Chapter 4: The Missing Key
Marcus stared at Vanessa.
“What did you steal from me?””
She didn't answer.
His phone remained in his hand, the anonymous message glowing against the dark screen.
Derrick watched her carefully.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa shook her head.
Marcus took one step toward her.
“Tell me.””
“I can't.””
“You can.””
“Marcus, please.””
“No more please.””
His voice wasn't loud.
That made it worse.
The church had gone completely silent.
Marcus looked at the guests, then at his daughter.
“Pastor, I need everyone to stay here.””
The pastor nodded slowly.
Marcus turned back to Vanessa.
“You said you wanted me to marry you because you loved me.””
“I did.””
“You said you were carrying my child.””
“I know.””
“You put a fake pregnancy under your wedding dress.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“And now someone says you stole something from my house.””
Her shoulders trembled.
“I didn't steal it.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Then what did you take?””
Derrick stepped forward.
“The key.””
Vanessa's eyes snapped toward him.
“Shut up.””
Marcus looked at Derrick.
“What key?””
Derrick reached into his coat and removed a small brass key attached to a black leather tag.
Marcus recognized it immediately.
His face changed.
“That belongs to my safe.””
Derrick held it between two fingers.
“I found it in Vanessa's purse.””
Vanessa lunged toward him.
Derrick stepped back.
“Don't.””
Marcus caught Vanessa's wrist.
“Where did you get that?””
She stared at him.
“I was going to put it back.””
“When?””
“Tonight.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“After the wedding?””
She said nothing.
“Of course.””
He released her.
Then Lily spoke from behind him.
“Daddy?””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
“Is that the key she used?””
Vanessa froze.
Marcus slowly looked at his daughter.
“What do you mean?””
Lily's fingers twisted together.
“She told me to wait outside your bedroom.””
Vanessa whispered, “Lily…”
“She went into the closet.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“What closet?””
“The one with the little black door.””
His safe.
Marcus remembered.
The safe was hidden behind a false panel inside his walk-in closet. Only three people knew about it.
Marcus.
His father.
And Vanessa.
His father had been dead for six years.
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“What did you take?””
“I told you, I didn't steal anything.””
“Then show me.””
“Marcus—”
“Show me.””
Derrick stepped closer.
“She can't.””
“Why?””
“Because whatever she took is already gone.””
Marcus turned toward him.
“How do you know?””
Derrick reached into the folder.
He removed a photocopy.
Marcus took it.
It was a bank transfer.
His eyes moved across the page.
The amount made his stomach drop.
Two hundred and eighty thousand dollars.
Transferred from an account connected to his father's estate.
Destination: an investment company Marcus had never heard of.
Date: three weeks earlier.
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“You transferred my father's money.””
Her voice cracked.
“I borrowed it.””
“You stole it.””
“I was going to replace it.””
“With what?””
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Marcus looked at Derrick.
“Why would you know about this?””
Derrick's expression hardened.
“Because some of that money belongs to Isaiah.””
Marcus stared at him.
“You're telling me my father's money was meant for your son?””
“No.””
Derrick shook his head.
“I'm telling you Vanessa took money that was supposed to protect Isaiah.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Why would my father leave money for a child he never knew existed?””
Derrick pulled another document from the folder.
“Because he did know.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
“My father knew about Isaiah?””
Derrick nodded.
“Before he died.””
Marcus's eyes moved to Vanessa.
She was crying again.
“You knew,” he whispered.
She nodded.
“How?””
Vanessa looked toward the stained-glass windows.
“Your father found out.””
“When?””
“Months before he died.””
Marcus shook his head.
“My father never met Isaiah.””
“He didn't need to.””
“What did he know?””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“That Derrick was your legal husband—”
Marcus interrupted.
“Ex-husband.””
“No.””
She looked at him.
“That's the problem.””
Derrick's voice was quiet.
“We were never divorced.””
Marcus stared at him.
“So Vanessa was still married to you when she started dating me.””
“Yes.””
“And my father knew.””
“Yes.””
Marcus looked down at the documents.
“Then why didn't he tell me?””
Derrick didn't answer.
Vanessa did.
“Because your father made me promise something.””
Marcus looked up.
“What?””
She swallowed.
“That I would never let you find out.””
A cold silence filled the church.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Find out what?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“That your father had been paying Derrick.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Paying him for what?””
Derrick looked toward Vanessa.
“That's the part she never told you.””
Marcus waited.
Derrick finally said it.
“To stay away from you.””
Marcus looked stunned.
“Why?””
Derrick's expression darkened.
“Because your father knew what Vanessa was capable of.””
Vanessa suddenly shouted.
“That's not true!””
Every guest jumped.
She grabbed the edge of the pew.
“Your father hated me!””
“Then why did he pay Derrick?””
“Because he was afraid!””
“Afraid of what?””
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
Her face was soaked with tears.
“Afraid that you would become just like him.””
Marcus frowned.
“My father?””
She nodded.
“Your father had enemies.””
Derrick corrected her.
“Not enemies.””
He looked at Marcus.
“Witnesses.””
Marcus felt a chill run through him.
“Witnesses to what?””
Derrick opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, Marcus's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
Low.
Calm.
“Marcus, don't trust either of them.””
Marcus stood perfectly still.
“Who is this?””
The caller breathed softly.
“You're standing in the wrong church.””
Marcus's eyes darted toward the rear doors.
“What does that mean?””
“You need to leave before Vanessa tells you what happened to your father.””
The line went dead.
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
Vanessa stared at him.
Derrick stared too.
Marcus looked at both of them.
May you like
Then he asked the question that made Vanessa's face go completely white.
“What happened to my father?””
