Chapter 5: The Second Secret
Malik stood beneath the bright wedding lights with Darius's letter trembling between his fingers.
Nobody spoke.
The white flowers around the altar looked almost painfully perfect.
A few guests had started crying.
Others were staring at Tiana.
Malik slowly folded the letter.
“You said you weren't the only man.””
Darius nodded.
“I'm not.””
Tiana stepped forward.
“Darius, stop.””
“No.””
“You're destroying everything.””
Darius looked at her.
“You destroyed it when you put on that dress.””
Malik's eyes moved between them.
“Who else?””
Tiana shook her head.
“There's nobody else.””
Darius scoffed.
“You told me the same thing.””
Malik's voice sharpened.
“Enough.””
Everyone went silent.
He looked at Darius.
“Start from the beginning.””
Darius hesitated.
Then pointed toward Evelyn.
“She knows.””
Malik turned to his mother.
Evelyn's face was wet with tears.
“Mom?””
She nodded.
“I know.””
Malik's chest rose.
“What do you know?””
Evelyn looked at Tiana.
“I know she didn't come into your life by accident.””
Tiana whispered, “Please don't.””
Evelyn continued.
“She knew who you were before she ever introduced herself.””
Malik stared at Tiana.
“What does that mean?””
Tiana's lips trembled.
“I knew your name.””
“You knew more than my name.””
“I saw you.””
“When?””
Tiana looked down.
“Before we met.””
Malik took a step backward.
“How?””
Darius answered.
“She had been watching you.””
Tiana snapped, “That's not fair.””
“You followed him,” Darius said.
“I wanted to know who he was.””
“You knew exactly who he was.””
Malik raised his hand.
“Stop.””
The word echoed.
He looked at Tiana.
“Why?””
She cried silently.
“I needed to know if you were like him.””
“Like who?””
She didn't answer.
Malik looked at Evelyn.
“Mom?””
Evelyn's shoulders dropped.
“Your father.””
The room became completely still.
Malik stared at her.
“My father?””
Darius nodded.
“That’s the part nobody wanted to tell you.””
Malik's face hardened.
“What does my father have to do with Tiana?””
Tiana whispered, “Everything.””
Malik turned toward her.
“Explain.””
She took a shaky breath.
“Your father ruined my family.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Malik looked stunned.
“What?””
Tiana continued.
“He borrowed money from my father. A lot of it.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“He didn't just borrow it.””
Malik looked at her.
“What did he do?””
“He disappeared with it.””
Darius stepped closer.
“And my father was the man who helped yours.””
Malik looked at him.
“What are you talking about?””
Darius's voice dropped.
“Our families knew each other.””
Malik looked toward Tiana.
“And you knew all this?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because my father kept records.””
Tiana reached into the pocket hidden beneath her gown.
Malik immediately noticed.
“What are you holding?””
She froze.
Evelyn whispered, “Tiana.””
Tiana slowly removed a small folded photograph.
She looked at Malik.
“I wasn't supposed to show you this.””
“Then why bring it?””
“Because I thought I would need it.””
Malik held out his hand.
“Give it to me.””
Tiana did.
He unfolded it.
The photograph showed three people standing outside a building.
A younger Evelyn.
Malik's father.
And a fourth person.
Darius's father.
Malik stared.
“I've never seen this.””
Evelyn's voice broke.
“Your father made me promise never to talk about that night.””
“What night?””
Nobody answered.
Malik looked at Darius.
“What happened?””
Darius's expression was grim.
“My father confronted yours.””
“And?””
“He never came home.””
Malik's eyes widened.
“What?””
Darius looked directly at Evelyn.
“She knows why.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I don't know everything.””
“But you know enough.””
Malik turned to his mother.
“Tell me.””
Evelyn opened her mouth.
Then the wedding hall doors slammed again.
This time, it wasn't Darius.
A uniformed Black woman entered carrying a thick folder.
She walked directly toward Malik.
“Mr. Malik Brooks?””
“Yes?””
She stopped in front of him.
“I need you to come with me.””
Malik frowned.
“For what?””
She opened the folder.
“Because we found your father's name in an old investigation.””
Evelyn went pale.
May you like
The officer continued.
“And your bride's name is in it too.””
