Chapter 5
The next morning, I moved my children into a furnished apartment owned by my construction company.
It wasn't as large as our family home.
But it was comfortable.
Three bedrooms.
A small kitchen.
A living room with a balcony overlooking a quiet courtyard.
Most importantly, Claire and Daniel didn't have keys.
Malik stood near the front door holding his backpack.
"Are we staying here forever?"
I crouched beside him.
"I don't know yet, buddy."
His expression fell.
I touched his shoulder.
"But wherever we live, we'll be together."
He looked up.
"Promise?"
I nodded.
"Promise."
Maya stepped beside us.
She wrapped her arms around Malik.
"We'll make it fun."
He smiled weakly.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"We can order pizza and watch movies."
I laughed.
"That's your definition of fun?"
Maya grinned.
"Obviously."
For the first time since that terrible Saturday, Malik smiled.
I felt relief wash through me.
But it didn't last.
That afternoon, Olivia called.
"Marcus, we found something serious."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"The house has two recorded loans you never disclosed."
I closed my eyes.
"How much?"
She paused.
"Together, approximately eight hundred and seventy thousand dollars."
My chest tightened.
"And the title?"
"Still in your name, but the liens are significant."
I took a breath.
"Can we challenge them?"
"Yes, if we can prove the signatures were forged and the transactions were unauthorized."
I nodded.
"What do you need?"
"Original documents. Signature samples. Bank records. And any communications involving Daniel."
I looked toward the living room.
Maya and Malik were unpacking books.
"I'll get everything."
Olivia continued.
"There's another issue."
I closed my eyes.
"Of course."
"The trust money was transferred into a company connected to Daniel."
My jaw tightened.
"Can we trace it?"
"We're working on it."
I swallowed.
"Olivia, that money belongs to my son."
"I know."
I took a breath.
"I don't care about my pride anymore. I just want to protect my kids."
Her voice softened.
"Then we're focused on the same thing."
After ending the call, I sat alone for several minutes.
I thought about Claire.
Seventeen years.
Seventeen years of marriage.
I remembered our wedding day.
She wore a white satin dress.
She laughed when I accidentally stepped on her train.
I remembered holding Maya when she was born.
Then Malik four years later.
We had built a life together.
At least, I thought we had.
Now I wondered how much of it was real.
That evening, Rebecca returned from Richmond.
She had stayed with Mom while I arranged things for the children.
When she entered the apartment, Malik ran toward her.
"Aunt Becca!"
She smiled.
"There's my handsome boy!"
She hugged him.
Then Maya joined them.
For a moment, I watched my sister hold my children.
The family connection Claire had tried to destroy was returning.
Rebecca looked at me.
"Mom's doing better."
Relief washed through me.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"She's walking with assistance."
I smiled.
"That's good."
Rebecca continued.
"She wants to see the kids."
My throat tightened.
"I want that too."
Malik looked up.
"Grandma Evelyn?"
I nodded.
"Yeah, buddy."
He looked nervous.
"Is she mad at me?"
My heart broke.
I crouched beside him.
"Why would she be mad?"
He looked down.
"Mom said Grandma stopped visiting because I was bad."
Rebecca covered her mouth.
I felt anger rise.
But I kept my voice calm.
"Malik, listen carefully."
He looked at me.
"Grandma loves you."
His eyes filled with tears.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"Very much."
He swallowed.
"Then why didn't she come?"
I took a breath.
"Because adults made mistakes and told lies. None of that was your fault."
He began crying.
I pulled him into my arms.
He held me tightly.
"I thought she hated me."
I closed my eyes.
"No, son."
I kissed his forehead.
"She never stopped loving you."
Rebecca wiped her tears.
Maya stood silently beside us.
Then she whispered, "Dad, I'm sorry."
I looked up.
"For what?"
She stared at the floor.
"For not telling you sooner."
I stood and hugged her.
"Sweetheart, you were a child."
She began crying.
"Mom told me everything would fall apart."
I held her tighter.
"And you were afraid."
She nodded.
I kissed her forehead.
"You did the right thing by telling me."
She sobbed.
"I should've protected Malik."
I shook my head.
"Protecting your brother was never supposed to be your responsibility."
I looked at both children.
"That's my job."
For a moment, the four of us stood together.
Then Rebecca took a breath.
"Marcus, there's something else."
I looked at her.
"What?"
"Mom remembered another detail about the accident."
My stomach tightened.
"About Daniel?"
She nodded.
"She believes there was someone in the passenger seat."
I stared.
"Who?"
Rebecca shook her head.
"She couldn't see clearly."
I felt cold.
Then my phone rang.
Detective Brooks.
I answered.
"Mr. Bennett, we've reviewed preliminary traffic footage from the area of your mother's accident."
My heart jumped.
"And?"
"A black SUV matching her description appears near the crash location."
I closed my eyes.
"Can you identify it?"
"We're working on that."
He continued.
"There's another development."
I gripped the phone.
"What?"
"Daniel Price has been contacted for an interview."
I felt relief.
"Did he cooperate?"
The detective hesitated.
"Not yet."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
"He's left his office and hasn't responded to further requests."
I looked toward Rebecca.
She was watching me.
Then Detective Brooks said something that made my blood run cold.
"Mr. Bennett, we've also discovered that Mr. Price recently attempted to transfer a large amount of money out of the country."
I stared at the wall.
"How much?"
He paused.
"Approximately two million dollars."
I couldn't breathe.
Two million.
Far more than Malik's trust.
Far more than the loans.
I looked toward my children.
They were sitting together on the couch.
And suddenly I understood.
Daniel hadn't merely borrowed money and failed to repay it.
He had built something much bigger.
Something that threatened multiple families.
Then the detective continued.
"We believe other people may have been involved."
My stomach tightened.
"Who?"
He hesitated.
"One of the names we're examining is your wife's."
I closed my eyes.
I wanted to believe Claire had been manipulated.
That she was frightened.
That Daniel had used her love for her family.
But now I had to face a possibility I desperately wanted to avoid.
May you like
My wife might have been more than a frightened accomplice.
She might have helped create the scheme that nearly destroyed us.
