Chapter 5: The Secret Arthur Buried
The photograph stayed on the table between them.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody wanted to.
Because everyone understood what it meant.
There was a missing piece of Arthur Carter’s life.
And somehow, everyone except his daughters knew it existed.
Nia felt betrayed.
Not by one person.
By everyone.
She looked at Marcus.
“You knew about this?””
Marcus hesitated.
“No.””
That answer surprised her.
“You’re his attorney.””
“Yes.””
“And he trusted you with the folder.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you know?””
Marcus looked down.
“Because Arthur asked me not to investigate. He said some truths needed to be revealed by the right people.””
Nia let out a quiet laugh.
“The right people?””
She pointed toward the photograph.
“My whole life, I thought my family was honest.””
Maya stood beside her.
“Nia…”
“No.””
Nia shook her head.
“I want answers.””
Her voice carried through the chapel.
“I deserve answers.””
Elaine looked at her with sadness.
“You do.””
Nia turned.
“Then give them to me.””
Elaine looked toward Veronica.
For a moment, she seemed afraid.
Not of Nia.
Of what would happen after the truth came out.
“Your father and I built Carter Industries together.””
Maya frowned.
“Carter Industries?””
Elaine nodded.
“Yes.””
Nia felt confused.
“Dad told us he started that company alone.””
Elaine’s eyes lowered.
“He did.””
She paused.
“Eventually.””
The word hung in the air.
Nia waited.
Elaine continued.
“Before Arthur became successful, before the houses and the investments, before people knew his name… he had help.””
“Your help?”” Nia asked.
Elaine nodded.
“I was there when he had nothing.””
Veronica crossed her arms.
“And now you’re here to rewrite history.””
Elaine looked at her.
“No. I’m here because Arthur was tired of living with a lie.””
Nia looked at Veronica.
“What lie?””
Veronica said nothing.
That silence was becoming an answer.
Marcus placed the red folder on the table.
“Nia, there is something else.””
She looked at him.
“What?””
“The folder contains documents Arthur signed before his death.””
“About what?””
Marcus glanced at Veronica.
“Control of his estate.””
Veronica immediately stepped forward.
“Those documents are invalid.””
Everyone turned.
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
“Interesting.””
“What?””
“You just admitted you know what documents are inside.””
Veronica froze.
The room became painfully silent.
Nia watched her carefully.
Veronica looked away.
“That’s not what I meant.””
But nobody believed her.
Maya wiped her tears.
“Why are you lying to us?””
Veronica looked at her.
A strange sadness crossed her face.
Then it disappeared.
“You think I’m the villain because I’m standing in the wrong place.””
Nia stared.
“Then where should you be standing?””
Veronica looked toward Arthur’s coffin.
“Next to him.””
The answer was unexpected.
For one second, Nia saw something real.
Pain.
Then Veronica turned cold again.
“Arthur made mistakes. He hurt people. And now everyone wants me to carry the blame.””
Elaine stepped forward.
“You knew about the child.””
Veronica went still.
Nia noticed.
“What child?””
Nobody answered.
Maya looked at the photograph again.
The child.
The unknown child.
Marcus picked up the picture.
“Arthur never mentioned this person in his official records.””
Nia’s stomach tightened.
“Official records?””
Marcus nodded.
“That means this person may not legally exist.””
A phone rang.
Everyone jumped.
It came from Marcus’s briefcase.
He pulled out a second phone.
One Nia had never seen before.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
“What?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
He read the message.
Then slowly looked at Nia.
“Someone knows we found the folder.””
Nia stepped closer.
“Who?””
Marcus turned the phone around.
There was a message.
Only four words.
*You opened the wrong door.*
Maya whispered,
“What does that mean?””
Before Marcus could answer, another message appeared.
This time, it contained a photo.
A photo taken inside the funeral chapel.
Right now.
Everyone stared.
Because the picture showed them standing around the red folder.
Taken from somewhere inside the room.
May you like
Nia slowly looked around.
Someone was watching them.
