Chapter 12: The Person Nobody Suspected
The silence after Evelyn’s words was unbearable.
Nobody moved.
Not me.
Not Marcus.
Not even Evelyn.
It felt like the entire house was waiting for someone to speak.
Finally, I looked at her.
“You’re accusing Marcus?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
That answer surprised me.
“Then what are you saying?””
She stepped closer.
“I’m saying your father knew Marcus was involved.””
Marcus’s face changed.
“Involved?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“You know exactly what I mean.””
He looked away.
My stomach twisted.
I hated that I noticed.
Because it meant some part of me believed her.
“Marcus.””
He didn’t answer.
“Look at me.””
Slowly, he did.
“What happened?””
He was quiet.
Too quiet.
Then he said:
“I made a mistake.””
My heart sank.
“What mistake?””
He sat down.
“I thought I could fix it.””
“Fix what?””
He rubbed his hands together.
“The money.””
The word felt like a punch.
“The inheritance?””
He nodded.
“No.””
I frowned.
“Then what?””
“The money before that.””
I stared.
“The family accounts.””
The room spun.
“So you did steal?””
“No.””
His answer came quickly.
“I never took anything.””
“Then explain.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
Then at me.
“Your father asked me to investigate.””
I froze.
“Investigate?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he suspected someone was moving money.””
My voice lowered.
“And you found them?””
Marcus nodded.
“I did.””
“Who?””
He looked at Evelyn.
Then back at me.
“I found records.””
“Whose?””
He hesitated.
“Yours.””
My heart stopped.
“My records?””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“Your mother’s.””
I stared.
“Evelyn?””
She closed her eyes.
“No.””
That single word carried something.
Pain.
Not anger.
Pain.
Marcus continued.
“The accounts were connected to Evelyn, but she wasn’t the one moving the money.””
I looked between them.
“Then who?””
Nobody answered.
Because suddenly, we all heard it.
A sound.
A phone ringing.
Not mine.
Not Marcus’s.
Evelyn’s.
She looked at the screen.
Her face changed.
I noticed.
“Who is it?””
She didn’t answer.
The phone kept ringing.
Finally, she picked up.
“Hello?””
Silence.
Then her expression collapsed.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“No.””
Her voice shook.
“That’s impossible.””
I stepped closer.
“What happened?””
She ended the call.
Her hands trembled.
“The bank.””
“What about it?””
She looked at Noah’s trust documents on the table.
“They found another account.””
I waited.
“Whose?””
Her eyes filled with fear.
“Your father’s.””
I frowned.
“He’s been dead for three years.””
“I know.””
“Then how?””
She looked at Marcus.
Then at me.
“Because someone has been using it.””
The room went silent.
I whispered:
“Who?””
Evelyn’s voice barely came out.
“They don’t know.””
My frustration grew.
“Then what do they know?””
She looked at me.
“They know the person accessing it has been trying to send one message.””
“What message?””
She reached into her purse.
Pulled out her phone.
And showed me the screen.
A single transaction note.
One sentence.
My father’s words.
*Tell Nia the truth before it’s too late.*
I stared.
Because beneath the message was a timestamp.
Today.
Not three years ago.
Today.
My father’s account had been accessed today.
I looked at Evelyn.
Then Marcus.
Then the phone.
And a terrifying thought entered my mind.
Someone wasn’t pretending to be my father.
Someone was continuing something he started.
My phone buzzed.
A new message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
Only one line.
*Now you know who was protecting you.*
Then another message appeared.
A photograph.
This time, there was no hidden face.
No covered identity.
No mystery.
The person standing beside my father was clear.
And I dropped the phone.
May you like
Because the person in the picture…
was me.
