Chapter 9: The Last Secret
Marcus stood motionless.
“My mother?””
Evelyn nodded through tears.
“She was trying to protect the family.””
“From Rachel?””
“From what Rachel knew.””
“What did Rachel know?””
Evelyn looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
Derrick suddenly stepped forward.
“Enough.””
Marcus turned.
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
“Not anymore.””
Derrick stopped.
Marcus walked toward him.
“You knew.””
Derrick stared back.
“You knew my mother was involved.””
“Yes.””
“You knew my father was trying to protect Lily.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Vanessa was protecting Isaiah.””
“Yes.””
“And you still threatened them.””
Derrick's jaw tightened.
“I was trying to survive.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No. You were trying to control everyone.””
Derrick looked away.
Marcus stepped closer.
“What did my mother do?””
Derrick remained silent.
Vanessa answered.
“She discovered your mother had been stealing from the family trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
“For how long?””
“Years.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Is that true?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your mother believed the trust belonged to her.””
“Why?””
“She was the one managing it.””
Marcus stared.
“And Rachel found out.””
“Yes.””
“Then Rachel threatened to expose her.””
“Yes.””
Marcus's voice dropped.
“So my mother killed her.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“She hired someone.””
“Who?””
Evelyn looked at Derrick.
“His father.””
Marcus turned toward Derrick.
“You knew.””
Derrick nodded.
“I found out after Rachel died.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of my mother?””
“Of what she would do to Isaiah.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“And you knew all this?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Your father told me.””
“When?””
“The night he died.””
Marcus remembered the video.
Vanessa kneeling beside Robert.
Calling 911.
He suddenly understood.
“What did my father tell you?””
“That Rachel left something behind.””
“What?””
“A recording.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“What recording?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“The recording of your mother ordering the accident.””
Marcus felt dizzy.
“Where is it?””
Vanessa hugged Isaiah tighter.
“Your father gave it to me.””
“Where?””
“I hid it.””
“Where?””
She hesitated.
“Inside the fake belly.””
Marcus stared at her.
“The pregnancy pad?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I knew Derrick would search my house, my car, my bags. But he wouldn't search something everyone thought was ridiculous.””
Derrick suddenly lunged.
Marcus tackled him.
They crashed against the wall.
“Give me the recording!””
Derrick shoved Marcus backward.
“I need it!””
Marcus struck him.
“You killed my father!””
“I didn't!””
“You were there!””
“I pushed him, but I didn't kill him!””
Marcus froze.
Derrick was crying now.
“I came for the documents.””
“You attacked him.””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
“Your father pulled a gun.””
Marcus stared.
“He shot at me.””
“What?””
Derrick grabbed his shoulder.
“Your father wasn't helpless, Marcus. He fought me.””
Vanessa shouted, “Derrick, stop!””
He turned.
“Then your mother came in.””
Marcus went still.
“My mother was dead.””
“Not that night.””
Derrick shook his head.
“She was there.””
Marcus's heart hammered.
“That was six years after she died.””
Derrick looked at him.
“That's what they wanted you to believe.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Marcus whispered, “No.””
Derrick continued.
“Your mother didn't die when you were twelve.””
Evelyn began sobbing.
Marcus turned toward her.
“Tell me.””
She couldn't look at him.
“Tell me!””
Evelyn finally whispered.
“She disappeared.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“Your mother changed her identity.””
“For what?””
“To escape the investigation.””
Marcus backed away.
“And the woman buried under her name?””
Evelyn covered her face.
“Someone else.””
The truth hit him all at once.
His entire childhood had been built around a lie.
The mother he had mourned.
The funeral.
The photographs.
The stories.
All of it.
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Marcus.””
He looked at her.
“You knew.””
“I knew she was alive.””
“How?””
“Your father showed me proof.””
“Where is she?””
Vanessa hesitated.
A sound came from upstairs.
Three slow footsteps.
Everyone looked toward the ceiling.
Derrick's face changed.
“No.””
Another footstep.
Then another.
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Who is upstairs?””
Nobody answered.
A woman's voice floated down the staircase.
“Marcus?””
He stopped breathing.
The voice was older.
But unmistakable.
His mother's voice.
Vanessa began crying.
Derrick whispered, “She wasn't supposed to come here.””
Marcus stared at the staircase.
A woman slowly appeared at the top.
Gray hair.
Elegant black coat.
One hand resting on the railing.
Marcus couldn't move.
His mother looked directly at him.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart.””
Marcus's lips trembled.
“You're dead.””
She gave a sad smile.
“I know what they told you.””
Evelyn collapsed into a chair.
Vanessa held Isaiah close.
Derrick stepped backward.
Marcus stared at the woman who had supposedly been buried thirty years ago.
Then he noticed something.
She was wearing the same pearl necklace from every photograph in his childhood.
Except one pearl was missing.
The woman descended one step.
“I didn't kill Rachel.””
Marcus's voice cracked.
“Then who did?””
She looked toward Derrick.
“Ask my son.””
Derrick's face went white.
Marcus turned to him.
“My brother?””
Derrick shook his head.
“No.””
His mother continued down the stairs.
“He wasn't the only child your father had.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
She reached the bottom.
Then she looked at Isaiah.
“That baby is the reason everyone has been lying.””
Marcus followed her gaze.
Isaiah's tiny hand slipped free of the blanket.
Around his wrist was a small silver bracelet.
Marcus recognized it.
It had belonged to his father.
His mother whispered:
“Your father didn't leave the family fortune to Lily.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“He left it to Isaiah.””
Derrick stepped forward.
“That means…”
His mother nodded.
“Every dollar.””
Then the front door slammed open.
A police officer rushed inside.
“Everyone stay where you are!””
Marcus turned.
The officer raised his weapon.
“Marcus Carter, step away from Vanessa.””
Marcus froze.
The officer looked at Derrick.
Then at Evelyn.
Then at the woman claiming to be Marcus's mother.
Finally, he said:
“We found the body.””
Marcus's heart stopped.
“What body?””
The officer looked directly at Vanessa.
“Isaiah's.””
May you like
Vanessa screamed.
But the baby was still in her arms.
