Chapter 7: The Letter Marcus Never Opened
“She gave it to Marcus.””
Evelyn’s words were impossible to understand.
Not because they were complicated.
Because they changed everything.
I looked at the letter in my hand.
Then at Evelyn.
Then toward the door, as if Marcus might suddenly appear and explain how this nightmare made sense.
“He had another letter?”” I whispered.
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“Rebecca trusted him with information she couldn’t trust anyone else with.””
I felt something twist inside me.
“My sister trusted him?””
“Yes.””
I laughed softly.
The sound was empty.
“That’s funny.””
Evelyn looked confused.
“What?””
“My sister trusted him enough to give him the truth.””
I lifted the letter.
“But he trusted himself enough to hide it from me.””
Evelyn looked away.
Because she knew I was right.
I stepped back.
“How long have you known about the second letter?””
Her silence answered before her words did.
“Evelyn.””
“Since the week after Rebecca died.””
My chest tightened.
“Six years.””
“Yes.””
Six years.
The number felt heavier every time someone said it.
Six years of birthdays.
Six years of holidays.
Six years of looking at old photos and wondering what Rebecca would think about my life.
Six years of believing the people around me were grieving too.
But they weren’t grieving.
They were hiding.
“Why?””
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because Marcus was scared.””
I shook my head.
“That’s not an excuse.””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“It isn’t.””
The honesty surprised me.
For the first time, Evelyn wasn’t defending her son.
“He thought the letter would destroy everything.””
“What everything?””
“The company.””
I stared.
“Still the company?””
Evelyn lowered her gaze.
“Marcus spent his entire life believing the company was the only thing he had left.””
“And what did he have?””
She looked at me.
“You.””
I almost hated that answer.
Because a part of me still wanted to believe it.
A part of me still remembered the man who held me while I cried.
But love without honesty was just another kind of loneliness.
“He chose the company.””
Evelyn didn’t argue.
“Yes.””
The word hurt.
Because it came from his own mother.
I followed Evelyn downstairs.
Neither of us spoke.
The house felt different now.
Every room carried a memory.
The kitchen where Marcus danced with me while waiting for dinner to cook.
The living room where he told me we would raise our children.
The hallway where he kissed me goodbye the morning before everything changed.
I hated that those memories still existed.
I hated that betrayal didn’t erase love instantly.
I hated that my heart still remembered the good man while my mind was learning about the cruel one.
Evelyn stopped near the front door.
“Emily.””
I looked at her.
“I know you don’t believe me.””
“You’re right.””
She nodded.
“I understand.””
That surprised me.
“You do?””
“Yes.””
She looked older suddenly.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
“I spent years protecting my son from consequences.””
She swallowed.
“And I lost the chance to protect you.””
I didn’t know what to say.
Because for the first time, she wasn’t acting like Marcus’s mother.
She was acting like someone who knew she had failed.
“Where is Marcus now?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“He went to the office.””
“At midnight?””
“He has been there most nights recently.””
I almost smiled.
Of course.
The office.
The place where secrets lived.
“I need to see him.””
Evelyn looked alarmed.
“Emily.””
“I need the second letter.””
She shook her head.
“I don’t know if he still has it.””
“Then I’ll find out.””
“He may not give it to you.””
I looked at her.
“Then he’ll have to explain why.””
Marcus’s office was on the top floor of the Cross Corporation building.
The same building I had visited countless times.
The same place where employees smiled at me and called me Mrs. Cross.
I used to feel proud walking through those doors.
Tonight, I felt like I was entering enemy territory.
The security guard looked surprised when he saw me.
“Mrs. Cross?””
I forced a smile.
“Is Marcus here?””
The guard hesitated.
“Yes.””
“Good.””
I walked toward the elevator.
The doors opened.
I stepped inside.
My reflection stared back at me.
A pregnant woman with tired eyes.
A woman who came looking for answers instead of comfort.
When the elevator opened on the top floor, I heard voices.
Marcus’s.
And Vivian’s.
I froze.
The office door was slightly open.
I didn’t mean to listen.
But then I heard my name.
“Emily can’t know everything.””
Marcus.
My entire body went cold.
Vivian answered.
“She already knows enough.””
“She found Rebecca’s letter.””
Silence.
Then Vivian cursed quietly.
“What?””
Marcus sounded exhausted.
“She found it.””
“You let her?””
“I didn’t know she had it.””
My hands curled into fists.
Let her?
Like I had stolen something?
Like the truth belonged to them?
Vivian lowered her voice.
“You need to fix this.””
“I’m trying.””
“No.””
Her voice sharpened.
“You need to control this.””
That word.
Control.
My stomach turned.
Marcus said nothing.
Then Vivian continued.
“If she goes public, everything falls apart.””
I stepped closer to the door.
Everything.
Not just the marriage.
Not just the company.
Everything.
“What exactly are you afraid she’ll reveal?”” Marcus asked.
The question shocked me.
Because it sounded like even he was afraid of Vivian.
Her answer was quiet.
“Your sister’s evidence.””
I stopped breathing.
Rebecca’s evidence.
“You said it was gone,” Marcus said.
“It was supposed to be.””
“Supposed to be?””
His voice rose.
“Vivian, you told me you handled it.””
“I did.””
“Then why is Emily finding letters?””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then Vivian said:
“Because someone helped her.””
My heart raced.
Someone helped her.
Who?
Marcus whispered:
“Who?””
Vivian didn’t answer.
I pushed the door open.
Both of them turned.
The look on Marcus’s face told me everything.
Shock.
Fear.
Guilt.
Vivian recovered first.
“What are you doing here?””
I looked at her.
“Looking for the truth.””
Marcus stood.
“Emily.””
I walked inside.
“Don’t.””
His face fell.
I looked between them.
“How long have you two been working together?””
Neither answered.
I laughed.
“Everyone’s favorite response.””
Vivian crossed her arms.
“You don’t understand what you’re walking into.””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I understand perfectly.””
I turned to Marcus.
“Where is Rebecca’s second letter?””
His expression changed.
“You talked to my mother.””
“Yes.””
“Emily…”
“Where is it?””
He looked away.
That was enough.
“You still have it.””
His silence confirmed it.
“Where?””
Marcus’s voice dropped.
“I kept it safe.””
“Safe?””
I stepped closer.
“You mean hidden.””
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Why?””
“Because Rebecca asked me not to open it.””
I froze.
“What?””
Marcus looked at me.
“She told me only to give it to you when you were ready.””
I stared.
“Ready?””
His voice broke.
“She knew what it would do to you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
I was angry again.
“She trusted you.””
“Yes.””
“And you betrayed her.””
His eyes filled with regret.
“Yes.””
The admission surprised me.
For once, he didn’t defend himself.
He didn’t explain.
He just accepted it.
“Where is the letter?””
Marcus walked to his desk.
He opened the bottom drawer.
Inside was a small black box.
My heart pounded.
He placed it on the desk.
“I never opened it.””
I looked at the box.
“Why should I believe you?””
He looked at me.
“Because if I wanted to destroy it, I would have.””
“That’s not enough.””
“I know.””
He pushed the box toward me.
“Open it.””
My fingers reached for the lid.
But before I touched it, Vivian spoke.
“Marcus.””
Her voice was a warning.
I looked at her.
She looked terrified.
Not angry.
Terrified.
That was when I understood.
The letter wasn’t dangerous because of what it said about Marcus.
It was dangerous because of what it said about her.
I opened the box.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
Rebecca’s handwriting.
My name.
Again.
But this time, there was something written beneath it.
A sentence.
A sentence that made Marcus go pale.
*Emily — if you are reading this, it means Marcus finally chose the truth over Vivian.*
I looked up slowly.
Marcus wasn’t looking at me.
He was looking at Vivian.
And Vivian whispered:
“He wasn’t supposed to give you that.””
The room went silent.
Because in that moment, I realized something.
Marcus had not been protecting Vivian.
He had been afraid of her.
And maybe…
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Maybe my husband wasn’t the person who destroyed my sister.
Maybe he was the person who knew who did.
