Chapter 4: The Name on the Paper
Malik stared at the certificate.
His thumb was no longer covering the name.
*Spouse: Jordan Brooks.*
For several seconds, he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing.
Then he looked at the man standing in the doorway.
“Brooks?””
Jordan gave a slow nod.
“Yes.””
Tiana's knees nearly buckled.
Malik turned toward her.
“Your husband is your brother?””
Tiana shook her head violently.
“No.””
“Then why does he have your last name?””
Jordan answered before she could.
“Because we were married.””
Malik's eyes snapped back to him.
“I asked her.””
Jordan's expression remained calm.
“She won't tell you.””
“Jordan,” Tiana whispered.
He looked at her.
“You had your chance.””
Malik stepped between them.
“Everybody stop.””
His voice carried across the room.
The guests went silent.
He held up the certificate.
“This says Tiana Brooks married Jordan Brooks three months ago.””
Jordan nodded.
“It does.””
Malik looked at Tiana.
“Are you still married?””
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
Malik's face hardened.
“That's not what I asked.””
Tiana swallowed.
“No.””
Jordan laughed once.
“You're still married.””
Tiana spun toward him.
“You said you signed it.””
“I signed my part.””
“You promised me.””
“I promised to give you time.””
Malik looked between them.
“What are you talking about?””
Tiana stepped toward him.
“Malik, please. Let me explain.””
“You've had three months.””
“I was trying to fix it.””
“Fix what?””
Jordan reached into his jacket.
Tiana's eyes widened.
“Don't.””
He pulled out a second folded document.
Malik stared at it.
Jordan held it out.
“You should see this too.””
Tiana moved quickly.
“Jordan, no.””
Malik caught her arm.
“Let him.””
Jordan handed him the paper.
Malik unfolded it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
It was a marriage license application.
Names.
Signatures.
Dates.
And beneath the signature lines was a handwritten note:
*Marriage remains legally valid unless dissolved by court order.*
Malik's breathing became heavier.
He looked at Tiana.
“You told me it was over.””
“It was supposed to be.””
“Supposed to be?””
“I filed.””
Jordan shook his head.
“You started the process.””
Malik looked at him.
“What process?””
“Divorce.””
Tiana closed her eyes.
Malik stared at her.
“You didn't get divorced.””
“I tried.””
“You tried?””
“I couldn't afford the attorney.””
Jordan gave a bitter smile.
“You didn't need an attorney to tell him the truth.””
Tiana snapped.
“You don't get to judge me.””
Jordan's voice stayed quiet.
“You married him while you were still married to me.””
A murmur moved through the guests.
Malik's aunt whispered, “Oh, Lord.””
Malik looked down at his own wedding ring.
Then at Tiana's.
“You stood beside me today wearing a ring while legally married to someone else.””
“I thought the paperwork was being handled.””
“By who?””
Tiana said nothing.
“By who, Tiana?””
“Jordan.””
Jordan's eyes narrowed.
“That is a lie.””
Tiana looked at him.
“You told me you would handle it.””
“I told you I would sign the divorce papers.””
“You never gave them back.””
“Because you never sent them.””
Malik's face went still.
He slowly lowered the papers.
“You two were communicating.””
Tiana's silence answered him.
“How long?””
“Malik—”
“How long have you been talking to him?””
“Not like that.””
“How long?””
Jordan looked away.
“Since last month.””
Malik laughed bitterly.
“Last month.””
Tiana reached for him.
He stepped back.
Her hand froze in the air.
“I can explain.””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“You keep saying that.””
Tiana began crying.
“I didn't want you to find out like this.””
“How did you want me to find out?””
She had no answer.
Jordan walked toward them.
Malik immediately raised a hand.
“Stay where you are.””
Jordan stopped.
“I didn't come here to fight you.””
“Then why are you here?””
Jordan looked at Tiana.
“Because she invited me.””
Tiana's face changed.
Malik stared at her.
“You invited him?””
“No.””
Jordan pulled out his phone.
“Check your wife's messages.””
Tiana lunged.
“Don't!””
Malik caught her wrist.
“What message?””
Jordan unlocked the phone.
“She sent me one last night.””
Tiana shook her head.
“Jordan, please.””
He held the screen toward Malik.
Malik read the message.
*Come before the ceremony. I need you to make sure he never finds out about the other part.*
Malik looked up.
“The other part?””
Tiana's face had gone completely pale.
Jordan nodded.
“That is why I'm here.””
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Malik, there is more.””
He turned toward his mother.
“What more could there possibly be?””
Evelyn looked at Tiana.
“The marriage wasn't the worst thing she hid.””
Malik stared at his mother.
Then the lights above the altar flickered.
Every guest turned toward the sound of a phone ringing.
It wasn't Tiana's.
It wasn't Jordan's.
It was Evelyn's.
She slowly reached into her lavender clutch.
Her fingers stopped.
Her eyes met Malik's.
Then she answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through the speaker.
“Evelyn, if Malik is standing beside Tiana right now, don't let him leave with her.””
Evelyn's face went white.
Malik stepped closer.
“Who is that?””
The voice continued.
“Because if he leaves with her, he may never learn who the real father of Tiana's child is.””
May you like
Tiana screamed.
“TURN IT OFF!””
