Chapter 4: The Sister’s Secret Question
Marcus’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Why would my own sister be asking you about the money?””
The ballroom went completely still.
Not quiet.
Still.
There was a difference.
Quiet meant people were choosing not to speak.
Still meant everyone was waiting for something to break.
I looked at the phone in Marcus’s hand.
The message was simple.
*Darius, please tell me you didn’t give Simone the catering money. I need to know what happened before I say anything. — Jordan*
Jordan.
Marcus’s younger sister.
The person who had helped Simone plan this wedding from the beginning.
The person who had sat beside Simone during dress fittings.
The person who had called me three weeks earlier asking about the catering details.
And now she was asking where the money went.
Marcus looked up slowly.
“Darius.””
I reached for my phone.
“Marcus, I don’t know everything.””
“But you know something.””
“I know Jordan contacted me.””
Simone stepped forward.
“Give me the phone.””
Marcus turned away.
“No.””
Her expression changed.
“Marcus.””
“No.””
The firmness in his voice shocked everyone.
Even me.
Because Marcus had spent the entire evening trying to avoid conflict.
But something had changed.
He wasn’t defending Simone anymore.
He was trying to understand her.
Simone’s face hardened.
“You’re really going to believe him over me?””
Marcus stared at her.
“I’m trying to figure out why I have to choose at all.””
That sentence hit harder than yelling.
Simone opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Evelyn looked between them.
“Maybe everyone needs to calm down.””
I looked at my mother.
“Mom, people only say calm down when they don’t want people asking questions.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“Darius.””
“No. I’m tired of pretending questions are the problem.””
I pointed at the card.
“The agreement was clear.””
Then I pointed at Marcus’s phone.
“And now there’s another question about money.””
A few guests exchanged looks.
The kind of looks people give when they realize a situation is bigger than they thought.
Marcus handed the phone back to me.
“Call her.””
Simone immediately reacted.
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why not?””
“She’s not here.””
“That doesn’t matter.””
“It’s our wedding day.””
He gave a small, humorless laugh.
“Our wedding day already changed.””
Nobody moved.
I pressed the call button.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then Jordan answered.
“Darius?””
Her voice sounded nervous.
“Jordan, you’re on speaker.””
A pause.
Then silence.
“Marcus is here,” I continued.
Another pause.
“Oh.””
That single word said too much.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Jordan, what money are you talking about?””
The silence on the other end stretched.
Simone looked terrified.
“Jordan?”” Marcus repeated.
Finally, Jordan spoke.
“I didn’t know everyone was there.””
Marcus closed his eyes for a second.
“Answer the question.””
A shaky breath came through the phone.
“Marcus, I thought you knew.””
“Knew what?””
I watched Simone’s face.
She looked like she wanted to disappear.
Jordan continued.
“The catering money.””
Marcus’s voice dropped.
“What catering money?””
The entire room seemed to inhale at once.
Jordan hesitated.
“The money you gave Simone.””
Marcus froze.
I saw it happen.
A person remembering something they wish they could forget.
“I never gave Simone catering money,” he said.
The words came out slowly.
“I gave her money for the wedding expenses.””
Jordan went silent.
Then she whispered.
“Marcus…”
“What?””
“Darius didn’t get it?””
Nobody spoke.
My grip tightened around the phone.
Marcus looked at Simone.
“What is she talking about?””
Simone’s face went pale.
“Jordan, stop.””
“No,” Jordan said.
Her voice changed.
She wasn’t scared anymore.
She was angry.
“Marcus, you asked me to help organize the payments because you trusted her.””
Simone shook her head.
“Jordan.””
“You told me Darius was already paid.””
The ballroom erupted with whispers.
Marcus turned back to me.
“You weren’t paid?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
He looked at Simone.
She looked away.
And that was the answer.
Marcus walked backward slightly.
Like he needed distance from the person standing in front of him.
“Simone.””
She finally looked at him.
“Please.””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“No, I need you to explain.””
She looked around.
At the guests.
At her mother.
At me.
Then she lowered her voice.
“You don’t understand.””
Marcus stared.
“Then help me understand.””
She swallowed.
“I was going to fix it.””
Those words landed like a confession.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
“Fix what?””
Simone didn’t answer.
And that was when I realized something.
The catering wasn’t the real problem.
The missing food.
The argument.
The signed card.
Those were only the first cracks.
The real damage was hiding underneath.
Marcus took a step closer.
“Where is the money, Simone?””
She looked down.
And for the first time that night, she didn’t have a response.
Then Jordan spoke again through the phone.
“Marcus…”
Everyone turned toward the speaker.
Her voice became softer.
“There’s something else you need to know.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“What?””
A long pause.
Then Jordan said:
“Simone didn’t just tell me Darius was paid.””
The ballroom waited.
“What did she tell you?””
Jordan’s answer came quietly.
“She told me the catering company had already received the money.””
My stomach dropped.
Because that wasn’t just a lie.
That was a lie about my business.
A lie that could damage everything I had worked for.
Marcus looked at Simone.
May you like
And this time, there was no confusion left.
Only betrayal.
