Chapter 7: The Video That Shouldn’t Exist
The phone screen remained black.
For three seconds.
Four.
Five.
Nobody moved.
The funeral chapel was filled with the sound of nervous breathing and the quiet hum of the air conditioning.
Then the video began.
A shaky image appeared.
Marcus.
Alive.
Sitting in the same chapel.
The same white flowers surrounded him.
The same rows of black chairs stretched behind him.
Nia’s hand flew to her mouth.
“No…”
Her knees almost gave out.
Daniel caught her arm.
“Nia.””
But she barely heard him.
Because Marcus was on the screen.
Not a memory.
Not a photo.
A recording.
His face was tired. His eyes looked heavy. He wore the same black shirt he had worn the night before he died.
He looked directly into the camera.
And directly at her.
“If you’re watching this, something went wrong.””
The sound of his voice broke Nia.
A tear rolled down her face before she even realized she was crying.
Marcus continued.
“I wanted to tell you this myself.””
He looked away for a moment.
Like he was gathering courage.
“But I knew if I told you everything, you would try to help me.””
A small, sad smile appeared.
“And you have always been terrible at walking away from people you love.””
Nia covered her mouth.
That was Marcus.
That was exactly Marcus.
Evelyn stared at the screen.
Her face had changed completely.
The control was gone.
The anger.
The confidence.
Only fear remained.
Marcus continued.
“Nia, there are people around me who are lying.””
The room went still.
“Some of them are lying because they want to hurt me.””
A pause.
“Some of them are lying because they think they are protecting me.””
Nia slowly looked at Evelyn.
The older woman looked away.
Marcus leaned closer to the camera.
“But there is one thing you need to understand.””
His voice lowered.
“The person who betrayed me is not the person everyone suspects.””
The video froze for a second.
Then continued.
“I need you to find the truth before they find this phone.””
Nia looked down at the device.
Her heartbeat raced.
Marcus knew.
He knew someone would look for it.
He knew someone would try to stop her.
The video suddenly glitched.
Static filled the screen.
Then Marcus appeared again.
This time, his expression was different.
Fearful.
“Evelyn—”
The entire room reacted.
Evelyn stepped backward.
Marcus continued.
“If you’re watching this and my mother is there…”
The screen shook.
Like someone had moved the camera.
“Mom, I need you to understand—”
The video cut.
Black screen.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
Just silence.
Then the chapel lights flickered.
Everyone jumped.
Nia stared at Evelyn.
“What was he going to say?””
Evelyn looked devastated.
“I don’t know.””
“You were in the video.””
“I know.””
“You were the first name he said.””
“I know.””
Nia stepped closer.
“Then explain.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I can’t.””
Nia’s anger finally broke through.
“Everyone keeps saying that!””
Her voice echoed.
“You can’t explain. You can’t tell me. You can’t answer one simple question.””
She pointed at Marcus’s coffin.
“But my fiancé was trying to warn me.””
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“He was trying to protect you.””
“From who?””
Evelyn looked at her.
And whispered:
“I don’t know.””
Before Nia could respond, the funeral director forced the chapel door again.
This time, it opened.
Everyone turned.
A woman stood outside.
A woman nobody recognized.
She wore a dark coat and held a folder.
“I’m looking for Nia Carter.””
Nobody answered.
The woman’s eyes moved through the room.
Then landed on the phone.
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Nia saw it.
Recognition.
The stranger knew exactly what she was looking at.
Terrence stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
The woman pulled out an identification card.
“My name is Detective Lauren Brooks.””
The room shifted.
A detective.
At a funeral.
Nia looked confused.
“Why are you here?””
Detective Brooks looked at Marcus’s coffin.
Then at the phone.
“Because I believe Marcus Reed was murdered.””
The words hit the room like an explosion.
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Terrence looked away.
And Nia realized something terrifying.
The people around Marcus weren’t hiding one secret.
They were hiding different pieces of the same one.
Detective Brooks walked closer.
“Nia, I need that phone.””
Nia held it tighter.
“Why?””
The detective hesitated.
May you like
Then said:
“Because the last person who tried to access that recording ended up dead.””
