Chapter 7: The Secret Marcus Buried Ten Years Ago
I stayed on the porch long after the call ended.
The phone was still pressed against my ear even though Vanessa was gone.
I think part of me was waiting for her voice to return.
Waiting for her to say she was joking.
Waiting for someone to finally tell me that my life hadn't been built on a foundation of lies.
But nobody did.
The world continued moving.
Cars passed on the street.
A neighbor walked their dog.
The wind moved through the trees in my front yard.
Everything looked normal.
And that was the most terrifying part.
Because nothing about my life looked broken.
But it was.
Evelyn sat silently across from me.
She wasn't the powerful woman everyone knew.
She wasn't the mother who had always defended her son.
She was just an old woman carrying a secret she had held for too long.
"Tell me everything.""
My voice sounded different.
Calmer.
Colder.
Evelyn looked at me.
"Claire...""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"I spent twelve years trusting this family.""
I pointed toward the house.
"My children grew up surrounded by people who knew things about their father that I didn't.""
My voice cracked.
"And everyone decided I didn't deserve the truth.""
Tears filled Evelyn's eyes.
"I was wrong.""
"Yes.""
I didn't soften the word.
"I was.""
She looked down.
"The man who died was named Daniel Carter.""
The name meant nothing.
But I knew it would.
Somewhere in the next few minutes, it would become a name I could never forget.
"Who was he?""
Evelyn took a deep breath.
"Daniel worked with Marcus.""
"At the construction company?""
She nodded.
"He was Marcus's business partner.""
I frowned.
"Business partner?""
Marcus had never mentioned having a partner.
Never.
"He told me he built the company himself.""
Evelyn looked away.
"That wasn't exactly true.""
The anger returned.
Another lie.
Another piece of my marriage that wasn't real.
"What happened to Daniel?""
Evelyn folded her hands.
"Marcus and Daniel had an argument.""
"About what?""
"Money.""
I waited.
She continued.
"Daniel discovered money was missing from company accounts.""
My stomach tightened.
"Missing?""
"Yes.""
"Marcus stole from him?""
"I don't know.""
The answer frustrated me.
"Everyone keeps saying they don't know.""
Evelyn looked at me.
"Because Marcus was very good at hiding things.""
I stood.
"Did Daniel die because of that?""
Evelyn's face changed.
"I don't know what happened that night.""
"But Vanessa does?""
She nodded slowly.
"She was there.""
The room seemed to tilt.
"Where?""
"At the company warehouse.""
I stared at her.
"Why would she be there?""
"Because she was Marcus's wife.""
I almost laughed.
Another woman who had been pulled into his secrets.
"She saw something.""
Evelyn nodded.
"She said Marcus and Daniel were fighting.""
"And?""
"And then Daniel fell.""
I waited.
"That's it?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"That's what Marcus said.""
The way she said it made my heart race.
"You don't believe him.""
She didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
I walked inside and grabbed my keys.
Evelyn stood.
"Where are you going?""
"To find answers.""
"Claire, be careful.""
I stopped.
The warning bothered me.
"Why?""
She looked afraid.
"Because if Marcus has spent ten years protecting this secret...""
She paused.
"He will do anything to keep it buried.""
I found Marcus at a hotel downtown.
Not because I tracked him.
Because he had left the address on a piece of paper beside the suitcase he took.
Maybe he wanted me to find him.
Maybe some part of him wanted everything to come out.
Or maybe he was still controlling the situation.
I didn't know anymore.
When he opened the door and saw me, his face immediately changed.
"Claire.""
I walked inside without waiting.
"We need to talk.""
He closed the door.
"You talked to Vanessa.""
It wasn't a question.
I turned.
"You knew she would call me.""
Marcus looked away.
"No.""
"Then why aren't you surprised?""
Silence.
That was becoming his answer for everything.
"Who is Daniel Carter?""
His entire body froze.
I saw it.
The exact moment the past came back.
"Who told you that name?""
"Answer me.""
Marcus sat down slowly.
"Claire...""
"No.""
I stepped closer.
"You don't get to control this conversation.""
He looked exhausted.
"Daniel was my friend.""
"Your business partner.""
He looked at me.
"Yes.""
"And he died.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Yes.""
"Was it an accident?""
The room went quiet.
I watched his face.
Looking for the man I married.
Looking for any sign that he was still there.
Finally, he whispered:
"Yes.""
But he said it too quickly.
Too automatically.
I knew.
He was lying.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"I expect you to believe the truth.""
"The truth?""
I laughed.
"You don't even know what that means anymore.""
He stood.
"I made mistakes, Claire.""
"You keep saying that.""
"Because it's true.""
"Did Daniel threaten you?""
His expression changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
"Who told you that?""
Nobody.
Not Evelyn.
Not Vanessa.
Nobody.
Which meant I had guessed correctly.
I stepped back.
"Oh my God.""
Marcus rubbed his face.
"It wasn't like that.""
"What wasn't like that?""
"Daniel was going to destroy everything.""
"What did he know?""
Marcus didn't answer.
"What did he know?""
His eyes filled with tears.
"He knew about my father.""
I frowned.
"What does your father have to do with this?""
Marcus looked toward the window.
"My father wasn't the man everyone thought he was.""
I waited.
"He had secrets.""
I crossed my arms.
"And?""
Marcus looked at me.
"And Daniel found proof that my father had been involved in illegal deals.""
The pieces started connecting.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"Your father?""
Marcus nodded.
"Before he died, he left behind evidence.""
"And Daniel found it.""
"Yes.""
"And you tried to stop him.""
"No.""
The answer came instantly.
"I tried to protect my family.""
I stared.
"From what?""
May you like
Marcus's voice dropped.
"From the truth.""
