Chapter 4: The Woman Behind the Smile
The first time I met Simone, she made me believe she wasn’t impressed by my last name.
That was what drew me to her.
Most people changed when they learned who I was.
They became careful.
Too polite.
Too eager.
They laughed harder at my jokes and agreed with opinions they didn’t actually share.
Simone was different.
At least I thought she was.
We met at a community arts fundraiser in Atlanta. She wasn’t wearing designer clothes or trying to get attention. She was standing near a group of volunteers, helping organize donations.
When she introduced herself, she simply said, “I’m Simone.””
No mention of my company.
No questions about money.
No attempt to impress me.
I remember thinking, Finally.
Someone sees me.
Not Marcus Davenport.
Just Marcus.
Now, sitting in my office with her entire history in front of me, I wondered if that moment had ever been real.
Evelyn placed another folder on my desk.
“Her background is complicated.””
I opened it.
“What does that mean?””
“She’s intelligent. Educated. No criminal record. No obvious signs of fraud.””
I frowned.
“Then what?””
“She had financial problems before meeting you.””
I read through the pages.
Outstanding debts.
Failed investments.
A business partnership that collapsed.
Nothing illegal.
Nothing that proved anything.
But then I saw the date.
Six months before we met.
A large payment.
“Where did this come from?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“That’s the part we’re investigating.””
The money had been transferred through several accounts before reaching Simone.
The final source?
A company connected to Adrian.
I closed my eyes.
The betrayal became more organized with every discovery.
They didn’t meet by chance.
They planned.
“How long?””
Evelyn knew what I meant.
“How long were they working together?””
“We don’t know yet.””
I stood.
“I need to talk to Simone.””
Evelyn immediately shook her head.
“Marcus.””
“I’m not going alone.””
“That’s not the issue.””
“Then what is?””
“She knows she’s exposed.””
I understood.
A cornered person could be dangerous.
But I needed answers from her.
Not documents.
Not reports.
Her.
We met at a private office downtown two days later.
Simone arrived wearing sunglasses and a simple black dress.
For the first time since I knew her, she looked smaller.
Not innocent.
Just smaller.
She sat across from me.
“You hate me.””
I didn’t answer immediately.
Because hate was complicated.
Hate required energy.
And I had spent too much energy loving her.
“I don’t know what I feel.””
That seemed to hurt her more than anger would have.
“You were going to marry me,” she whispered.
“Yes.””
“I loved you.””
I looked at her.
“Did you?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I did.””
“Then why?””
She looked away.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
“Because I knew you would never choose me otherwise.””
The answer stunned me.
“What?””
She wiped her face.
“Do you know what it feels like to walk into rooms where everyone already knows your last name? Where people assume you’re trying to get something?””
“You’re saying you faked a pregnancy because you were insecure?””
“No.””
Her voice became sharper.
“I’m saying I knew I needed something that made me impossible to replace.””
I stared at her.
There it was.
Not love.
Not desperation.
Control.
“You used a child that didn’t exist.””
Her face fell.
“I know.””
“No, Simone. I don’t think you do.””
I stood.
“You didn’t just lie to me. You lied to my family. You manipulated everyone who cared about you.””
She started crying.
But I couldn’t let myself be pulled back in.
Not this time.
Before I left, I asked one final question.
“Was Adrian your idea?””
She froze.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
I saw the answer before she spoke.
“No.””
I walked toward the door.
“Then whose was it?””
Her silence followed me.
Outside, Evelyn was waiting.
She looked at my face.
“You got answers?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
I looked back at the building behind us.
“But I got something better.””
“What?””
“Confirmation.””
Because Simone had been lying from the beginning.
And now I knew something else.
She wasn’t the person who created the plan.
She was only one piece of it.
The person behind everything was still out there.
And whoever that person was…
May you like
They had just lost their two closest players.
Which meant they had no reason to stay hidden anymore.
