Chapter 2: The Bride Who Knew Too Much
Marcus did not repeat the question.
He didn't need to.
The old smartphone glowed in his hand, its cracked screen reflecting the white roses arranged along the cream curtain. Lily remained pressed against his side, her small fingers twisted into his jacket.
Vanessa stared at the device.
“Turn that thing off,” she said.
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Why?””
“Because it's upsetting Lily.””
“You didn't seem worried about upsetting her five minutes ago.””
Vanessa flinched.
For the first time since Marcus had met her, she seemed unable to produce an immediate answer. Her eyes darted toward the doorway, where the muffled sounds of their waiting guests continued.
Then she straightened her shoulders.
“Marcus, listen to me. Old recordings can be misleading. People say things when they're frightened. Your wife was going through a difficult time.””
Marcus went rigid.
“What difficult time?””
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
“You told me Renee was struggling after Lily was born,” Marcus continued.
“You said you understood because you'd been through something similar with your own family.””
“I did understand.””
“Then tell me why my dead wife recorded a warning about you.””
Vanessa looked toward Lily.
The little girl immediately buried her face against Marcus's hip.
“Don't look at her like that,” he said.
“Like what?””
“Like she's holding something that belongs to you.””
Vanessa's fingers curled into the satin fabric of her gown.
“I'm trying to protect this family.””
Marcus gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
“From a seven-year-old girl?””
“From whatever your wife put into her head!””
The words came out too quickly.
Marcus stared at her.
Lily lifted her face.
“Mommy didn't put anything in my head,” she whispered.
“She told me to remember her voice.””
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“Lily, adults are talking.””
Marcus stepped between them.
“Don't speak to my daughter that way.””
“I am about to become her stepmother!””
“Then you should have thought about what that meant before you put your hands on her.””
Vanessa looked down at the dirty cloth on the floor.
For a moment, she appeared almost ashamed.
Then her expression changed again.
“You're making a terrible mistake,” she said.
“You have no idea what you're doing.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“Maybe you're right.””
He tapped the recording.
The woman's voice returned, soft and familiar.
“If anything happens to me…”
A tiny gasp escaped Lily.
Marcus held her closer.
The recording continued for another second, then stopped abruptly.
There was no explanation. No name. No date that Marcus could read without opening the file details.
Just silence.
“Play the rest,” Vanessa demanded.
Marcus looked up sharply.
“You said you weren't interested.””
“I want to know what she said!””
“Why?””
Vanessa's mouth tightened.
“Because I'm standing here being accused of something I haven't done!””
Marcus glanced at the discarded cloth.
“You haven't done anything?””
She looked away.
That was when Lily tugged his sleeve.
“Daddy, Mommy said the phone was supposed to stay with me.””
Marcus crouched to her height.
“Did she tell you why?””
Lily shook her head.
“Did she tell you when to play the message?””
“She said if somebody tried to make me feel scared, I should remember that she loved me.””
Marcus's face softened.
“Oh, sweetheart.””
He brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
“She loves you. Nothing about that has changed.””
“Even though she isn't here?””
“Even though she isn't here.””
Lily nodded, but her eyes kept returning to Vanessa.
Marcus noticed.
“Has Vanessa scared you before?””
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
“Marcus, don't interrogate her!””
He ignored the outburst.
“Lily, you can tell me the truth. You're not in trouble.””
The little girl hesitated.
Then she whispered, “She told me Mommy didn't want me anymore.””
Marcus felt something cold settle beneath his ribs.
“What?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She misunderstood me.””
Lily's lower lip trembled.
“You said Mommy left because I cried too much.””
Marcus stared at Vanessa as though he were seeing her for the first time.
“Tell me you didn't say that.””
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“I said children sometimes need to understand that people leave.””
“She was talking about her mother!””
“And I was trying to help her accept reality!””
Marcus stood slowly.
“Reality? Renee loved that child more than anything in this world.””
“You don't know everything about Renee,” Vanessa snapped.
The words hung between them.
Marcus barely moved.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa seemed to realize her mistake.
“I meant that nobody knows everything about another person.””
“No. You said I don't know everything about my wife.””
He took one step toward her.
“How do you know that?””
Vanessa backed into the cream curtain. Its fabric rippled behind her shoulder.
“Because you never listened when she tried to tell you things!””
Marcus's anger faltered beneath a sudden wave of confusion.
Renee had tried to tell him things near the end. He remembered late-night conversations that stopped whenever he entered the room. He remembered her asking whether he trusted people simply because they seemed kind.
He had assumed she was exhausted.
He had been busy building his business, raising Lily, and keeping their household afloat.
After Renee died, Vanessa had appeared in his life through a mutual friend. She had been patient with his grief, attentive to Lily, and willing to sit beside him through the worst anniversaries.
At least, that was what he remembered.
Now every memory felt as if someone had shifted it slightly out of place.
“What things?”” he asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
“I'm not discussing your marriage in a storage area at my own wedding.””
“Then we can discuss it right here.””
“Marcus, the guests are waiting.””
“Let them wait.””
A sharp knock sounded at the doorway.
His best man, Andre, appeared in the opening, his dark suit and bright tie standing out against the white décor.
“Man, what's happening? The officiant says we're already running late.””
Andre looked from Marcus to Vanessa, then down at Lily's tear-streaked face.
His smile disappeared.
“Marcus?””
“Take Lily somewhere safe,” Marcus said.
“Stay with her. Don't let anyone take that phone.””
Andre stepped forward.
“Of course. Come on, little one.””
Lily hesitated.
Marcus bent and kissed her forehead.
“I'll be right behind you.””
She reluctantly reached for Andre's hand.
But as Andre guided her toward the doorway, Lily suddenly turned back.
“Daddy?””
Marcus looked up.
“What is it, baby?””
She held out one finger toward Vanessa.
“Mommy said the lady in white would lie.””
Vanessa's lips parted.
Andre stopped moving.
Marcus felt the old phone vibrate in his palm.
A new notification had appeared on the screen.
*SAVED MESSAGE 2 OF 3.*
He hadn't noticed there were other recordings.
He tapped the notification.
A second file opened, and the first line appeared beneath it.
*For Marcus, if Vanessa is still pretending to love you.*
His blood ran cold.
Vanessa lunged toward the phone.
“DON'T PLAY THAT!””
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Marcus pulled it out of her reach.
And for the first time, the bride's carefully maintained composure shattered completely.
