Chapter 3: The Woman Behind The Secret
I spent the next hour staring at a name.
Elena Voss.
A stranger.
A person who somehow existed inside the biggest disaster of my life.
“Nia.””
She didn’t answer.
“Who is Elena?””
Her face changed.
Not confusion.
Fear.
That was when I knew.
This wasn’t just about Andre.
“What did you do?””
She shook her head.
“I didn’t do anything.””
“Then why does a stranger’s name appear on our divorce papers?””
She looked toward the window.
“I met her through Andre.””
My chest tightened.
“Of course you did.””
“She was helping.””
“With what?””
Nia said nothing.
I stepped closer.
“With what?””
Her voice dropped.
“With the business.””
I frowned.
“What business?””
She looked at me.
“The renovation company.””
Andre’s company.
The company I had recommended.
The company I had praised to friends.
“What about it?””
Nia twisted her hands.
“They were having financial problems.””
“And?””
“And Elena helped them.””
I stared.
“How?””
She didn’t answer.
I grabbed the folder.
Inside were contracts.
Invoices.
Payments.
My name appeared several times.
I looked closer.
My signature.
Except it wasn’t my signature.
“What is this?””
Nia went pale.
“I was going to tell you.””
“You forged my signature?””
“No.””
“You just said—”
“I didn’t sign those.””
I looked at the papers again.
Someone had copied my name.
Used my identity.
For what?
I felt the room closing around me.
“How much?””
“What?””
“How much money?””
Her silence was enough.
“Nia.””
“Marcus…”
“How much?””
She whispered:
“Forty thousand.””
The number didn’t sound real.
Forty thousand dollars.
Money from our home account.
Money I had spent years saving.
I stepped away from the table.
“You weren’t leaving me.””
She started crying.
“You don’t understand.””
“No, I understand perfectly.””
“You think I was with him because I wanted a new life.””
“Weren’t you?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why?””
She looked at the floor.
“Because I was trapped.””
I almost laughed.
“You had a husband. A daughter. A home.””
“I know.””
“Most people would call that lucky.””
“I know.””
“Then explain.””
She wiped her face.
“When Andre started coming here, he told me he could fix our financial problems.””
I looked at her.
“He used you.””
Her eyes filled.
“I thought he was helping.””
“And when did you realize?””
She didn’t answer.
That was the worst part.
I already knew.
She realized.
She just stayed.
A knock came from the door.
Both of us froze.
Nia looked terrified.
“Who is that?””
I walked toward the entrance.
Another knock.
Harder.
I opened the door.
A woman stood outside.
Early forties.
Dark hair.
Professional clothes.
She looked at me.
Then at Nia.
“Marcus Hale?””
“Yes.””
She held out an envelope.
“My name is Elena Voss.””
My grip tightened on the door.
The name from the papers.
“I need to speak with you.””
“About what?””
Her eyes moved over my shoulder.
To my wife.
Then back to me.
“About the money your wife and Andre stole from you.””
Nia whispered:
“Elena…”
The woman’s expression hardened.
“You should have told him months ago.””
I looked between them.
“Tell me everything.””
Elena handed me the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph of Andre.
Standing beside another woman.
A woman I didn’t recognize.
On the back was a handwritten note.
*He did this before.*
I looked up.
“What does that mean?””
May you like
Elena took a breath.
“It means Nia wasn’t the first wife he destroyed.””
