Chapter 7: The Man Behind The Lies
Marcus stood ten feet away.
Behind him was a man I had only seen in photographs.
Older.
Gray-haired.
The same sharp eyes.
The same confident posture.
Marcus’s father.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
I looked at Marcus.
“You brought him here?””
His jaw tightened.
“Nia, listen.””
I laughed.
“Why does everyone say that before ruining my life?””
David moved in front of me.
“You need to leave.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Still protecting the family, David?””
Family.
That word hit me.
Because suddenly I understood.
Everyone was connected.
Everyone except me.
“You knew,” I said to Marcus.
He looked at me.
“You knew about my father.””
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked me.
“You’re finally telling the truth?””
“I’m trying.””
I stepped forward.
“No. You’re trying because you got caught.””
His expression hardened.
“You don’t understand.””
“I understand enough.””
I pointed at his father.
“You lied about him being dead.””
Marcus looked away.
“He had to disappear.””
“Why?””
Silence.
His father answered.
“Because your father was going to destroy us.””
I turned toward him.
“Who are you?””
The man smiled slightly.
“My name is Richard Reed.””
“You’re Marcus’s father.””
“Yes.””
“And you’re the reason my father died?””
Richard didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“Dad.””
Richard ignored him.
“Your father was not innocent, Nia.””
I felt anger burn through me.
“Don’t talk about him.””
“You never knew the truth.””
“I knew him.””
“You knew the version your mother wanted you to know.””
I looked at David.
My uncle looked away.
That scared me.
Because if David disagreed, he would have said something.
“What happened?””
Richard walked toward an old desk.
“Your father and I were business partners.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Carter Logistics and Reed Holdings built something together.””
He touched the dusty desk.
“Until your father betrayed me.””
David interrupted.
“That’s a lie.””
Richard smiled.
“Still loyal after all these years.””
I looked between them.
“Someone tell me the truth.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Nia…”
I turned toward him.
“You don’t get to say my name like you’re protecting me.””
His face fell.
“You used me.””
“Yes.””
The answer was quiet.
And somehow worse.
“I needed access to your company.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
“Because I was trying to fix what my father destroyed.””
I stared.
“You stole from me to fix something?””
“I thought I could repair it.””
I shook my head.
“You don’t repair broken things by breaking someone else.””
Marcus looked like he wanted to argue.
But he didn’t.
Because he knew.
Richard stepped closer.
“Your father hid money before he died.””
David’s face changed.
“No.””
Richard looked at him.
“Yes.””
I frowned.
“What money?””
Richard smiled.
“The money your father stole from me.””
I looked at David.
“Is that true?””
David hesitated.
“Nia…”
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“Everyone keeps deciding what I can handle.””
I looked at Richard.
“I want the truth.””
He nodded.
“Your father transferred millions before his accident.””
“Accident?””
Richard smiled.
“You still call it that.””
My stomach twisted.
“What happened?””
Before anyone answered, my phone rang.
My mother.
I answered.
Her voice was frantic.
“Nia, where are you?””
I looked around the warehouse.
“With people who knew my father better than I did.””
Silence.
Then my mother whispered:
“Oh God.””
“Mom.””
Her breathing shook.
“There’s something I never told you.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Another secret.
“What?””
A long pause.
Then:
“Your father didn’t die alone.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What does that mean?””
“He was with someone.””
“Who?””
My mother began crying.
“Nia…”
“Who was with him?””
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Me.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
My mother.
The woman who raised me.
The woman who said she watched my father die.
Had been there.
And never told me.
I looked up.
Everyone was watching me.
And suddenly I realized something.
May you like
The biggest betrayal of my life didn’t start with Marcus.
It started fifteen years ago.
