Chapter 7: The Second Marcus
The man standing at the bottom of the stairs looked exactly like Marcus.
Same broad shoulders.
Same cornrows.
Same black polo.
Same scar beneath his right eyebrow.
Maya couldn't breathe.
“Dad?””
The man smiled.
But Marcus was standing beside her.
Maya's eyes jumped between them.
“No…”
The stranger took another step.
“It's okay, Maya.””
Marcus pulled her behind him.
“Don't move.””
The stranger stopped.
“Marcus,” he said.
His voice was almost identical.
Almost.
But not quite.
Marcus stared at him.
“Who are you?””
The stranger smiled.
“You really don't recognize me?””
Marcus's expression changed.
Daniel whispered,
“Elias.””
The stranger looked at him.
“Hello, Daniel.””
Sarah's hand flew to her mouth.
Maya looked at her.
“You know him?””
Sarah nodded slowly.
“He's Marcus's brother.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I don't have a brother.””
Thomas laughed.
“You did.””
Marcus stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Thomas tapped his cane against the floor.
“Before you were born, your mother had twins.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Maya looked at the two men.
“Twins?””
The stranger smiled.
“Marcus was always the good one.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“What happened to you?””
Elias shrugged.
“Dad chose you.””
Thomas said nothing.
Marcus looked at him.
“You told everyone I was your only son.””
“I protected the family name.””
“You erased my brother?””
“I gave him another life.””
Elias laughed.
“Another life?””
He looked around the kitchen.
“You mean another identity.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You've been impersonating me.””
“For years.””
Maya's stomach dropped.
“Why?””
Elias looked at her.
“Because people trust your father.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“What did you do?””
Elias reached into his jacket.
Marcus immediately raised his hand.
“Don't.””
Elias pulled out a stack of photographs.
He tossed them onto the marble island.
The first showed Marcus entering a bank.
The second showed him signing papers.
The third showed him meeting a lawyer.
Maya picked one up.
“That isn't Dad.””
Elias smiled.
“No.””
Marcus looked at the photographs.
“That was you.””
Elias nodded.
“I used his identity to move money.””
Marcus stared at Thomas.
“You helped him.””
Thomas's silence was enough.
Maya looked at Vanessa.
“And you knew?””
Vanessa whispered,
“I knew there was someone using Marcus's identity.””
“You knew?””
“I didn't know it was Elias.””
Elias laughed.
“You knew enough.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You said Marcus would never find out.””
“I was wrong.””
Sarah stepped toward Elias.
“You were the one who threatened me.””
Elias's smile disappeared.
“Yes.””
Marcus turned.
“You threatened Sarah?””
Elias looked at him.
“She found the accounts.””
“What accounts?””
“The ones Thomas created.””
Marcus looked at Thomas.
Thomas finally spoke.
“Money had to move.””
“Why?””
“Because your business was failing.””
Marcus shook his head.
“My business wasn't failing.””
“Not then.””
Maya looked at the photographs.
“What's in the second box?””
Elias smiled.
“That's the question you should ask.””
Marcus stepped toward him.
“Where is it?””
“Not here.””
“Where?””
Elias looked at Maya.
“With the person who sent the message.””
Sarah's phone buzzed.
Everyone looked at it.
A new message appeared.
*YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.*
Then another.
*BRING MAYA ALONE.*
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“No.””
Elias looked at him.
“They're not asking.””
Marcus grabbed Maya's hand.
“We're leaving.””
Thomas stepped into his path.
“You're not going anywhere.””
Marcus shoved him aside.
Thomas stumbled.
Vanessa gasped.
“Dad!””
Marcus looked at him.
“You've controlled my life long enough.””
Thomas straightened.
“You still don't understand.””
“Understand what?””
Thomas looked at Maya.
“The second box contains proof that Sarah isn't Maya's only mother.””
Maya froze.
Sarah's face went blank.
“What did you say?””
Thomas smiled.
“You heard me.””
Maya turned slowly toward Sarah.
“Mom?””
Sarah couldn't answer.
Maya's voice broke.
“What does he mean?””
Sarah whispered,
“I was going to tell you.””
Maya stepped back.
“Tell me what?””
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
“The woman who gave birth to you…”
She stopped.
Maya waited.
Sarah looked at Vanessa.
Then at Marcus.
Finally, she whispered,
“Wasn't me.””
Maya stared at her.
The kitchen became completely silent.
Then the front window shattered.
Everyone ducked.
A bullet slammed into the wall above the island.
Marcus pulled Maya to the floor.
Sarah screamed.
Elias dropped behind the counter.
Thomas grabbed Vanessa.
Another shot cracked through the kitchen.
Marcus looked toward the broken window.
Then toward the second-floor hallway.
Someone had been watching the house.
Someone who knew about the box.
May you like
Someone who knew about Maya.
And whoever it was had just fired at them.
