Chapter 5: The King Who Refused to Stay Dead
For several seconds, Trey Carter could not understand what he had just heard.
The office was silent.
The old black phone sat on the desk like an object from another time.
The rain tapped against the windows.
Everything around him felt normal.
Except for one impossible thing.
His father had just spoken.
Malik Carter was dead.
He had been buried.
Trey had watched the coffin lower into the ground.
He had watched the dirt cover the man who raised him.
But the voice on that phone…
It was Malik.
Not someone who sounded like him.
Not someone pretending.
Malik.
The same deep voice.
The same calm confidence.
The same way he said Monique’s name like he already knew what she was thinking.
Trey looked at his mother.
She looked terrified.
Not confused.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
And that was the part that disturbed him the most.
Because if Monique truly believed Malik was dead, she would have been shocked.
Instead, she looked like she had just seen a ghost she had been expecting.
“Mom…”
His voice was low.
“What did he mean?””
Monique did not answer.
“Told you to burn the envelope?””
Still nothing.
Trey stepped closer.
“Mom.””
She finally looked at him.
And there was something in her eyes he had never seen before.
Defeat.
Like she had been holding a secret too heavy for too long.
“Your father planned everything.””
Trey shook his head.
“No.””
“He did.””
“No.””
His voice became louder.
“I buried him.””
Monique closed her eyes.
“I know.””
“I saw him.””
“I know.””
“I watched them put him in the ground.””
“I know, Trey.””
Her voice cracked.
“But Malik was always ten steps ahead of everyone.””
Trey stared at her.
“What are you saying?””
Monique looked toward the office door.
Then she locked it.
The movement made Trey more nervous.
“What are you hiding?””
She sat down slowly.
“Your father knew someone wanted him gone.””
“He knew?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Months.””
Trey felt anger building.
“Months?””
His voice shook.
“And you said nothing?””
Monique looked at him.
“You think I wanted you involved?””
“You let me believe everything was normal.””
“No.””
She stood.
“I let you have a life.””
Trey laughed bitterly.
“A life?””
He pointed toward the office.
“My father is dead. Black Crown is falling apart. Someone is threatening us. And now you’re telling me he might have planned his own death?””
Monique looked away.
“Yes.””
The answer was quiet.
But it changed everything.
Across the city, Darius Cole sat alone in his apartment.
The lights were off.
The city moved below his window.
But he did not notice.
His mind was stuck on one thing.
Malik’s final warning.
Not the recording.
Not the accusations.
The possibility that Malik had created a plan so complicated that even his closest people were only seeing pieces of it.
Darius had known Malik for twelve years.
He knew the man was careful.
But this?
This was different.
A fake trail.
A hidden message.
A secret meeting.
A dead man making phone calls.
It was not just survival.
It was a strategy.
Someone knocked on the door.
Darius immediately reached for the weapon hidden nearby.
“Who is it?””
A voice answered.
“Someone who knows you’re not the enemy.””
Darius froze.
The voice belonged to Ghost.
He opened the door.
The older man entered slowly.
“You’re getting careless.””
Darius looked at him.
“You came here alone?””
Ghost smiled slightly.
“You think I survived this long by bringing people everywhere?””
Darius closed the door.
“What do you want?””
“The truth.””
Darius looked away.
“Everybody wants that.””
Ghost studied him.
“Then maybe you should start telling it.””
Silence.
Darius knew what he meant.
“There are things Malik didn’t tell me.””
Ghost nodded.
“That bothers you.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Darius looked at him.
“Because Malik always told me everything.””
Ghost leaned against the wall.
“No.””
Darius frowned.
“What?””
“Malik told you what you needed to know.””
The statement hit harder than expected.
Because deep down, Darius knew it was true.
Malik trusted him.
But Malik also controlled information.
The king never showed the entire board.
Only the pieces he wanted people to see.
Ghost looked at him.
“What happened the night Malik died?””
Darius became still.
“I already answered that.””
“No.””
Ghost shook his head.
“You answered what everyone asked.””
Darius said nothing.
Ghost continued.
“I’m asking what you didn’t say.””
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Darius finally spoke.
“I received a message.””
Ghost’s eyes narrowed.
“When?””
“The night Malik died.””
“What message?””
Darius looked toward the window.
“Malik told me not to come.””
Ghost became serious.
“Not to come where?””
“To the warehouse.””
“Why?””
Darius’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t know.””
Ghost stared.
“You expect me to believe Malik told his right-hand man not to come, and you didn’t ask questions?””
“I did.””
“And?””
“He said, ‘Trust me.’”
Ghost went quiet.
Because that sounded exactly like Malik.
“What happened after?””
Darius looked down.
“I followed his instructions.””
“Why?””
“Because Malik had never been wrong before.””
Ghost nodded slowly.
“And now?””
Darius looked at him.
“Now he’s dead.””
Inside Malik’s office, Trey listened as his mother finally began explaining the truth.
Not all of it.
But enough.
“Your father found evidence that money was being moved.””
Trey nodded.
“Victor.””
“Yes.””
“And you?””
Monique looked at him.
“I helped him.””
The answer shocked him.
“What?””
“Not steal.””
She shook her head quickly.
“I helped him investigate.””
Trey stared.
“Then why were your approvals on the accounts?””
“Because Malik needed someone he trusted to follow the money.””
Trey remembered the records.
“But Darius found your name.””
“Because Malik wanted him to.””
The room went silent.
“What?””
Monique walked to the desk.
“Your father created a trail.””
Trey felt overwhelmed.
“He framed you?””
“No.””
She looked at him.
“He made sure anyone searching for the truth would find me first.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew who would look.””
Trey’s mind raced.
“Darius.””
Monique nodded.
“And Andre.””
She picked up a photograph from the desk.
A picture of Malik and his family.
“Your father knew if something happened to him, everyone would turn against each other.””
Trey looked at the photo.
“He knew Black Crown would break.””
“Yes.””
“Then why die?””
Monique’s expression changed.
“Because he needed people to reveal themselves.””
The words were terrifying.
Trey understood.
Malik’s death was not only a tragedy.
It was a test.
Someone inside Black Crown wanted power.
Malik knew that.
So he created a situation where betrayal would expose itself.
The funeral.
The fight.
The accusations.
The envelope.
Everything was part of the plan.
But one question remained.
“Why didn’t he tell me?””
Monique looked at him.
“Because you were the only person he wanted to protect.””
Trey shook his head.
“I’m his son.””
“Exactly.””
“That’s why.””
Monique stepped closer.
“Your father knew people would use you against him.””
Trey looked away.
“And now they are.””
“Yes.””
“Then who is behind this?””
Monique became quiet.
That silence returned.
The same silence she had used before.
The same silence that meant she knew something.
Trey noticed.
“You know.””
“No.””
“You do.””
Monique looked at him.
“I know who Malik suspected.””
“Who?””
Before she could answer…
The office lights went out.
Both of them froze.
The building went dark.
Then the sound of glass breaking came from outside.
Trey immediately moved toward his mother.
Someone was inside.
Not outside.
Inside.
A shadow moved past the doorway.
Monique whispered:
“Stay behind me.””
Trey almost laughed.
His mother was telling him to hide.
But then he saw her face.
She was not afraid.
She was ready.
The door slowly opened.
A figure stepped inside.
Trey grabbed the closest object he could find.
The person raised their hands.
“Relax.””
Trey froze.
Because the voice was familiar.
It was Andre.
“What are you doing here?””
Andre looked between them.
“I followed someone.””
Monique frowned.
“Who?””
Andre’s face was serious.
“Someone from Black Crown.””
Trey lowered his hand.
“Who?””
Andre hesitated.
Then he said:
“I saw Victor.””
Everyone went silent.
Monique stared.
“Victor is alive?””
Andre nodded.
“And he wasn’t alone.””
Trey stepped closer.
“Who was with him?””
Andre looked at Monique.
Then at Trey.
Then said:
“Your father.””
The room went cold.
Again.
Another impossible answer.
Another impossible secret.
Trey looked at his mother.
But this time…
She didn’t look surprised.
And that was the moment he realized something.
His mother had known.
Not everything.
But enough.
Andre noticed too.
His expression changed.
“You knew.””
Monique said nothing.
Andre’s voice became quieter.
“You knew Malik was alive.””
“No.””
“Then why do you look like you expected me to say that?””
Monique looked toward the dark window.
And whispered:
“Because Malik told me he might have to disappear.””
Nobody spoke.
The truth was becoming more dangerous with every answer.
Because if Malik Carter was alive…
Then his death was a lie.
And if his death was a lie…
Someone else had been buried in his place.
Trey felt the weight of the entire situation crushing down.
His father was alive.
His mother had secrets.
Darius might be innocent.
Victor was running.
And somewhere in Atlanta…
Malik Carter was watching the empire he built collapse.
Waiting.
Planning.
Preparing.
Then Trey’s phone buzzed.
One new message.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
Only three words appeared.
*Come find me.*
Below it was a location.
A warehouse address.
May you like
And one final line.
*Before they find you.*
