Chapter 6: The Money Went to My Mother
I didn't remember driving home.
I remembered sitting at a red light.
I remembered a delivery truck honking behind me.
I remembered gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my fingers hurt.
But the rest of the journey was a blur.
My mother.
The woman who raised Daniel and me after our father died.
The woman who worked two jobs to keep food on our table.
The woman who had attended my wedding wearing the pearl necklace I bought her.
The woman who had hugged Nia and whispered, "Welcome to the family.""
Daniel was telling me that she had been receiving money connected to the same scheme that had destroyed my marriage.
I couldn't believe it.
When I arrived home, the lights were on.
Nia's car was parked in the driveway.
I walked inside.
She was sitting at the dining table with two cups of tea.
She looked up.
"Marcus.""
I placed Daniel's folder on the table.
"Where's your phone?""
She frowned.
"What?""
"Your phone. I want to see your messages with Daniel.""
She stood.
"You're not going through my phone.""
I laughed quietly.
"Of course.""
"Marcus, you're frightening me.""
I looked at her.
"You forged my signature.""
Her face changed.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she whispered:
"Daniel told you.""
I stared.
"So it's true.""
She sat down.
"Marcus, I can explain.""
"That's becoming your favorite sentence.""
She reached for her tea.
Her hands were shaking.
I pulled out the chair opposite her.
"How much of my money did you take?""
Nia looked down.
"I didn't take it for myself.""
"That wasn't my question.""
She closed her eyes.
"About two hundred thousand.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Two hundred thousand dollars?""
She nodded.
"Over how long?""
"Four years.""
I leaned back.
"Where did it go?""
"Some went to Lily. Some went to Ethan. Some went toward the house.""
"And the rest?""
She hesitated.
"My mother needed help.""
I stared at her.
"Your mother?""
Nia shook her head.
"No. Your mother.""
The room went silent.
I slowly stood.
"Explain.""
Nia wiped her cheeks.
"Your mother was struggling financially. She didn't want you to know.""
"Why would she need two hundred thousand dollars?""
"She had debts.""
"What debts?""
Nia shook her head.
"I don't know everything.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You're telling me you forged my signature, stole money from my business, and transferred it to my mother because she had debts you can't explain?""
"I was trying to help everyone.""
"Everyone except me.""
She started crying.
I walked toward the kitchen window.
For years, my mother had told me she was doing fine.
Whenever I offered to help, she refused.
She said she had enough savings.
She said I should focus on my own family.
And I had believed her.
I turned around.
"How did you get access to her accounts?""
Nia looked at me.
"Your mother gave me permission.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Marcus—"
"She would have told me.""
"She didn't want to worry you.""
I stared at her.
"Then why didn't you simply ask me to help her?""
Nia looked away.
That silence was more disturbing than any answer.
I sat down again.
"Did my mother know about the children?""
Nia nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did she know Daniel was their father?""
"Yes.""
I pressed my palms against the table.
Every person I loved seemed to have been involved.
My brother.
My wife.
My mother.
I had no idea who was telling the truth anymore.
"Call her," I said.
Nia looked up.
"Who?""
"My mother.""
"Marcus, it's late.""
"Call her.""
She hesitated.
I pulled out my own phone and dialed.
It rang four times.
Then my mother's familiar voice answered.
"Hello, sweetheart?""
I closed my eyes.
For one brief second, I was twelve years old again, sitting at our old kitchen table while she helped me with my homework.
"Mom.""
"Marcus? Is everything okay?""
"No.""
Her voice changed immediately.
"What's happened?""
I looked at Nia.
Then I asked the question.
"Have you been receiving money from Nia?""
Silence.
A long, painful silence.
Then my mother whispered:
"Oh, Marcus.""
My heart sank.
"Is it true?""
She began crying.
"Baby, please let me explain.""
I gripped the phone.
"How much?""
"Your mother doesn't need to know everything," Nia interrupted.
I turned toward her.
"Stay out of this.""
My mother sighed.
"About one hundred and twenty thousand.""
I closed my eyes.
One hundred and twenty thousand dollars.
"Why?""
"Because I was in trouble.""
"What kind of trouble?""
She hesitated.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"Your father left some debts when he died.""
I frowned.
"My father died fifteen years ago.""
"I know.""
"Why are you paying debts now?""
My mother began sobbing.
"Because they never stopped.""
I sat down slowly.
"Who was collecting them?""
She didn't answer.
"Mom?""
Finally, she whispered:
"Daniel.""
I looked at Nia.
Her eyes widened.
"What?"" I mouthed.
My mother continued.
"Daniel told me your father had borrowed money from some people before he died. He said the debt had grown, and if I didn't pay, they would come after the family.""
I felt cold.
"How much did Dad owe?""
"At first, they said thirty thousand. Then it became fifty. Then more.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Daniel said you would try to confront them. He told me it would put you in danger.""
I looked at the folder.
Daniel had used my business to pay for his children.
He had bought a house for Nia.
He had also convinced my mother that she owed him money.
And somehow, my wife had become the person arranging the transfers.
The pieces were beginning to fit.
But one thing still didn't make sense.
"Mom, when did Daniel first tell you about these debts?""
She paused.
"About five years ago.""
Five years.
Before my wedding.
Before Lily was born.
Before Daniel had supposedly discovered the situation.
I stood.
"Mom, did you ever see any documents?""
"No.""
"Did you ever speak to the people who supposedly wanted the money?""
"No. Daniel handled everything.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course he did.
"Mom, I need you to listen carefully. Don't send anyone any more money. Don't sign anything. And don't agree to meet Daniel alone.""
"Marcus, what's happening?""
"I'll explain everything when I see you.""
She began crying again.
"Have I done something terrible?""
My chest tightened.
I didn't want to hurt her.
But I couldn't protect her from the truth anymore.
"Mom, I don't know yet.""
I ended the call.
Nia was staring at me.
"Marcus, I know you're angry.""
I turned toward her.
"Did you know Daniel was threatening my mother?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
"Did you know he was telling her she owed money to people?""
"No.""
"Then why were you sending him money?""
She hesitated.
"Because he said it was necessary.""
I stared at her.
"Necessary for what?""
She looked down.
"To keep everyone safe.""
I felt a chill run through me.
"Safe from whom?""
Before she could answer, someone knocked on the front door.
Three sharp knocks.
Nia flinched.
I walked toward the hallway.
When I opened the door, my mother stood outside.
Her eyes were red.
She held a large brown envelope against her chest.
"Marcus," she whispered.
I stepped aside.
"Mom, what are you doing here?""
She looked over my shoulder.
When she saw Nia, she stopped.
Then she held out the envelope.
"I found something in Daniel's old room. I think you need to see it.""
I took it.
"What is it?""
My mother swallowed.
"Documents your father left behind.""
I frowned.
"What documents?""
She looked at Nia again.
Then she whispered:
"Your father didn't die owing anyone money.""
I froze.
My mother began crying.
"Daniel made the whole debt up.""
The hallway went silent.
I looked at the envelope.
Then back at her.
"Why?""
My mother shook her head.
"Because your father left something behind. Something Daniel wanted for himself.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside were several old legal papers, a property deed, and a letter in my father's handwriting.
The letter was dated two weeks before his death.
I unfolded it carefully.
The first line read:
To my sons, Marcus and Daniel. If either of you is reading this, I hope you have finally learned to trust each other.
I kept reading.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
My hands began to shake.
My father had left us an inheritance.
Not just money.
A piece of land.
A commercial property in the city.
And according to the deed, Daniel had been trying to sell it for years.
I looked at my mother.
"Does he own this property?""
She shook her head.
"No. Your father left it to both of you equally.""
I looked at the signature on the deed.
Then I noticed something.
A recent document had been attached to the back.
It was a transfer agreement.
And my name appeared on it.
Again.
But this time, the signature wasn't mine.
Someone had attempted to transfer my half of the inheritance to Daniel.
I looked at the date.
Three weeks earlier.
Then my mother spoke.
"Marcus, there's one more thing.""
I slowly lifted my eyes.
"What?""
She looked directly at Nia.
"Your wife came to see me last week.""
My chest tightened.
"What did she want?""
My mother took a trembling breath.
"She asked me to sign a document saying that you had agreed to give Daniel your share of the property.""
I turned toward Nia.
She was completely still.
"Is that true?"" I asked.
She didn't answer.
My mother stepped closer.
"Marcus, I refused.""
I looked at my wife.
"Why would you do that?""
Nia's eyes filled with tears.
Then she whispered:
"Because Daniel told me if I didn't help him get that property, he would tell you what really happened the night your father died.""
I stopped breathing.
My mother dropped her eyes.
And suddenly, the letter in my hand felt heavier than the entire world.
Because my father hadn't simply left us an inheritance.
May you like
He had left behind a secret.
And apparently, my brother had spent fifteen years making sure I never discovered it.
