Chapter 8: The Man Who Knew Before the Wedding
Marcus didn't answer my question.
Instead, he looked toward the reception entrance, where several guests were gathered beside a tall arrangement of white roses.
I followed his gaze.
A Black man in a charcoal suit stood near the doors, holding a phone against his ear. He looked to be in his early forties, with close-cropped hair and a silver watch visible beneath his cuff.
He had been at our rehearsal dinner.
Daniel Brooks.
Marcus's business partner.
The man who had toasted our engagement and told me I was lucky to be marrying someone so determined to succeed.
I remembered his exact words.
“Marcus is the kind of man who never gives up on what he wants.””
At the time, I had smiled.
Now I wondered what Daniel had meant by what he wants.
“Why is Daniel here?”” I asked.
Marcus adjusted his jacket.
“He's a friend.””
“Your business partner is your friend?””
“Both can be true.””
“Does he know your divorce isn't final?””
Marcus's eyes darted toward Daniel again.
“Of course not.””
The answer came too quickly.
I held up my phone.
“His name is on the financial summary Danielle sent me.””
“That's a business document. You don't understand the context.””
“Then explain it.””
“Naomi, please. Not now.””
I almost laughed.
He had used those words so many times that they had begun to sound like a confession.
Not now.
Not here.
Not in front of everyone.
Later, when the guests were gone and the music had stopped, when there would be no witnesses and no one to contradict him, perhaps he would offer me another explanation.
I was finished waiting for later.
“I'm going to ask Daniel a question,” I said.
Marcus stepped into my path.
“No, you're not.””
I stared at him.
“Move.””
“Naomi, don't make a mistake because you're emotional.””
My father appeared beside me.
“She told you to move.””
Marcus looked at him, then stepped aside with a stiff, resentful motion.
I walked toward Daniel, gathering the front of my gown so I wouldn't trip over the embroidered hem.
As I approached, he ended his call.
His gaze moved from my face to the court document in my hand.
The expression he wore wasn't surprise.
It was recognition.
And that frightened me.
“Naomi,” he said carefully.
“Congratulations.””
I looked at him.
“Is that what you came to say?””
His mouth tightened.
“No. I mean—I'm sorry. This isn't how anyone wanted tonight to go.””
“Who is anyone?””
Daniel glanced past me toward Marcus.
“Can we speak somewhere quieter?””
“No.””
He paused.
I held up the financial summary.
“Why is your name on a document connected to Marcus's divorce?””
Daniel took a slow breath.
“Because Marcus and I have been working on a business transaction.””
“What kind of transaction?””
“An investment opportunity.””
“Does it involve money from his divorce settlement?””
His expression changed.
“I can't discuss someone else's private finances.””
“You were discussing them with someone else when you came to my wedding?””
“I haven't discussed your wedding with anyone.””
“Then why do you look like you've been waiting for this document to appear?””
Daniel lowered his eyes.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he spoke quietly.
“I knew Marcus was having difficulties finalizing the divorce.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“How long have you known?””
“A while.””
“How long?””
He glanced toward Marcus again.
“Several months.””
I stared at him.
“Several months?””
“I didn't know he was going to marry you before it was finalized.””
“Did you know he told me he was divorced?””
Daniel rubbed his chin.
“I knew he said the process was nearly complete.””
“That's not what I asked.””
He looked uncomfortable.
“No. I didn't know exactly what he told you.””
I felt anger rise through the exhaustion.
“You came to my engagement party. You shook my father's hand. You stood beside Marcus and toasted our future. You watched me thank everyone for supporting our marriage.””
Daniel looked down.
“And you knew his divorce wasn't finished.””
“I knew there were complications.””
“Did you tell him to tell me?””
He hesitated.
That was enough.
“Did you?””
“Yes,” he admitted.
“I told him it would be better to be transparent.””
I laughed once, without humor.
“And what did he say?””
Daniel looked toward Marcus.
“He said he had it under control.””
Of course he had.
Those four words had carried him through every difficult conversation, every uncomfortable question, every moment when honesty might have cost him something.
I have it under control.
I turned the financial summary toward Daniel.
“Explain this.””
He studied the page.
“The investment was supposed to close next month. Marcus expected to receive funds that would allow him to settle some outstanding obligations.””
“What obligations?””
“I don't know every detail.””
“Does the transaction depend on him using money protected by the agreement with Danielle?””
Daniel's face tightened.
“I was told the funds would be available.””
“By whom?””
“Marcus.””
“And did you verify that?””
He didn't answer.
I felt a strange, hollow sensation spread through me.
All evening, I had believed that the wedding was the central betrayal. That Marcus had lied about one fact because he wanted to secure the future he'd imagined with me.
But the documents suggested a pattern.
Promises made before verification.
Money assumed before it was available.
Obligations treated as obstacles to be managed later.
And people expected to trust him because he spoke with enough confidence.
“Daniel,” I said, “did Marcus tell you he was getting married today?””
“Yes.””
“Did he tell you his divorce was still pending?””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“He said he expected it to be finalized soon.””
“Before or after the wedding?””
“Before, I think.””
I stared at him.
“You think?””
“I wasn't involved in his personal arrangements.””
“But you were involved in the money.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“I'm not going to pretend I knew everything. I didn't. But I knew he was under pressure, and I believed he was handling it.””
I looked at the financial summary again.
A projected payment was scheduled for the following month. Several conditions were listed beneath it, including a requirement that the parties provide accurate information about existing legal and financial obligations.
I pointed to the clause.
“Does this transaction require Marcus to disclose his pending divorce?””
Daniel leaned closer.
His eyes moved across the text.
Then he stopped.
“Yes,” he said.
The answer came so quietly that I almost missed it.
I looked up.
“Did he disclose it?””
Daniel's face went pale.
“I don't know.””
“Would it affect the transaction if he didn't?””
He swallowed.
“Potentially.””
Behind us, a chair scraped against the floor.
Marcus was approaching.
“Daniel, that's enough.””
Daniel straightened.
“We should talk privately.””
“No,” I said.
“You can talk privately after you answer one more question.””
I turned toward Marcus.
“Did you tell your business partner that your divorce was finalized when it wasn't?””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“This has nothing to do with our wedding.””
“Did you?””
He glanced at Daniel.
Neither man spoke.
Then Marcus said, “I told him the legal matter was being resolved.””
“That's not an answer.””
“It's the answer you're getting.””
I felt something inside me settle.
Not forgiveness.
Not acceptance.
A decision.
I placed the financial summary beside the court document and took a step away from both men.
“I'm not signing anything. I'm not agreeing to anything. And I'm not listening to another explanation tonight.””
Marcus followed me.
“Naomi, you're throwing away everything we've built.””
I turned.
“What have we built, Marcus? A relationship based on facts you kept from me? A future based on money you may not have? A marriage you entered while you were still legally married to someone else?””
His face reddened.
“You're making me sound like a terrible person.””
“No. I'm describing what happened.””
He opened his mouth.
I raised my hand.
“Don't.””
The word stopped him.
For the first time, he seemed to understand that he could no longer control the conversation by raising his voice or changing the subject.
I turned to Daniel.
“If you discover anything else about this transaction, preserve the records. Don't destroy messages or documents because someone asks you to.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“I will.””
Marcus shot him a furious look.
“You'd better think carefully about what you're doing.””
Daniel didn't respond.
I walked back toward Tiana, my wedding dress brushing the polished floor.
She met me halfway.
“Do you want to leave?””
I looked around the reception hall.
The flowers. The candles. The untouched food. The people who had come to witness a promise that was never what I believed it to be.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“But I don't want to run.””
Tiana squeezed my hand.
“Then we won't run.””
Behind us, Marcus's phone began ringing.
He looked at the screen.
His entire expression changed.
He answered immediately.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through loudly enough that I could hear fragments.
Marcus turned away from the guests.
“What do you mean, you received the documents?””
He listened.
Then his face drained of color.
“No. That's impossible.””
Another pause.
He gripped the phone.
“Who sent them?””
I watched him, unable to hear the answer.
Then Marcus whispered four words that made Daniel close his eyes.
“Don't tell her yet.””
I stopped walking.
Because whatever had just happened, Marcus had forgotten one important thing.
May you like
I was already standing close enough to hear him.
And this time, I wasn't going to wait for him to decide when I deserved the truth.
