Chapter 8: The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Gone
Nobody spoke.
Nobody breathed.
The name on the screen stayed there.
A name from Marcus’s past.
A name I remembered hearing once.
Then never again.
“Maya,” I whispered.
My sister looked at the tablet.
And all the color disappeared from her face.
“You know him?””
I looked at her.
“You do too.””
Marcus immediately stepped forward.
“Turn that off.””
The command was sharp.
Too sharp.
The security guard looked confused.
“I’m sorry?””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“I said turn it off.””
I stepped between them.
“No.””
Marcus stopped.
The word surprised him.
Maybe because I had never spoken to him that way.
“Connect the call.””
“Nia,” he warned.
I looked at him.
“Why are you scared?””
Nothing.
That was the only answer I needed.
The guard pressed the button.
The screen flickered.
Then a man appeared.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
Maya covered her mouth.
“No…”
The man looked directly at her.
“Maya.””
Her eyes filled instantly.
“Daniel?””
The name meant nothing to me.
But the reaction meant everything.
Marcus took a step back.
Daniel looked at him through the screen.
“You should have known this day would come.””
Marcus’s face hardened.
“You’re dead.””
The entire ballroom went silent.
Daniel gave a bitter smile.
“That’s what you told everyone.””
My heart dropped.
I looked at Marcus.
“What does he mean?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
Maya stared at him.
“You told them he died?””
Daniel nodded.
“I disappeared because Marcus paid me to.””
My body went cold.
“Paid you?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Yes.””
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“Don’t listen to him.””
I laughed softly.
A painful laugh.
“Do you hear yourself?””
“What?””
“You’re not denying knowing him.””
Marcus went quiet.
That was enough.
Maya stepped closer to the screen.
“Daniel, tell her everything.””
Marcus looked at Maya.
“No.””
She looked back.
“You don’t get to decide anymore.””
Daniel took a breath.
“The night Maya found those documents, she contacted me.””
“Why?””
“Because I worked for Marcus.””
I felt my stomach twist.
Maya closed her eyes.
“He was my accountant.””
Daniel nodded.
“I found the transfers first.””
I looked at Marcus.
“All this time…”
He looked at me.
“I can explain.””
“No.””
My voice broke.
“You’ve had twelve years.””
The sentence hit him.
Daniel continued.
“Marcus was moving company funds into private accounts.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You’re simplifying it.””
Daniel laughed.
“Of course you’d say that.””
“What actually happened?”” I asked.
Daniel looked at me.
“Your husband was preparing to leave.””
The words didn’t make sense.
“Leave?””
“Yes.””
“With everything.””
I stared at Marcus.
He looked away.
Maya’s voice trembled.
“He planned to disappear.””
I felt numb.
“My husband?””
Daniel nodded.
“He had fake documents prepared.””
The room spun.
“But why?””
Nobody answered immediately.
Then Maya said:
“Because he knew we were getting close.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Close to what?””
Marcus finally exploded.
“Enough!””
His voice echoed through the ballroom.
For a second, the old Marcus returned.
The powerful man.
The man everyone obeyed.
But nobody moved.
Not anymore.
He looked at me.
“You don’t know what you’re asking.””
I stared back.
“Yes, I do.””
I pointed at the document.
“I’m asking why my husband had a plan to disappear.””
Then I pointed at Maya.
“I’m asking why my sister had to hide for twelve years.””
Then at Vanessa.
“I’m asking why everyone knew except me.””
Marcus’s face changed.
The anger disappeared.
Only fear remained.
Maya looked at me.
“Nia, there’s something else.””
I turned.
“What?””
She hesitated.
And that scared me more than anything.
“What?””
Maya looked at Ethan.
Then at Marcus.
Then back at me.
“Marcus wasn’t just hiding money.””
The room became silent.
“He was hiding someone.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“Who?””
Maya’s eyes filled with sadness.
“Someone connected to your family.””
Before I could ask another question, Marcus’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
This time, he didn’t hide it.
Because the name was visible.
And everyone saw it.
His expression changed instantly.
Maya whispered:
“That’s impossible.””
I looked at the phone.
Then at her.
“Who is it?””
Maya’s voice barely came out.
“The person who helped Marcus destroy my life.””
Marcus answered.
And from the speaker came a voice I recognized.
A voice from my childhood.
A voice I thought I would never hear again.
“Nia?””
May you like
I froze.
Because the voice belonged to my mother.
