Chapter 7
I reached the hospital just after midnight.
I had never driven so carefully in my life.
Every red light felt endless.
Every turn seemed too slow.
But I kept hearing Detective Jackson's warning.
"Nia is safe now. Don't create another emergency trying to reach her."
So I obeyed the speed limit.
I breathed.
And I prayed.
When I entered the hospital, a nurse directed me toward a private room.
I stopped outside the door.
For a moment, I was terrified to enter.
What if Nia blamed me?
What if she had lost faith in our relationship?
What if seeing me reminded her of everything she'd survived?
Then I heard her voice.
"Marcus?"
My heart stopped.
I pushed the door open.
Nia sat upright in the hospital bed.
Her long dark hair was tangled.
There was a small bruise near her cheek.
Her wrists were wrapped in light bandages.
But her eyes were open.
And she was looking at me.
"Baby."
I crossed the room.
She reached for me.
I wrapped my arms around her as gently as I could.
Then we both began crying.
"I'm here," I whispered.
She clung to my shirt.
"Marcus."
"I've got you."
She shook against me.
For several minutes, we couldn't speak.
I kissed her forehead.
Her cheeks.
Her hands.
Every place I could reach without hurting her.
"I'm so sorry."
She pulled back.
"Don't."
My voice broke.
"I should have protected you."
She shook her head.
"Marcus, you didn't do this."
I stared at her.
"But they used our wedding."
"I know."
"They used my brother."
Her expression changed.
"Daniel?"
I nodded.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I was afraid of that."
I sat beside her.
"What happened?"
Nia looked toward the window.
Then she took a shaky breath.
"Two weeks before the wedding, my mother contacted me."
I nodded.
"I know."
"She said she wanted to explain why she disappeared."
Nia swallowed.
"I spent my entire childhood believing she was dead."
I took her hand.
"Baby."
She shook her head.
"I used to dream about her."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I wondered what her voice sounded like. Whether she remembered my birthday. Whether she ever missed me."
I squeezed her hand.
"Of course you wanted answers."
She nodded.
"She told me she had been forced to disappear because my father's business partners were dangerous."
I listened carefully.
"Was that true?"
"Partly."
Nia looked at me.
"My father discovered that Victor and my mother were moving money from his company."
My stomach tightened.
"Together?"
She nodded.
"He confronted them. They tried to blame someone else."
I closed my eyes.
"Then what happened?"
"My father filed legal complaints and began separating the company's assets."
Nia took a breath.
"Before everything was resolved, my mother disappeared."
I looked at her.
"And you thought she died."
"Yes."
She wiped her cheeks.
"Victor helped spread that story."
I felt sick.
Nia continued.
"My father never told me the whole truth. He said my mother was gone and he didn't want me searching for her."
I nodded.
"He was protecting you."
"Maybe."
Her eyes filled again.
"But I spent years believing I had been abandoned."
I moved closer.
She continued.
"When Celeste contacted me, she said she regretted everything."
I swallowed.
"Did you believe her?"
"I wanted to."
She looked ashamed.
I shook my head.
"Don't."
Nia stared at me.
"You don't understand. I met her. I listened to her. I even hugged her."
My heart broke.
"That doesn't make this your fault."
She began crying.
"I wanted my mother."
I pulled her close.
"I know."
After a while, she continued.
"She asked about our wedding."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
"She said she wanted to see me happy."
Nia laughed bitterly.
"Then she asked about my father's estate."
I nodded.
"That's when you became suspicious."
"Yes."
She explained that her father had created a trust before his death.
She knew there were some assets.
But she didn't know the full value.
A trustee managed the accounts.
Celeste claimed the trustee was hiding information.
She told Nia that marrying me could affect her inheritance.
I stared at her.
"Was that true?"
"Not the way she said it."
Nia looked at me.
"Victor wanted to make it appear that I had approved changes to the trust."
My stomach tightened.
"And he needed me to sign documents."
She nodded.
"He believed he could use our wedding to make the paperwork seem legitimate."
I closed my eyes.
"Why?"
"Because your name was listed as someone who could receive information about my financial affairs after our marriage, if I authorized it."
I stared at her.
"So they wanted to use our relationship."
"Yes."
She began crying again.
"I refused."
I squeezed her hand.
"What happened then?"
Nia looked down.
"Celeste told me she wanted to meet privately before the wedding."
My stomach tightened.
"Where?"
"The bridal suite."
I stared at her.
"She came there?"
Nia nodded.
"She said she had something from my father."
I felt sick.
"Then?"
"Rochelle entered."
Nia's voice trembled.
"She locked the door."
I gripped her hand.
Nia continued.
"They took my phone. Celeste told me I had to sign the documents."
"What did you say?"
"No."
I felt tears rising.
"Then?"
"Victor came in."
Her breathing became shallow.
"He said the wedding would continue whether I cooperated or not."
I closed my eyes.
"He already had the disguise."
Nia nodded.
"Celeste had been preparing it for weeks."
I felt physically sick.
Nia continued.
"They moved me through a service entrance."
"To the first house?"
"Yes."
She wiped her cheeks.
"They kept asking me to sign."
I leaned closer.
"Did you?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Relief washed over me.
But she looked troubled.
"What?"
"They made me put my fingerprint on a document."
My stomach tightened.
"Did you know what it was?"
"No."
I took a slow breath.
"We'll tell Detective Jackson."
Nia nodded.
"Please."
Then she looked at me.
"Marcus, there's something else."
I waited.
"Celeste said she planned to marry you herself."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"Not because she wanted you."
Nia swallowed.
"Because she wanted to create evidence that she was me."
I felt sick.
"She thought she could steal your identity."
Nia nodded.
"And use it to control the trust."
I looked away.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then Nia whispered, "Did she kiss you?"
The question broke my heart.
I turned toward her.
"No."
She looked relieved.
"I knew something was wrong," I said. "But I didn't understand until Lily found Evelyn."
Nia closed her eyes.
"Lily saved us."
I smiled through my tears.
"She did."
Nia reached for my hand.
"Is she okay?"
"She's safe."
Nia began crying again.
"Tell her I love her."
"You can tell her yourself."
She smiled faintly.
For the first time since the wedding, I saw a glimpse of the woman I loved.
Then her expression became serious.
"Marcus, I need you to promise me something."
"Anything."
"Don't let Daniel come near me."
My stomach tightened.
I stared at her.
"Why?"
Nia swallowed.
"Because I heard him speaking to Victor."
I felt cold.
"What did he say?"
She looked directly into my eyes.
"He said the wedding had to happen before you discovered the truth."
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Then she whispered the words that destroyed the last piece of trust I had left in my brother.
"He knew Celeste was wearing my face."
