Chapter 9: The Woman Beside Me
Nia didn't scream.
She stepped back.
One step.
Then another.
The woman beside her looked confused.
“Nia?””
Nia stared at her.
Her mother's face.
Her mother's voice.
But something was wrong.
Nia looked at the woman's hands.
Her mother had always worn a thin silver ring on her right hand.
This woman wore none.
Nia's eyes lifted.
“You're not my mother.””
The woman's expression changed instantly.
Marcus reached for the laptop.
Vanessa moved toward the door.
The woman reached inside her coat.
Marcus shouted, “Don't!””
She froze.
Nia's voice was quiet.
“Take your hand out.””
The woman slowly raised both hands.
“Listen to me.””
“No.””
“Nia, I can explain.””
“Where is my mother?””
The woman's jaw tightened.
“She’s safe.””
“Where?””
“I can't tell you.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“You kidnapped her.””
The woman looked at Vanessa.
“She came willingly.””
“Liar.””
“She knew what would happen.””
Nia's heart hammered.
“What happened to Calvin?””
The woman smiled.
“He's alive.””
Nia looked toward the security monitor.
Calvin was still standing outside.
Blood on his shirt.
Alive.
But the older man beside him was gone.
Nia turned back.
“Who are you?””
The woman sighed.
“My name is Evelyn.””
“Evelyn what?””
“Evelyn Price.””
Marcus stared at her.
“I know you.””
Evelyn looked at him.
“You shouldn't.””
“You worked for my father.””
Evelyn smiled.
“Your father employed a lot of people.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“You were his accountant.””
“Yes.””
“You disappeared after the audit.””
“I retired.””
“You vanished.””
Evelyn shrugged.
“People disappear when they have good reasons.””
Nia pointed toward the screen.
“My mother.””
Evelyn looked at the monitor.
“She's at the old Whitmore warehouse.””
Nia's blood ran cold.
“Why?””
“Because she knows where the second ledger is.””
Nia stared.
“There are two?””
“Yes.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Evelyn smiled.
“Your father knew Calvin would find the first.””
“Then why did he leave it for me?””
“Because the first ledger tells you what happened.””
Evelyn's smile faded.
“The second tells you who ordered it.””
Nia felt cold.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked at her.
“Your father.””
Silence.
Nia shook her head.
“You're lying.””
“Am I?””
Evelyn stepped toward the laptop.
“Your father wasn't innocent, Nia.””
“I know he wasn't perfect.””
“He murdered people.””
Nia's face hardened.
“No.””
“He ordered your mother's disappearance.””
“No.””
“He paid Calvin to destroy evidence.””
“No.””
“And he manipulated Vanessa into taking the blame.””
Vanessa's face went white.
Evelyn continued.
“He wasn't protecting you.””
Nia stared at her.
“He was protecting himself.””
The words struck deep.
But Nia remembered the tape.
Her father's voice.
His hesitation.
The pain in it.
She looked at Vanessa.
“Did he order my mother's disappearance?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Evelyn laughed.
“You believe her?””
Nia didn't answer.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“I watched your father risk everything to keep Nia alive.””
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
“You watched him lie.””
“Yes.””
“Then you watched him die.””
“Yes.””
“And you still defend him?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“Because I know what really happened.””
Evelyn's expression changed.
“What?””
Vanessa looked at Nia.
“Your father didn't hide your mother.””
She pointed at Evelyn.
“She did.””
Evelyn went still.
Nia looked at her.
“Why?””
Evelyn didn't answer.
Vanessa continued.
“Because Evelyn was the person inside the company.””
Marcus stared.
“The one feeding Calvin information.””
“Yes.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“You don't know what you're talking about.””
“I do.””
Vanessa reached into her handbag and pulled out another photograph.
She placed it on the desk.
Nia picked it up.
The photograph showed Evelyn standing beside Calvin.
Behind them was the same black SUV.
The date was nineteen years old.
Nia looked closer.
A little girl stood beside them.
Her.
She was eight years old.
And her mother was being pushed into the SUV.
Nia's hands trembled.
“You took her.””
Evelyn's face hardened.
“Your mother was dangerous.””
“She was my mother.””
“She knew too much.””
Nia's voice became a whisper.
“You made me watch her disappear.””
“You don't remember.””
“I do.””
A memory surfaced.
Rain.
Headlights.
Her mother's hand slipping from hers.
Her father's voice shouting.
A black SUV.
Nia's breath caught.
“I remember.””
Evelyn's expression changed.
Nia stepped toward her.
“You lied to everyone.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I protected the company.””
“No.””
Nia's eyes filled with tears.
“You protected yourself.””
The front doors suddenly rattled.
Calvin's voice came through the glass.
“Nia!””
She turned.
He was pounding against the locked door.
Marcus rushed over.
“Calvin!””
Calvin pointed behind him.
“Get out of the building!””
Nia unlocked the door.
Calvin stumbled inside.
He was bleeding from his shoulder.
Nia caught him.
“What happened?””
“They found us.””
“Where's my mother?””
“Warehouse.””
“Is she alive?””
“Yes.””
“Who's with her?””
Calvin looked at Evelyn.
His face went pale.
“You.””
Evelyn backed away.
“You don't understand.””
Calvin's voice became furious.
“I understand perfectly.””
He looked at Nia.
“Your mother escaped once.””
“When?””
“Tonight.””
Nia stared.
“What?””
“She escaped the warehouse.””
“Then where is she?””
Calvin shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Evelyn smiled.
“She's dead.””
Calvin lunged.
Marcus grabbed him.
Nia shouted, “Stop!””
Evelyn backed toward the office.
Then the lights went out.
The restaurant fell into darkness.
A phone rang.
Not Nia's.
Not Marcus's.
Evelyn's.
She answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
Everyone froze.
“Nia?””
Nia knew that voice.
Her mother's.
Evelyn's face changed.
The woman on the phone whispered:
“Don't trust Calvin.””
Calvin went still.
Then the voice continued.
“Don't trust Vanessa.””
Vanessa's face went pale.
“And whatever you do…”
The line crackled.
Nia stepped closer.
“Mom?””
Her mother's voice came back.
“Do not let Marcus open the second ledger.””
Nia turned slowly.
Marcus stood beside the desk.
His hand was resting on the laptop.
He looked at her.
“Nia, I can explain.””
She stared at him.
Then the laptop screen lit up.
A hidden folder had opened.
*SECOND LEDGER — AUTHORIZED BY M. REED*
Marcus whispered, “Oh God.””
Nia looked at him.
“What did you do?””
He shook his head.
“I didn't open it.””
The folder began downloading.
One file appeared.
*CONFESSION_VIDEO.mp4*
Then another.
*MARCUS_REED — FULL STATEMENT*
And beneath it was a final file.
*NIA'S REAL BIRTH RECORD.*
Nia reached toward the screen.
Before she could click it, the phone rang again.
This time, it was her mother's number.
Nia answered.
A man's voice spoke.
“Now you know who your father is.””
Nia froze.
The voice continued.
“But tomorrow, you'll learn who your mother really was.””
The call ended.
On the security monitor, the restaurant's front doors slowly opened.
No one was standing there.
Only a white envelope lay on the floor.
May you like
Written across it were five words:
*OPEN THIS BEFORE YOU TRUST ANYONE.*