Chapter 4: The Truth About Nia
Nia went pale.
Marcus stared at Vanessa.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn't know how to tell you.””
“Tell me now.””
She looked at Nia.
“Leave the room.””
Marcus stepped between them.
“She stays.””
Vanessa sat on the edge of the desk.
“I met your mother before I met you.””
Nia's face tightened.
Marcus said, “What are you talking about?””
“Her name was Elise.””
Marcus went still.
His late first wife.
The woman he'd lost twelve years earlier.
Vanessa continued.
“Elise had a daughter before she died.””
Marcus's eyes moved toward Nia.
“She had Nia.””
“No,” Vanessa said softly.
“Not exactly.””
Marcus couldn't breathe.
“What did you just say?””
Nia took a step backward.
“You knew my mother?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I knew her.””
“How?””
Vanessa looked at the floor.
“Because Dean introduced us.””
Marcus's stomach turned.
“You knew Dean before me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Vanessa rubbed her hands together.
“He wanted me to help him.””
“With what?””
“With your company.””
Marcus slowly sat down.
He remembered the first year of their marriage.
Vanessa had suddenly become interested in accounting.
She asked about contracts.
Asked about payroll.
Asked which accounts held reserves.
At the time, he had thought nothing of it.
Now every memory had sharp edges.
Nia spoke.
“Was my mother in debt?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“No.””
“Then why did Dean need you?””
“He wanted control of the company.””
Marcus laughed quietly.
“You helped him.””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“At first.””
“What changed?””
“Nia.””
The girl stared at her.
“You found the records,” Vanessa said.
“I found copies.””
“Where?””
“In the office.””
Vanessa's face drained.
Marcus looked between them.
“Nia, what records?””
“She found transfers,” Vanessa said.
“Payments Dean made to himself through shell companies.””
Marcus froze.
“Why did you know about that?””
Vanessa whispered, “Because he made me sign some of them.””
Marcus stood abruptly.
“Did you steal from me?””
“I didn't keep the money.””
“Did you sign the transfers?””
“Yes.””
“Were you paid?””
“No.””
“Then why?””
Vanessa looked toward the window.
“Because Dean had something over me.””
Marcus's voice hardened.
“What?””
She didn't answer.
Nia did.
“He had the video.””
Vanessa looked at her in horror.
“How do you know that?””
“I saw it.””
Marcus's voice dropped.
“What video?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Before we got married, I had an affair with Dean.””
Marcus went silent.
Ava gasped.
Caleb stared at the floor.
Nia whispered, “And he recorded it.””
Vanessa nodded.
“He threatened to send it to Marcus.””
Marcus's face became unreadable.
“You thought helping him would keep him quiet.””
“Yes.””
“And when Nia found the financial records?””
“He threatened her too.””
Nia shook her head.
“He said nobody would believe me because I was just a kid.””
Marcus turned to his daughter.
“What did he do?””
“He told Vanessa to isolate me.””
Marcus looked back at Vanessa.
“You punished her because Dean told you to?””
Vanessa cried openly now.
“I thought I was protecting all of us.””
“You locked the pantry.””
“I was following his instructions.””
“You threw away her meals.””
“He said she needed to be controlled.””
“You let her eat leftovers.””
Vanessa covered her face.
“I know.””
Marcus stared at her.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he noticed something strange.
The DNA report was only two pages.
It proved Vanessa wasn't Nia's biological mother.
But that was already obvious.
Why would Dean care?
Marcus turned the page.
A second name appeared.
*Biological Father: Marcus Collins*
Marcus's hands began to shake.
He looked at Nia.
“Why would there be a DNA test proving something I already know?””
Nia's eyes widened.
Vanessa whispered, “Because Dean claimed you weren't her father.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why would he claim that?””
“Because if Nia wasn't your daughter, he thought the trust attached to her name could be challenged.””
Marcus frowned.
“What trust?””
Vanessa looked at the floor.
“The trust Elise left Nia.””
Marcus stared.
He had never known about any trust.
“That's impossible.””
Nia slowly pulled another paper from the black box.
“It isn't.””
Marcus took it.
His eyes moved across the page.
The beneficiary was Nia.
The trustee was Dean Mercer.
And the estimated value was nearly six million dollars.
Marcus looked up.
“Why,” he whispered, “was my business partner the trustee of my daughter's trust?””
Before Vanessa could answer, Marcus's phone began to ring.
May you like
The screen showed a name he had not expected.
*DEAN MERCER.*
