Chapter 6
I had spent four years believing Marcus was the person who understood me best.
Now I was learning he might have entered my life with a plan.
And Vanessa had allegedly helped design it.
The thought made my stomach twist.
Vanessa knew my history.
She knew about Elijah.
About Mom.
About the way Dad tried to hide his loneliness after losing her.
She knew I wanted a family of my own.
She had listened when I described my fear of never finding someone who loved me.
And now there was evidence suggesting she had used that knowledge.
I sat in Patricia's office the next morning.
Dad sat beside me.
Across the table, Erica Simmons waited with her attorney.
Her eyes were swollen.
She looked exhausted.
I stared at her.
For eighteen months, she had smiled when I entered the office.
Brought me coffee.
Remembered my appointments.
Helped plan community events.
Now she couldn't meet my eyes.
Patricia explained that Erica was providing information voluntarily through counsel.
Investigators would determine what could be verified.
Then Erica looked at me.
"Nia, I'm sorry."
I didn't answer.
She began crying.
"I never wanted to hurt you."
I felt anger rising.
"But you did."
She nodded.
"I know."
I took a slow breath.
"Tell me what happened."
Erica wiped her cheeks.
She explained that Marcus first approached her at a company charity event.
He was charming.
Friendly.
He asked about her family.
She mentioned her younger brother, Jordan.
Jordan had a serious heart condition.
Their family struggled with treatment costs.
Marcus offered help.
At first, he arranged a donation through a charitable organization.
Then he began asking Erica small favors.
Copies of public company information.
Meeting schedules.
Vendor lists.
She thought he was helping me prepare for marriage and future financial planning.
Then the requests changed.
He wanted internal documents.
Access logs.
Payment approval information.
Erica refused.
That was when he threatened her.
"He said he knew people who could stop Jordan's assistance."
Her voice broke.
"I was terrified."
I listened.
I understood fear.
But I also understood what her actions had cost my family.
"What did you give him?"
She stared at the table.
"More than I should have."
Patricia asked for details.
Erica explained how she helped create vendor requests.
How Marcus supplied documents.
How Vanessa managed the consulting company.
How emails were designed to look like they came from me.
Then she looked up.
"Vanessa told Marcus how to get close to you."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
Erica nodded miserably.
"She said she knew your family."
I swallowed.
"How much did she know?"
Erica hesitated.
"Everything."
The room felt smaller.
She continued.
"Vanessa told him about your inheritance."
My chest tightened.
"About the trust."
I nodded slowly.
"And about your father's company."
Dad's expression hardened.
Erica began crying again.
"She said you were lonely after your mother's death."
I felt something break inside me.
Vanessa had met me in college.
We became friends after I lost Elijah.
She stayed close when Mom became sick.
She held my hand at the funeral.
She knew every vulnerable part of my life.
And she had apparently turned those things into instructions for someone who wanted to exploit me.
I covered my mouth.
Dad reached for my hand.
Erica continued.
"Marcus was supposed to become your husband and gain access to the assets."
I shook my head.
"But he was already married."
She nodded.
"Vanessa knew."
I stared at her.
"Of course she knew."
Erica looked miserable.
"They planned to hide the marriage record and use the wedding to support the financial arrangement."
Patricia leaned forward.
"Do you have evidence?"
Erica nodded.
She handed her attorney a flash drive.
It contained copies of messages.
Financial records.
And communications between Marcus and Vanessa.
Some documents appeared to describe a plan for gaining access to Bennett Heritage Holdings.
Others discussed using the wedding as a deadline.
Then Erica said something that made me freeze.
"Marcus wasn't supposed to fall in love with you."
I stared at her.
"What?"
She swallowed.
"Vanessa became angry because she thought he was getting too attached."
My chest tightened.
I almost laughed.
Love?
After everything?
I shook my head.
"He didn't love me."
Erica looked uncertain.
"I don't know what he felt."
I looked down.
It didn't matter.
Whatever Marcus had felt, he had chosen deception.
Again and again.
Then Erica handed Patricia another document.
"This is what they were planning next."
I stared at it.
It involved a proposed restructuring of the children's trust.
The fund Mom had created after Elijah died.
My stomach dropped.
Patricia examined the document.
Her expression darkened.
"They were attempting to create a pathway to those assets too."
I felt sick.
Mom's last gift to our family.
The money she had protected for children who didn't even exist yet.
Marcus and Vanessa had apparently wanted that too.
I stood abruptly.
"I need a minute."
Dad followed me into the hallway.
I leaned against the wall.
My breathing was uneven.
He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Nia."
I shook my head.
"I can't believe this."
He waited.
"Vanessa knew how much Mom meant to me."
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"She knew about Elijah."
Dad's eyes filled.
"She knew everything."
He pulled me close.
I cried against his chest.
For a long time, I couldn't speak.
Then Dad whispered, "You didn't cause this."
I shook my head.
"I keep thinking about every warning sign."
He gently lifted my chin.
"Nia, someone who knows your pain can be very convincing when they pretend to care."
My throat tightened.
"But that doesn't make your trust foolish."
I hugged him again.
After the meeting, Patricia contacted investigators with the additional materials.
The forensic review continued.
The banks preserved suspicious transaction records.
Our company strengthened access controls.
And the legal team began pursuing recovery of improperly transferred funds.
Several weeks later, authorities arrested Marcus in connection with financial fraud allegations.
Vanessa was also arrested after investigators connected her to the scheme.
I watched the news from Dad's living room.
I didn't cheer.
I didn't smile.
I felt exhausted.
The faces on the television belonged to people I had once loved.
People I had trusted with my heart.
Now they were being escorted into court.
I turned off the television.
Dad looked at me.
"How do you feel?"
I thought carefully.
"Sad."
He nodded.
"Angry."
"Understandable."
I looked at him.
"And relieved."
He squeezed my hand.
"That's understandable too."
For the first time, I realized I didn't need to choose one feeling.
I could mourn the life I thought I had.
And still want accountability.
I could remember happy moments.
And still recognize the harm.
I could miss the person Marcus pretended to be.
Without wanting him back.
Then something unexpected happened.
A letter arrived at Dad's house.
No return address.
My name was written across the front.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
Vanessa.
I stared at the envelope.
For several minutes, I couldn't open it.
Then I called Patricia.
She advised me to preserve it and let her review it before I responded.
I agreed.
The letter contained an apology.
But it also contained something else.
A confession.
Vanessa wrote that she had helped Marcus approach me because she believed my family's wealth could solve their financial problems.
She admitted that the plan began before he ever asked me on our first date.
She described the wedding as the final stage.
Then, near the bottom, she wrote something that made my blood run cold.
Marcus wasn't the first man we tried to place near you.
I stared at the sentence.
Read it again.
Then looked at Dad.
He was sitting across from me.
"What is it?"
My voice trembled.
"Daddy, I think there's something else we never knew."
I handed him the letter.
His expression changed as he read.
Then he looked up.
May you like
And whispered one name.
"David."
