Chapter 4: The Father Who Never Died
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
I stood in Richard Whitmore's study, holding a photograph of my mother and a man I had believed was dead for twenty years.
My father.
The man who used to carry me on his shoulders at the county fair. The man who taught me to ride a bicycle in our driveway. The man whose funeral I had attended when I was nine years old.
Except there had never been a body.
My mother had told me he died in a car accident.
She had shown me a newspaper clipping and a photograph of his damaged vehicle. There had been a memorial service, flowers, condolences, and a small wooden box that she said contained his personal belongings.
I had spent my childhood visiting his grave.
Now Marcus was telling me he was alive.
"Say that again," I whispered.
Marcus exhaled.
"Your father is alive.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where is he?""
"I don't know exactly.""
"Don't lie to me.""
"I'm not lying, Nia. Grandpa has been receiving letters from him.""
I turned toward Richard.
"Is that true?""
Richard looked down at his desk.
"Yes.""
A cold sensation spread through my chest.
"You knew?""
"I suspected he was alive. I didn't know where he was until recently.""
"How long?""
Richard hesitated.
"Several months.""
I felt something inside me crack.
"Twenty years. I've spent twenty years thinking my father was dead, and you knew he might be alive?""
"Nia, your mother made me promise—"
"Don't.""
My voice echoed through the study.
"Don't use my mother as an excuse.""
Olivia came beside me and gently took the photograph from my shaking hands.
I returned to the phone.
"Marcus, give me his number.""
"I don't have it.""
"Then give me the letters.""
"They're at Grandpa's office.""
Richard looked up.
"There's one here.""
He opened a drawer and removed a white envelope.
My name was written across it in handwriting I remembered immediately.
The letters leaned slightly to the right. The capital N had a long, curved stroke.
My father's handwriting.
I took the envelope.
There was no return address.
Only one sentence on the back.
I am sorry I let you believe I was gone.
My knees weakened.
Olivia caught my elbow.
"Sit down, Nia.""
But I couldn't.
I tore open the envelope.
Inside was a letter dated three weeks earlier.
My dearest Nia,
I don't know whether you will ever forgive me. I don't know whether you will even believe this letter is real.
Your mother protected you in the only way she knew how. I agreed to stay away because I believed it was the only way to keep you safe.
But the people who threatened us are still trying to take what she left you.
If you receive this letter, please ask Richard about the original ledger.
And please, don't trust anyone who tells you that I abandoned you.
I read the final line twice.
Then I looked at Richard.
"What's the original ledger?""
His expression tightened.
"Evidence of the financial fraud your mother uncovered.""
"Where is it?""
"Your father took it before disappearing.""
"Why?""
"Because it contained names, account numbers, and signatures belonging to people who could have destroyed the company. Some of those people were still powerful.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Was Marcus's father involved?""
Richard nodded.
"My son, Edward, was one of the people your mother exposed.""
The room seemed to grow smaller.
"Your son?""
Richard's eyes filled with shame.
"I failed to see what he was doing until it was too late.""
I turned toward Olivia.
She looked as stunned as I felt.
Then Marcus spoke again.
"Nia, I need to tell you something else.""
"What?""
"Mom knew about your father.""
I closed my eyes.
"Of course she did.""
"She was the one who told me he was dead.""
My eyes opened.
"What?""
Marcus sounded uncomfortable.
"She said your father disappeared after stealing money from the company. She told me he had been involved in something illegal and that your mother had spent years trying to protect you from him.""
I stared at the phone.
"And you believed her?""
"I didn't know what else to believe.""
"Did you ever think to tell me?""
"I didn't want to hurt you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You didn't want to hurt me? Marcus, you knew my father might be alive. You knew your mother had been trying to control my inheritance. And you let me walk toward a wedding without telling me any of it.""
"Nia, please. I was trying to figure things out.""
"Then figure them out without me.""
I ended the call.
Richard watched me quietly.
After a moment, he placed a small silver key on the desk.
"Your mother gave me this.""
I looked at it.
"What does it open?""
"Her old safe deposit box.""
I picked it up.
"Where?""
"At First National Bank. The box is registered under her maiden name.""
"Why didn't you give it to me before?""
"Because she instructed me to hand it over only when you received the trust agreement.""
I slipped the key into my pocket.
Olivia stood.
"We're going to the bank.""
Richard nodded.
"I'll have James meet you there.""
As we walked toward the front door, my phone vibrated.
A text message from an unknown number appeared.
Your mother wasn't the only one who kept secrets, Nia.
A second message followed.
Ask Richard what happened the night your father disappeared.
I turned around.
Richard was still standing in the doorway.
His face had gone pale.
I held up the phone.
"Who sent this?""
He stared at the screen.
Then he whispered something that made Olivia step backward.
"Edward.""
Marcus's father.
Richard reached for the doorframe.
"He's supposed to be in Switzerland.""
I looked at the message again.
A third notification appeared.
This time, it contained a photograph.
It showed a man standing outside the bank we were about to visit.
An older man with dark hair, a gray beard, and a familiar scar above his left eyebrow.
My father.
May you like
Underneath the photograph were five words.
He isn't the only one watching.
