Chapter 12: The Truth Behind the Funeral
“Veronica.””
Marcus’s voice stopped her.
She froze.
Her hand was inches from the chapel door.
Everyone turned.
Nia looked at her.
“You’re leaving?””
Veronica slowly turned around.
“No.””
But nobody believed her.
Marcus walked closer.
“You heard Arthur’s message.””
Veronica said nothing.
“You heard his daughter was here.””
Still nothing.
“And your first reaction was to leave.””
Veronica’s face hardened.
“I needed air.””
Maya laughed quietly.
“During a funeral?””
Veronica looked at her.
“You don’t understand anything.””
Nia held Arthur’s letter tightly.
“Then help us understand.””
Veronica stared at her.
For a moment, Nia thought she might finally tell the truth.
Instead, Veronica said:
“Arthur was not the man you think he was.””
Nia looked at Lena.
Then back at Veronica.
“Maybe.””
She stepped forward.
“But he was my father.””
The words silenced Veronica.
Lena stood beside the coffin.
“I never wanted any of this.””
Nia looked at her.
“Then why did Dad hide you?””
Lena’s expression broke.
“Because he thought hiding me would keep me safe.””
“From who?””
Lena looked at Veronica.
The answer was clear.
But Nia needed to hear it.
“From people who wanted control of his company.””
Marcus looked at Lena.
“Were you involved in the estate changes?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Did Arthur plan to leave you everything?””
Lena looked down.
“No.””
Everyone was surprised.
Veronica looked at her.
“What?””
Lena looked up.
“My father didn’t want me to take anything.””
Nia frowned.
“Then why the will?””
Lena looked at the red folder.
“Because the folder doesn’t contain inheritance documents.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Lena nodded.
“It contains evidence.””
A heavy silence filled the room.
“Evidence of what?”” Maya asked.
Lena looked toward the coffin.
“Evidence that someone was stealing from Arthur.””
Marcus immediately looked at Veronica.
But Lena shook her head.
“It wasn’t just her.””
Everyone froze.
“Not just her?”” Nia repeated.
Lena nodded.
“Arthur believed more than one person was involved.””
Marcus looked troubled.
“That’s why he didn’t reveal anything.””
“Yes.””
Lena took a breath.
“He didn’t know who he could trust.””
Nia looked around.
Her family.
Her father’s attorney.
His old employees.
His wife.
Everyone had secrets.
Lena reached into her purse again.
She removed a small memory card.
“This is what Arthur gave me.””
Marcus looked at it.
“A recording?””
Lena nodded.
“He told me if anything happened, I should bring this to Nia.””
Nia stared.
“Why me?””
Lena looked at her.
“Because Arthur said you were the only person who still believed he was good.””
That hurt.
Because it sounded exactly like something her father would say.
Marcus carefully took the memory card.
“Where is the device to play this?””
Harold raised his hand slightly.
Everyone looked at him.
“I have it.””
Nia frowned.
“How?””
Harold looked embarrassed.
“Arthur gave me instructions.””
He reached into his bag.
He pulled out a small old video player.
Everyone stared.
Arthur had prepared everything.
The screen.
The folder.
The key.
The recording.
The witnesses.
This wasn’t random.
This was a final message.
Marcus inserted the memory card.
The chapel screen turned on.
Arthur appeared.
Different again.
This time, he looked calm.
Almost peaceful.
“Nia.””
Her eyes filled immediately.
Arthur smiled sadly.
“If you’re seeing this, then you met Lena.””
Lena covered her mouth.
Arthur continued.
“I know this is painful.””
He looked down.
“I spent years believing silence could protect the people I loved.””
A pause.
“I was wrong.””
Nia stepped closer.
Arthur looked directly into the camera.
“The person who betrayed me was not a stranger.””
Everyone held their breath.
“It was someone I invited into my home.””
Veronica looked away.
Arthur continued.
“But there is something worse.””
The video flickered.
Arthur leaned closer.
“The betrayal did not begin with money.””
The screen distorted.
“It began with a lie about who I was.””
Nia frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Arthur looked terrified.
Then the recording cut.
The screen went black.
Everyone stared.
Marcus checked the device.
“It stopped.””
Lena shook her head.
“No.””
She looked at the folder.
“He stopped it.””
Nia looked confused.
“Why?””
Lena whispered:
“Because the next part was the part he was afraid someone would hear.””
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?””
Everyone watched.
After a few seconds, he slowly lowered the phone.
Nia stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Marcus looked at them.
“The police just arrived.””
Maya looked toward the doors.
“Why?””
Marcus swallowed.
“They found new evidence connected to Arthur’s death.””
May you like
A pause.
“And they’re here to arrest someone inside this chapel.””
