Chapter 4: The Message From the Dead
Nia stared at the phone screen until the letters blurred.
Her fingers tightened around the device.
The chapel was silent.
Not peaceful silence.
The kind of silence that came before something broke.
The message remained open.
*Nia, if you’re reading this, I didn’t make it. Don’t trust the story they tell you. The truth is hidden where everyone can see it.*
Below the message was a name.
*— Marcus*
A wave of whispers moved through the funeral chapel.
People looked at each other.
Some crossed their arms.
Some stepped away from the coffin.
But Nia couldn’t move.
Because Marcus had written those words.
She knew his voice.
She knew the way he chose every sentence carefully when something mattered.
And this sounded exactly like him.
Not a goodbye.
A warning.
“Nia,” Daniel said quietly.
“What does it say?””
She looked up.
Everyone was watching her.
Especially Evelyn.
The woman’s eyes were fixed on the phone.
Not on Nia.
Not on Marcus.
On the message.
Nia noticed.
“You already know what it says.””
Evelyn’s expression changed.
“I know Marcus.””
“That’s not what I asked.””
“Nia—”
“No.””
Her voice cut through the room.
“You don’t get to protect me anymore. You don’t get to decide what I can handle.””
Evelyn swallowed.
For the first time, she looked like an ordinary person.
A mother who was terrified.
But Nia had learned something over the past three days.
Fear did not always mean innocence.
Sometimes fear meant someone had been caught.
Daniel looked between them.
“Mrs. Reed, if Marcus sent that message, we need to know why.””
Evelyn looked at him.
“You think I don’t know that?””
“Then tell us.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Nia watched her carefully.
There was something behind those eyes.
Something she wasn’t saying.
The phone vibrated.
Everyone jumped.
A second notification appeared.
This time, the message was shorter.
*The person who knows the truth is still in the room.*
The air disappeared from Nia’s lungs.
Slowly, she looked around.
The mourners.
The funeral director.
Marcus’s friends.
His family.
Everyone.
Someone here knew.
Someone had been standing beside Marcus’s coffin from the beginning.
Someone had watched Nia walk into the chapel wearing her wedding dress.
Someone had waited to see if she would find the phone.
“Who else knew about this?”” Nia asked.
No one answered.
Her eyes moved from face to face.
“Who knew Marcus had something to tell me?””
Still nothing.
Then an older man near the back shifted nervously.
Nia noticed.
“You.””
The man froze.
Daniel recognized him.
“Mr. Lewis?””
The older man looked uncomfortable.
“I don’t want to be involved.””
Nia stepped toward him.
“Too late.””
He looked at the coffin.
Then at Evelyn.
That small movement told Nia everything.
“You were there.””
The man lowered his eyes.
“I saw Marcus the night before…”
Evelyn immediately interrupted.
“Don’t.””
The entire room turned.
Nia’s heart started pounding.
“Don’t what?””
Evelyn looked at the man.
A warning passed between them.
A silent conversation.
Nia stepped closer.
“What happened the night before Marcus died?””
The older man rubbed his hands together.
“He came to the chapel.””
Everyone went still.
Daniel frowned.
“Why would Marcus come here?””
The man looked at the coffin.
“He was scared.””
Nia felt cold.
“Scared of what?””
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
“He said someone close to him was lying.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Like she had been expecting those words.
Nia turned.
“Someone close.””
Her gaze landed on Evelyn.
The older woman looked away.
That was enough.
“No,” Evelyn whispered.
Nia stared.
“You were the person he was talking about.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then make me understand.””
“I can’t.””
The answer hurt more than a confession.
Nia stepped back.
“You can’t?””
Evelyn looked at the phone.
Then at Marcus.
Then finally at Nia.
“Because if I tell you everything, you won’t just lose Marcus.””
A pause.
“You’ll lose the way you remember him.””
Nia felt her chest tighten.
“What does that mean?””
Before Evelyn could answer—
The chapel doors opened.
Everyone turned.
A man stood there.
Black suit.
Dark sunglasses.
A familiar face.
Nia had seen him before.
At Marcus’s engagement party.
At their apartment.
At family dinners.
Marcus’s older cousin.
Terrence.
But he wasn’t looking at Nia.
He was looking at the phone in her hand.
May you like
And he said one sentence.
“Give me that before you read the next message.””
