you pay Raymond to stay away from me?"
His eyes filled.
"No."
He leaned closer.
"I paid a legitimate debt because your mother needed help. Raymond's decision not to maintain contact was his own."
I wanted to believe him.
I did believe him.
But I also wanted proof.
Arthur seemed to understand.
"The documents are in our family records."
I nodded.
"Then I want to see them."
Mom looked wounded.
"Nia, you don't trust us?"
I immediately shook my head.
"I trust you enough to ask."
Arthur smiled sadly.
"Fair enough."
My phone rang again.
Raymond.
This time, I answered.
"Hello."
His voice was loud.
"Nia! Finally."
I stood.
"What do you want?"
"I want to walk my daughter down the aisle."
"No."
He laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous."
I felt anger rising.
"I already told you. Arthur is walking me."
His voice hardened.
"That man isn't your father."
I looked at Arthur.
He lowered his eyes.
I felt something inside me turn cold.
"He's been my father since I was five."
Raymond scoffed.
"You think love makes someone family?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Then he said, "You don't know what he did."
I took a breath.
"Then tell me."
He hesitated.
"Not over the phone."
"Why?"
"Because I want to look you in the eyes."
I shook my head.
"I'm not meeting you alone."
He laughed bitterly.
"Still letting Arthur control you?"
I looked toward my mother.
She was trembling.
"Raymond, you're not invited to the ceremony unless you agree to respect my decision."
His voice became cold.
"You'll regret humiliating me."
I felt fear move through my chest.
"Is that a threat?"
He didn't answer.
Then he said, "Ask Arthur about the hospital."
My entire body went still.
"What hospital?"
Raymond laughed.
"The one where your mother nearly died."
Then he ended the call.
I stared at my phone.
My mother covered her mouth.
Arthur stood so quickly that the folded document slipped from his hand.
I looked at them.
"What hospital?"
Mom began shaking her head.
Arthur reached for her.
But I stepped between them.
"What happened to my mother?"
Nobody answered.
I felt tears burning my eyes.
"Dad, please."
Arthur looked devastated.
Then he whispered, "Nia, there's something about the night your mother was injured that we never told you."
May you like
I stared at him.
And suddenly, the wedding dress I had waited years to wear felt impossibly heavy.
