Chapter 8: The Name on the Screen
The phone continued ringing.
Nobody moved.
Nobody even breathed normally.
Simone stared at the screen like it was a threat.
Marcus saw the name.
His expression changed immediately.
“Answer it.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
The response came quietly.
But everyone heard it.
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
“Why won’t you answer?””
“Because it’s not the right time.””
He laughed once.
A painful, empty sound.
“Not the right time?””
He pointed around the ballroom.
“Simone, when exactly is the right time?””
The phone kept vibrating.
The name stayed glowing on the screen.
Jordan.
Marcus’s sister.
The same person who had already uncovered one lie.
Simone finally pressed decline.
The call ended.
For two seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the phone rang again.
Marcus looked at her.
“Why is my sister calling you?””
Simone looked away.
I watched her closely.
There was a difference between being caught and being exposed.
Caught people look surprised.
Exposed people look defeated.
Simone looked defeated.
Evelyn noticed too.
“Answer the phone.””
Simone looked at her mother.
“You too?””
“Yes.””
Her voice was quiet.
“But this needs to end.””
Slowly, Simone answered.
“Hello?””
Jordan’s voice came through.
“Simone.””
Everyone could hear the anger in her tone.
“Why did you ignore me?””
Simone stepped away.
“I’m busy.””
“No. You’re avoiding me.””
Marcus took a step closer.
“Jordan, you’re on speaker.””
A pause.
Then:
“Oh.””
Simone closed her eyes.
Jordan continued.
“Marcus is there?””
“Yes,” he said.
Another pause.
Then Jordan sighed.
“I knew this was going to happen.””
Simone immediately reacted.
“Don’t.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Don’t what?””
Jordan spoke before Simone could answer.
“Don’t let her stop me from telling you.””
The ballroom went silent.
Marcus’s voice lowered.
“Tell me what?””
Jordan hesitated.
“Marcus, the money problem started before the wedding.””
My chest tightened.
Simone looked furious.
“Jordan!””
“No.””
Jordan’s voice became stronger.
“I covered for you because I thought you were fixing it.””
Marcus stared.
“Covered for her?””
Jordan sighed.
“Yes.””
The confession hit everyone.
Marcus looked at Simone.
“You asked her to cover for you?””
Simone didn’t answer.
Jordan continued.
“She told me she had a temporary issue with the payments.””
“What issue?””
“She said she moved money around.””
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
“Moved money where?””
Nobody answered.
Jordan whispered:
“I don’t know.””
Simone looked relieved for half a second.
Then Jordan continued.
“But I know she lied about one thing.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“What?””
“She told me Darius refused to cater the wedding.””
My stomach dropped.
I looked at Simone.
She looked away.
Marcus turned slowly toward her.
“You told people he refused?””
Simone’s voice shook.
“I didn’t say that.””
“You implied it.””
“I was upset.””
“You made him look responsible for something you caused.””
She looked down.
The truth was too heavy now.
I remembered every conversation.
Every person who had asked why I wasn’t providing full catering.
Every awkward smile.
Every time I defended Simone because she was my sister.
She hadn’t just taken my work.
She had taken my reputation.
Marcus rubbed his face.
“I need to understand something.””
Nobody spoke.
He looked at Simone.
“Did you ever plan to tell me?””
The question was simple.
The answer wasn’t.
Simone’s eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know.””
That hurt him more than a lie.
Because it was honest.
For once.
Marcus stepped back.
Evelyn whispered:
“Simone.””
But her daughter didn’t look at her.
She looked at me.
“I was scared.””
I said nothing.
“I thought if I told the truth, everyone would think I failed.””
Her voice cracked.
“I spent my whole life trying to prove I was successful.””
The room became still.
I saw a glimpse of the sister I remembered.
The little girl who hated being ordinary.
The teenager who compared herself to everyone.
The woman who built a perfect image because she was terrified of being seen as imperfect.
But understanding someone doesn’t erase what they did.
Marcus spoke softly.
“You should have trusted me.””
She cried.
“I know.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You don’t.””
A long silence followed.
Then Jordan spoke again.
“Marcus.””
Everyone turned toward the phone.
“There’s something else.””
Simone immediately looked up.
“No.””
Jordan ignored her.
“I found something when I was helping with the wedding accounts.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Jordan hesitated.
“A second account.””
My heart stopped.
Marcus frowned.
“What second account?””
Jordan answered:
“The one Simone was using after she stopped paying the wedding bills.””
The room went silent.
Marcus looked at Simone.
And this time, even she looked scared.
May you like
Because whatever Jordan found…
Was something Simone never expected anyone to discover.
