Chapter 2: The Photograph
The photograph showed Nia standing outside a hotel at night.
Her hand was resting on a man's chest.
The man had one arm around her waist.
I stared at his face until the rest of the picture blurred.
It was Caleb.
My younger brother.
The person who had stood beside me when I proposed to Nia.
The person who had helped me choose the ring.
The person who had called me three nights before the wedding and said, “She's the one, Marcus. Don't screw this up.””
My stomach dropped.
I looked at the photograph again.
The date printed in the corner was six months earlier.
November 17.
At the bottom of the picture, someone had written four words in black ink.
*Ask him where he slept.*
I couldn't breathe.
“Marcus?””
Nia's voice sounded very far away.
I raised my eyes.
“Why is my brother holding you like that?””
Nia's lips parted.
Nothing came out.
Andre was staring at the ground.
My mother stood several feet away, dripping water onto the stone.
Daniel moved closer.
“Marcus,” he said carefully, “maybe we should—”
“No.””
I held up the photograph.
“Everybody stays.””
Nia shook her head.
“You don't understand.””
“Then help me.””
“That picture isn't—”
“Isn't what?””
“Isn't what it looks like.””
I almost laughed.
There are certain sentences that become meaningless the moment you hear them.
That was one of them.
My brother's arm was around her.
Her hand was on his chest.
They were standing outside a hotel.
At night.
Six months before my wedding.
“What hotel?”” I asked.
Nia looked at Andre.
That was all I needed to see.
“You knew about this.””
Andre said nothing.
“Did you take the picture?””
“No.””
“Did you know Caleb was there?””
Andre swallowed.
“Yes.””
My hand tightened around the photograph.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Nia asked me not to.””
I looked at my fiancée.
“Nia?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was scared.””
“Of what?””
“That you'd leave me.””
“You were sleeping with my brother.””
“I wasn't!””
The words exploded from her.
Several guests flinched.
Nia pointed at the photograph.
“That picture doesn't prove anything!””
“Then tell me what it proves.””
“It proves we were together.””
“Outside a hotel.””
“Yes.””
“With his arm around you.””
“Yes.””
“Six months before our wedding.””
“Yes!””
“Then what exactly am I supposed to think?””
She wiped her cheek.
“I went there to meet him.””
“For what?””
“To talk.””
“About what?””
She hesitated.
And there it was again.
That tiny pause.
That fraction of a second where the truth could have stepped forward.
Instead, another lie did.
“About you.””
I stared at her.
“About me?””
“Yes.””
“What did you need to discuss with my brother about me at midnight outside a hotel?””
Nia looked toward my mother.
Mom lowered her eyes.
That made my chest tighten.
“You knew,” I said.
Mom looked up.
“I knew there was something wrong.””
“You knew about Caleb?””
“I knew he was involved.””
The crowd around us had gone completely silent.
The wedding coordinator stood near the reception table holding a clipboard against her chest.
Even the musicians had stopped pretending not to listen.
I turned back to the photograph.
“Why would Mom have this?””
Nia's face went pale again.
“She shouldn't.””
Mom answered quietly.
“It wasn't mine.””
I looked at her.
“What do you mean?””
“It was sent to me.””
“By who?””
Mom reached into her handbag again.
This time she pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“The photograph arrived three weeks ago.””
Nia stepped forward.
“Marcus, please.””
Mom held the paper out.
I took it.
There was no letterhead.
No signature.
Just a printed message.
*Your son deserves to know before he marries her.*
Underneath was an address.
A motel.
And a room number.
I looked at Mom.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I wanted proof.””
“Instead, you waited until today?””
“I tried.””
Nia gave a bitter laugh.
“You tried?””
Mom turned toward her.
“Yes.””
“You never tried to talk to me.””
“I asked you to meet me twice.””
“You attacked me.””
“I asked you questions.””
“You accused me!””
“And you denied everything.””
Nia crossed her arms.
“Because there was nothing to tell.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Then why were you afraid of this envelope?””
She didn't answer.
I took one step toward her.
“Nia.””
She looked at me.
“Tell me the truth.””
Her chin trembled.
“I am.””
“Then tell me why my mother had a photograph of you with my brother.””
“I already told you.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You gave me a story. I asked for the truth.””
Behind her, Andre suddenly spoke.
“She didn't want Caleb to tell you.””
Everyone turned.
Nia spun around.
“Andre.””
He looked exhausted.
Like a man who had been carrying something heavy for too long.
“I can't keep doing this.””
“You promised me.””
“I promised to help you. I never promised to lie forever.””
My heart pounded harder.
“Help her do what?””
Andre rubbed his palms together.
“She wanted Caleb to stop talking to you.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew.””
“Knew what?””
Andre looked at Nia.
She shook her head.
“Don't.””
Andre closed his eyes.
Then he said, “He knew who she was seeing.””
The words struck me harder than the photograph.
“Who?””
No answer.
“Who was Nia seeing?””
Andre's silence became an answer of its own.
I looked at Nia.
She was crying now.
But I didn't move toward her.
I couldn't.
“Was it Caleb?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
She wiped her face.
“Marcus, this got complicated.””
“You were meeting someone else.””
“No.””
“Then why does Andre look terrified?””
“He's twisting everything.””
Andre stepped forward.
“I am not.””
Nia grabbed his arm.
“Stop.””
He pulled away.
“You told me we could tell him after the wedding.””
The entire world seemed to tilt.
“After the wedding?””
Andre stared at me.
“I didn't know she'd use your mother like this.””
“What were you planning to tell me after I married her?””
Nia suddenly shouted.
“Nothing!””
Her voice cracked.
“Nothing was going to happen!””
I stared at her.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“I was going to fix it.””
“Fix what?””
She couldn't answer.
I looked at my brother's name on the photograph.
Caleb.
My little brother.
The kid who used to steal fries off my plate.
The kid who called me whenever his car made a strange noise.
The kid who had toasted me at my engagement dinner and said, “You finally found someone who makes you happy.””
Something inside me broke.
I pulled out my phone.
“I’m calling Caleb.””
Nia lunged forward.
“No!””
I stepped back.
“Why?””
“Because he doesn't know.””
“Doesn't know what?””
“He'll deny it!””
“Then let him.””
“He'll lie to protect me!””
“Then I'll ask him myself.””
I called.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
He didn't answer.
I called again.
Straight to voicemail.
My heart began hammering.
“Why isn't he picking up?””
Nia said nothing.
I turned to Andre.
“Where is Caleb?””
Andre's eyes shifted toward the parking lot.
“I don't know.””
“You do.””
“No, I don't.””
I grabbed the folded note from my pocket.
The motel address.
“Does he know about this place?””
Andre looked at it.
His face changed.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“He went there.””
I stared at him.
“When?””
Andre hesitated.
“Two weeks ago.””
My blood went cold.
“He went to the motel two weeks ago?””
“Yes.””
“With who?””
Andre didn't answer.
“Who was with him?””
Nia stepped between us.
“Marcus, stop.””
“Move.””
“Please.””
“Move.””
She didn't.
I lowered my voice.
“What happened at that motel?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You're going to hate me.””
“I already don't know you.””
She flinched.
Andre looked away.
Then his phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
His face went completely white.
“Who is it?”” I asked.
“Nothing.””
“Show me.””
He took a step back.
I reached for his wrist.
“Show me.””
Andre unlocked the phone.
One new message.
No name.
Just a number.
*HE KNOWS. GET MARCUS AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. NOW.*
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Andre.
“Who sent that?””
“I don't know.””
Nia snatched the phone from his hand.
She read the message.
Then she whispered something so quietly I almost missed it.
“He wasn't supposed to come today.””
“Who?””
She looked toward the road beyond the wedding venue.
A black SUV had just pulled through the open gates.
I knew the vehicle.
My brother drove it.
Caleb was finally here.
May you like
But he wasn't alone.
And the passenger stepping out of the SUV was the last person I expected to see.
