Chapter 4: The Woman Who Knew Marcus Before Me
For several seconds, I couldn't remember how to breathe.
The woman standing in the doorway was wearing a charcoal-gray pantsuit, her dark hair pulled into a low bun. She held a small black recording device in one hand and a thick manila envelope in the other.
I recognized her from an old photograph.
Marcus had shown it to me once, years ago, when we'd been discussing past relationships.
Her name was Vanessa Cole.
His former fiancée.
The woman he'd claimed had cheated on him, stolen money from his business, and disappeared before their wedding.
He'd told me she was unstable.
He'd told me never to believe anything she said.
Now she was standing in my bridal room.
And my mother looked like she wanted to run.
"Vanessa," Mom said sharply.
"You have no right to be here.""
Vanessa closed the door behind her.
"Actually, Patricia, I believe I have every right.""
Marcus's former fiancée looked at me.
"Nia, I'm sorry we had to meet like this.""
I glanced at the recording device.
"Who are you?""
She gave a humorless smile.
"The woman your fiancé destroyed before he decided to destroy you.""
Marcus appeared in the doorway behind her.
His face changed the instant he saw Vanessa.
"What the hell are you doing here?""
Vanessa didn't turn around.
"Hello, Marcus.""
"Get out.""
"Still giving orders when you're frightened?""
He stepped into the room.
"Security will remove you.""
Vanessa raised the black device.
"Before you do that, you might want to remember what I have on this.""
Marcus stopped.
Dad moved between them.
"Nobody is leaving until we understand what's happening.""
Mom shook her head.
"Robert, this is ridiculous. We should be dealing with our family, not entertaining some bitter ex-girlfriend.""
Vanessa finally looked at her.
"That's interesting coming from someone who helped her daughter's fiancé forge financial documents.""
Mom's face tightened.
"Watch your mouth.""
"Or what? You'll have another doctor declare me unstable?""
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
Vanessa approached the vanity and placed the envelope beside my crushed bouquet.
"I brought copies of everything.""
I opened it.
The first document was an old engagement announcement.
Marcus and Vanessa.
The date was four years earlier.
The second was a photograph of them standing outside a courthouse.
The third was a business registration document.
I recognized the name immediately.
Marcus's development company.
"Why are you showing me this?"" I asked.
Vanessa pulled out a chair.
"Because I want you to understand that what happened today wasn't an isolated betrayal. Marcus has been using relationships to gain access to money for years.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"She's lying.""
Vanessa didn't react.
"Three years ago, I inherited money from my grandmother. Marcus convinced me to invest it in a property development project. He promised to make me a partner.""
She placed another document in front of me.
"Within six months, the money was gone.""
I looked at the amount.
$280,000.
"Did you report him?""
"Yes. But the company was structured to make the transaction look like a legitimate business investment.""
Dad leaned forward.
"Do you have proof he intended to steal it?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Not at first. But I eventually found emails showing that he'd planned to move the money into another account before I even signed the agreement.""
She turned toward Marcus.
"Remember telling me you wanted a family, Marcus?""
He said nothing.
"You proposed to me three months after meeting my parents. You insisted we get married before the end of the year. You told me it was because you couldn't imagine wasting another day without me.""
Her voice cracked.
"Then I discovered you'd been sending messages to another woman while asking me to transfer my inheritance.""
I looked at Marcus.
He had stopped pretending to be calm.
"That was years ago," he snapped.
"People change.""
Vanessa nodded.
"Exactly. I thought you'd changed too. That's why I contacted Nia when I recognized her name in the company documents.""
My stomach tightened.
"When did you contact me?""
"Three weeks ago.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
She pulled out her phone.
"March seventeenth. I sent you an email explaining everything.""
I searched my memory.
March seventeenth.
That was the day I'd been overwhelmed with wedding appointments.
I opened my email.
There it was.
An unread message from Vanessa Cole.
The subject line read:
*Please Don't Marry Marcus.*
I felt sick.
"I never saw this.""
"I figured.""
She glanced at Mom.
"Someone responded to me from your email account, saying you appreciated my concern but didn't want any further contact.""
I turned toward my mother.
Her face had gone pale.
"Did you delete her email?""
Mom folded her arms.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"By pretending to be me?""
"Vanessa was making accusations without evidence.""
Vanessa leaned forward.
"I sent the bank records.""
Mom said nothing.
Marcus suddenly reached for the envelope.
Dad caught his wrist.
"Don't.""
Marcus jerked away.
"You're all making a mistake. This woman has been obsessed with ruining my life.""
Vanessa smiled sadly.
"Then let's listen to the recording.""
She pressed a button.
A woman's voice filled the room.
My mother's voice.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
"Marcus, I don't care what happens between you and Brielle, but Nia must not find out before the wedding.""
Then Marcus's voice.
"She won't. I have everything under control.""
Another pause.
Mom spoke again.
"Once the marriage certificate is signed, the financial arrangement can proceed. Robert will have no choice but to honor the agreement.""
Marcus chuckled.
"And Brielle?""
Mom sighed.
"Keep her quiet. She's emotional. She'll do whatever you tell her.""
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
Then came a sentence that made my father close his eyes.
"Besides," my mother said, "Nia has always been the responsible one. She'll survive this. Brielle won't.""
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
I stared at my mother.
"That was you.""
She shook her head.
"That's taken out of context.""
Vanessa lifted the device.
"It's the entire conversation.""
"You're twisting my words.""
Dad stepped away from her.
"Patricia, did you really make a deal with Marcus?""
Mom's eyes filled.
"I was trying to save this family.""
I looked at her.
"From what?""
She didn't answer.
I picked up the final document in Vanessa's envelope.
It was a printed email.
The sender was Marcus.
The recipient was my mother.
The subject line was:
*After Nia's Wedding.*
I read the first paragraph.
Then the second.
My hands began to shake.
Marcus had written about the property trust, the planned transfer, and something called the Bennett Family Settlement.
But the final sentence was what made me look up.
Once Nia is legally married and the transfer is complete, we can finally stop pretending Brielle is the priority.
I looked at my sister.
She was staring at Marcus.
For the first time, she seemed to understand that she hadn't been chosen over me.
She had been used too.
"Marcus," she whispered, "what does that mean?""
He didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at my mother.
May you like
And Mom whispered the words that changed everything.
"Brielle, sweetheart, you weren't supposed to see that.""
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