Chapter 3: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
I spent the next morning staring at the photograph.
I zoomed in until the image became blurry.
But I already knew who the man was.
My father.
Richard Carter.
The man who abandoned us.
The man my mother had spent fifteen years refusing to mention.
The man who somehow appeared the night before my wedding.
And he was standing with Nia.
I drove to Nia’s apartment without calling.
When she opened the door, her face changed immediately.
She knew.
“You saw it.””
Not hello.
Not are you okay.
You saw it.
I stepped inside.
“Explain.””
She closed the door slowly.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
My voice surprised both of us.
“No more half-truths.””
She looked down.
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
She didn’t answer.
“After we got married?””
Her silence was enough.
I felt something break inside me.
“Did you know who my father was?””
Nia sat down.
“Yes.””
The word was quiet.
But it destroyed everything.
“How long?””
“Since before we met.””
I laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because I didn’t know what else to do.
“You dated me knowing this?””
She looked hurt.
“I didn’t plan for this to happen.””
“Then what was the plan?””
She wiped her eyes.
“My mother believed your family stole everything from hers.””
“My family?””
“Your mother.””
I shook my head.
“My mother didn’t steal anything.””
Nia looked at me.
“You don’t know that.””
Those words angered me.
Because they sounded exactly like my father.
“What did my father tell you?””
She hesitated.
Too long.
Then she said:
“He told us Evelyn destroyed his life.””
I stared at her.
“And you believed him?””
“My mother did.””
“That’s not an answer.””
Nia stood.
“I grew up watching my family struggle.””
“And I grew up watching my mother struggle.””
The room became silent.
Two people standing on opposite sides of a story neither fully understood.
Then Nia whispered:
“I didn’t spray your mother because I hated her.””
I looked at her.
“Then why?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because I wanted her to admit what she did.””
“What did she do?””
Nia opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
She answered.
“Dad?””
My blood ran cold.
A voice came through the speaker.
Richard Carter.
“I told you not to talk to him.””
Nia looked at me.
I heard every word.
“You promised me you would finish this.””
Finish this.
Not explain.
Not fix.
Finish this.
I stepped closer.
“Nia.””
She ended the call immediately.
But it was too late.
I had heard enough.
“You weren’t trying to marry me.””
She looked terrified.
“Marcus…”
“You were trying to get something.””
She didn’t deny it.
That hurt more than anything.
Then she said something I never expected.
“There’s something your mother never told you.””
“What?””
Nia looked toward the door.
“Your father didn’t leave because he wanted to.””
I frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
May you like
She whispered:
“He left because your mother made him.””