Chapter 5: The Photograph
Daniel held the photograph between two fingers.
The image showed him standing outside a hotel he had never remembered visiting.
A Black woman stood beside him.
She was smiling.
He wasn't.
The timestamp printed beneath the photograph was from three months earlier.
Daniel looked at Jessica.
“What is this?””
Jessica crossed her arms tightly.
“I told you.””
“You said you were afraid.””
“I was.””
“Of what?””
She hesitated.
“That woman.””
Daniel looked at the photograph again.
“Who is she?””
“I don't know.””
His eyes snapped toward her.
“You don't know?””
“I know who she is.””
“That makes no sense.””
Jessica took a breath.
“She contacted me.””
“When?””
“Months ago.””
“Why?””
“She said she knew you.””
Daniel stared.
“And you believed her?””
“She sent me the picture.””
“So you never asked me?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
Jessica's eyes moved toward Gloria.
Daniel noticed.
“Don't look at my mother.””
Jessica looked back at him.
“I asked you once if there was anything you weren't telling me.””
“And I said no.””
“Exactly.””
“So you decided to create a fake assault?””
“I didn't create the photograph.””
“No. You hid it.””
Jessica's lips trembled.
“I was trying to protect myself.””
Gloria stepped closer.
“From what?””
Jessica looked at her.
“From becoming another woman you could blame.””
Gloria frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Jessica's voice dropped.
“I found out Daniel had been meeting her.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I wasn't.””
“She said you were.””
“Who?””
“The woman in the photograph.””
Daniel stared at the image.
Then he looked at Tasha.
“Tasha, did you know about this?””
Tasha shook her head.
“No.””
Jessica whispered, “I didn't tell anyone.””
Daniel looked down at the writing on the back.
He read it again.
His face tightened.
Gloria reached toward the photograph.
“What does it say?””
Daniel hesitated.
Then handed it to her.
Gloria read the message.
*Ask him why he was at the hotel the night your father died.*
Gloria's fingers went numb.
She looked up.
“My husband?””
Daniel's eyes widened.
“Mom…”
Gloria stared at the photograph.
Her late husband had died years ago.
Daniel had been a teenager.
There was no reason for him to have been at any hotel connected to that night.
“Daniel,” she whispered, “what does this mean?””
“I don't know.””
Jessica stepped closer.
“That was the message I received.””
“When?””
“Two weeks ago.””
“And you waited until today?””
“I didn't know what to believe.””
“So you accused my mother instead?””
Jessica's voice cracked.
“I was desperate.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. You were afraid.””
“Yes.””
“And instead of asking me, you staged a scene.””
“I thought if I confronted you, you'd lie.””
Gloria looked at Jessica.
“You never trusted him.””
Jessica's eyes filled.
“I trusted him.””
“No,” Gloria said quietly.
“You trusted your fear.””
Jessica looked away.
Daniel paced toward the mirror.
His reflection stared back at him.
Black tuxedo.
White shirt.
Wedding ring waiting in his pocket.
Everything he'd imagined about this morning felt suddenly unreal.
Then his phone vibrated.
He pulled it out.
Unknown number.
One message.
*YOU'RE WATCHING THE WRONG WOMAN.*
Daniel's breathing stopped.
Another message arrived.
*ASK JESSICA WHAT SHE DID THREE MONTHS AGO.*
He slowly raised his eyes.
Jessica was watching him.
“What happened?”” she asked.
Daniel didn't answer.
A third message appeared.
*SHE KNOWS WHY YOUR FATHER DIED.*
Daniel's hand tightened around the phone.
Gloria saw his expression.
“What is it?””
Daniel turned the screen toward her.
Gloria read the message.
Her face went pale.
Jessica backed toward the vanity.
“Who is texting you?””
Daniel looked directly at her.
“You tell me.””
“I don't know.””
“Then why are you scared?””
Jessica opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Three months ago. What did you do?””
Jessica shook her head.
“Nothing.””
“You've lied to me all morning.””
“I haven't lied about everything.””
“Then tell me this.””
He held up the photograph.
“Why was this woman following you?””
Jessica's eyes widened.
“I never said she was following me.””
Daniel froze.
The room went silent.
Gloria slowly looked at Jessica.
Daniel lowered the photograph.
“How did you know?””
Jessica's lips parted.
She realized her mistake.
Tasha whispered, “Jessica…”
Jessica closed her eyes.
“I can explain.””
Daniel's phone vibrated again.
This time, there was a video attachment.
No message.
Just a file.
Daniel stared at it.
Jessica suddenly lunged for the phone.
Daniel stepped back.
“Don't.””
“Daniel, please!””
“What is on that video?””
“I don't know.””
“Then why did you try to take my phone?””
Jessica's face crumbled.
“I don't want you to see it.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Now I definitely will.””
He tapped the video.
The screen loaded.
A dark parking garage appeared.
Then a woman's voice came through the speaker.
“Daniel, if you're watching this, your bride has already lied to you twice.””
Jessica covered her mouth.
May you like
And the voice continued.
“The third lie is about the night your father died.””
