Chapter 4: The Name on the Envelope
Darius stared at the envelope in his hand.
The name written across the front seemed impossible.
For several seconds, his brain refused to accept what his eyes were seeing.
The ballroom around him disappeared.
The voices.
The music.
The shocked whispers from family members.
Everything faded into the background.
Because the name on that envelope belonged to someone who was supposed to be part of his past.
Someone who had no reason to be standing in the middle of his family’s celebration.
Darius slowly looked up.
“Where did you get this?””
The person at the entrance didn’t answer immediately.
That hesitation made the room even more uncomfortable.
Simone stepped forward.
“Darius, please.””
He turned toward her.
“Please what?””
His voice wasn’t loud.
That was what made it dangerous.
“You knew this name.””
Simone looked away.
And that was the answer.
Darius felt something break inside him.
Not anger.
Not yet.
Something worse.
Disappointment.
“You knew.””
Simone swallowed.
“I knew the situation was complicated.””
“Complicated?””
Darius lifted the envelope slightly.
“You lied about being pregnant.””
He pointed toward the phone.
“You let my daughter expose a secret you were hiding.””
Then he looked at the envelope.
“And now there’s something with this name on it that you don’t want me to see.””
His jaw tightened.
“What part of this is complicated?””
Nobody spoke.
The person who brought the envelope finally stepped closer.
“My name is Marcus.””
Darius looked at him.
Marcus held his gaze.
“I didn’t come here to destroy your family.””
Darius gave a cold laugh.
“You walked into my house during a family banquet with a secret letter about my wife.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“I know how it looks.””
“No,” Darius said.
“You don’t.””
Marcus’s expression changed slightly.
“You’re right.””
He glanced at Simone.
“But I know what it feels like to have someone hide the truth from you.””
Simone’s face tightened.
“Stop pretending you’re helping.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Helping?””
A bitter smile crossed his face.
“You’re still doing that.””
“Doing what?””
“Acting like you’re the victim.””
The words hit the room hard.
Simone looked around nervously.
“Darius, don’t listen to him.””
Darius looked at her.
“Why?””
The question came out quietly.
“Because he’s lying?””
Simone didn’t answer.
“Because he’s trying to hurt me?””
Still nothing.
“Or because he’s telling me something you don’t want me to know?””
A tear rolled down Simone’s cheek.
But this time, Darius didn’t move toward her.
That hurt her more than anger would have.
“Darius,” she whispered.
He looked away.
“I need the truth.””
Marcus held out the envelope.
“Open it.””
Simone immediately stepped forward.
“No.””
The entire room froze.
Darius looked at her.
“You don’t want me to open a piece of paper?””
Her breathing became uneven.
“It’s not that simple.””
“Everything has been ‘not that simple’ tonight.””
Darius opened the envelope.
The sound of paper sliding out felt louder than it should have.
Everyone watched.
He pulled out a single document.
His eyes moved across the page.
At first, confusion.
Then disbelief.
Then something darker.
His face changed.
Simone noticed.
“Darius…”
He looked up slowly.
“What is this?””
She said nothing.
He raised the paper.
“A legal agreement?””
The whispers started again.
Marcus looked down.
Darius read more.
His hands tightened around the page.
“You signed this?””
Simone’s eyes filled with tears.
“Darius, I can explain.””
“No.””
His voice stopped her.
“No more explanations before answers.””
He looked at the document again.
“Why would you sign an agreement connected to Marcus?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Because she came to me first.””
Darius turned.
“What?””
Simone closed her eyes.
Marcus continued.
“She found me months ago.””
Darius looked back at his wife.
The woman standing in front of him suddenly felt like someone he had never met.
“Months ago?””
Simone whispered.
“Darius…”
“How many months?””
She didn’t answer.
His silence became heavier.
Marcus looked at the paper.
“The date is right there.””
Darius looked down.
And when he saw the date, his heart dropped.
Because it was signed before Simone ever announced her pregnancy.
Before the celebrations.
Before the family dinners.
Before everyone congratulated him.
Before he started preparing a nursery.
Before he believed his life was changing.
Darius slowly lowered the document.
“You planned this before you told me.””
Simone’s face crumbled.
“I was scared.””
“Of what?””
She looked at him.
And for a moment, he thought she might finally tell the truth.
But then her eyes moved toward Marcus.
And fear returned.
Darius followed her gaze.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Neither of them answered.
Then his phone suddenly vibrated.
Everyone looked at him.
Darius glanced down.
A new message appeared.
Unknown number.
Only one sentence.
*Ask Simone who the baby was supposed to belong to.*
His blood went cold.
Because the message wasn’t the strangest part.
May you like
The strangest part was the photo attached underneath.
A photo taken inside his own house.
