Chapter 5
Claire stood so quickly her chair scraped the floor.
"What recording?"
Nia held her phone tighter.
"The one from Tuesday night."
Claire looked frightened.
I felt a cold sensation spreading through my chest.
"Play it."
Nia hesitated.
"Dad..."
"Please."
She connected her phone to the television.
The video showed our living room five days earlier.
Claire sat on the sofa.
Maya stood beside the coffee table.
Their conversation was clear.
"I don't want Malik here anymore," Maya said.
Claire sighed.
"Maya, we can't just ask him to leave because you don't get along."
"He treats me like I'm stupid."
"Then talk to Marcus."
"He always takes Malik's side."
Claire shook her head.
"Your stepfather loves you."
Maya folded her arms.
"I don't care. I want Malik gone."
Claire looked exhausted.
"That's not happening."
Maya stepped closer.
"What if he did something bad?"
Claire looked up sharply.
"What are you talking about?"
"Something that made you choose me."
The room went silent.
On the recording, Claire stared at her daughter.
Then she said firmly, "Maya, don't even think about inventing something."
I felt myself breathe again.
Claire had warned her.
But the video continued.
Maya looked angry.
"You always say you'll protect me."
"I will protect you. But I won't help you hurt someone."
Maya turned away.
Claire stood.
"Promise me you're not planning anything."
Maya shrugged.
"Whatever."
Then she walked upstairs.
Nia stopped the recording.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I looked at Claire.
She was crying.
"I should've told you," she whispered.
I stared at her.
"You knew Maya wanted Malik gone."
"Yes."
"And she suggested inventing an accusation."
Claire covered her face.
"I didn't think she'd actually do it."
My chest tightened.
"Why didn't you warn me?"
"Because I thought I handled it."
I shook my head.
"Claire, she made a serious threat."
"I know that now."
"No. You knew it then."
She lowered her head.
I wasn't accusing Claire of planning the false allegation.
The recording showed she had rejected the idea.
But she had kept an important warning from me.
And that silence mattered.
Nia looked at her stepmother.
"You kept telling us Maya was adjusting."
Claire wiped her cheeks.
"I believed she was."
Nia's voice shook.
"She stole my mother's necklace."
"I didn't know about that."
"She kept trying to get Malik in trouble."
"I know."
"And you never told Dad how bad things were."
Claire began crying harder.
"I'm sorry."
I looked at Nia.
"Thank you for showing us."
She nodded.
Then she whispered, "Dad, I need to tell you something too."
I turned.
"What?"
She stared at her phone.
"The camera wasn't only about missing things."
My stomach tightened.
"What else?"
She swallowed.
"I thought Claire was hiding something."
Claire looked up.
"Me?"
Nia nodded.
"I heard you talking to someone about Dad's will."
The room went cold.
My heart began pounding.
"What?"
Nia wiped her eyes.
"A few weeks ago, I heard Claire on the phone."
Claire stared at her.
"That was a private conversation."
Nia's voice rose.
"You said Malik and I were getting too much!"
I looked at my wife.
"Claire?"
She shook her head.
"It's not what you think."
"Then explain it."
Claire sat down slowly.
She looked exhausted.
"Your estate plan."
I frowned.
"What about it?"
"Last month, I asked whether we'd ever update it."
I remembered the conversation.
We had been discussing the future.
Claire asked whether Maya would be included in any inheritance.
I told her I wanted to provide for all three children fairly while respecting assets that belonged to my first marriage.
It was a reasonable conversation.
Or so I thought.
Claire continued.
"I spoke with my sister, Veronica, about it."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because she's always telling me Maya needs financial security."
Veronica.
Claire's older sister.
A woman who had never hidden her dislike of Malik and Nia.
I felt uneasy.
"What exactly did Veronica say?"
Claire hesitated.
"She said you were keeping me and Maya dependent on you."
I stared at her.
"Dependent?"
"She said the house would eventually go to your children."
I shook my head.
"That's not true."
Claire looked down.
I had purchased our home before marrying her.
But my current estate plan included provisions for Claire.
I had also established an education account for Maya.
I hadn't hidden any of that.
"Claire, you know I've made sure Maya is provided for."
"I know."
"Then why were you discussing my will with Veronica?"
She whispered, "Because she kept telling me I was foolish to trust you."
I felt betrayed.
Not because she'd asked questions.
Because she'd allowed someone else to turn our family into a competition.
Nia stepped forward.
"Veronica hates us."
Claire looked at her.
"She doesn't hate you."
Nia laughed bitterly.
"She told me I should move out because I was nineteen."
I turned sharply.
"What?"
Nia nodded.
"At Maya's birthday dinner."
My stomach tightened.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want another argument."
I looked at Claire.
She remained silent.
I realized how many things had happened in my own home without my knowledge.
Small comments.
Private conversations.
Hidden resentment.
And now everything had exploded.
Then Maya appeared in the kitchen doorway.
Her eyes were swollen.
"Mom?"
Claire looked toward her.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
Maya stared at Nia's phone.
Then at me.
"Did you watch the other video?"
I frowned.
"What other video?"
Nia looked confused.
Maya swallowed.
"The one from Thursday."
I stared at her.
"What happened Thursday?"
She began trembling.
"Veronica came over."
Claire sat upright.
"My sister?"
Maya nodded.
"She said she knew how to make Malik leave."
My chest tightened.
I slowly stood.
"What did she say?"
Maya looked down.
"She said people would believe me if I looked scared."
The room went completely silent.
I felt something inside me turn cold.
"Did Veronica tell you to make the accusation?"
Maya nodded.
Then she whispered, "She said it would solve everything."
I stared at Claire.
May you like
Her face had gone white.
And for the first time, I understood that someone outside our house might have been encouraging the hatred growing inside it.
