Chapter 5: The Truth Inside The Envelope
I met Robert Hayes the next afternoon at a small coffee shop across town.
I almost didn't recognize him.
The man who walked in looked older than his voice sounded.
He carried a worn leather briefcase and moved slowly, like every step carried a memory.
"You’re Marcus Reed?""
I stood.
"Yes.""
He nodded.
"I'm Robert.""
We shook hands.
His grip was weak.
His eyes weren't.
They were the eyes of someone who had carried a secret too long.
"You have your mother's documents?""
I placed the folder on the table.
He didn't open it immediately.
Instead, he looked at me.
"Before I explain anything, I need you to understand something.""
"What?""
"Your father was not perfect.""
I waited.
"But he was not the man people made him out to be.""
I leaned forward.
"Who made him out to be?""
Robert looked away.
"People with something to lose.""
He opened the folder.
The first few papers were bank records.
He studied them.
Then he looked surprised.
"Your mother kept these?""
"Apparently.""
"She shouldn't have.""
"Why?""
"Because these were never supposed to exist anymore.""
My stomach tightened.
"What are they?""
Robert pulled out one document.
"This was a transfer agreement.""
I read the heading.
My eyes narrowed.
"What am I looking at?""
"Your father transferred ownership of a property before he died.""
"To who?""
Robert looked at me.
"Your mother.""
I frowned.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"Why?""
"Because my mother never owned any property.""
Robert slowly shook his head.
"She did.""
I felt like the floor moved beneath me.
"What?""
"Marcus, your father knew something would happen.""
I stared at him.
"Are you saying he knew he was in danger?""
Robert didn't answer directly.
"He changed his will three days before the accident.""
My throat tightened.
"And nobody told me?""
"You were eighteen.""
"I was his son.""
"You were also a child.""
I hated that he was right.
But it didn't make the pain disappear.
"What happened to the property?""
Robert closed the folder.
"Your mother sold it.""
"Why?""
"Because Daniel Carter threatened her.""
The name felt poisonous now.
I sat back.
"What did he threaten?""
Robert looked around before speaking.
"He told her that if she went to the police, she would lose everything.""
My hands clenched.
"My mother had proof.""
"Yes.""
"And those papers?""
"Part of it.""
I thought about Nia.
About the way she accused my mother.
About the way she believed my mother had stolen something.
She didn't know.
She didn't know her father was the person my mother had feared.
"Why did you wait twenty years?""
Robert looked exhausted.
"Because your father instructed me to.""
"He knew?""
"Yes.""
"How?""
Robert hesitated.
Then he pulled out another envelope.
This one was smaller.
Older.
"My client left instructions.""
I looked at it.
"Who is it for?""
Robert pushed it toward me.
"You.""
I didn't open it.
Not yet.
"What does it say?""
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"Your father sealed it himself.""
I stared at the envelope.
Then I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone in my life has been keeping sealed envelopes.""
Robert didn't smile.
"Sometimes people hide things because they're cruel.""
A pause.
"Sometimes they hide things because they're afraid.""
I thought of my mother.
I thought of Nia.
"Which one was my father?""
Robert looked at me.
"That is what you have to decide.""
I took the envelope.
Before I could open it, my phone rang.
Nia.
I almost ignored it.
But I answered.
"Hello?""
"Marcus.""
Her voice sounded different.
Scared.
"Where are you?""
"At home.""
"What happened?""
Silence.
Then:
"Someone broke into your mother's room.""
I stood immediately.
"What?""
"The police are here.""
My heart started racing.
"Is Mom okay?""
"Yes.""
"Did they take anything?""
Another pause.
Then Nia whispered:
"Yes.""
"What?""
She lowered her voice.
"The old letter from your father.""
I looked down at the envelope in my hand.
The one Robert had just given me.
"How did they know about that?""
"I don't know.""
I grabbed my jacket.
"I'm coming home.""
When I arrived, police were already outside.
My mother was sitting on the couch.
She looked shaken.
Nia was standing by the stairs.
But what caught my attention was the bedroom door.
It was open.
The drawers were pulled out.
Clothes were scattered everywhere.
Someone had searched the room.
Not stolen jewelry.
Not money.
Only one thing mattered.
The letter.
I walked upstairs slowly.
My mother followed.
"Marcus.""
I turned.
"What?""
She looked terrified.
"There is something I need to tell you.""
"What?""
She took a deep breath.
"The letter they stole...""
I waited.
"It wasn't the only copy.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Where is the other one?""
She looked toward the floor.
"Your father gave it to someone else before he died.""
"Who?""
She swallowed.
Then said a name I never expected.
"Nia.""
I froze.
"What?""
My mother nodded.
"Your father trusted her.""
I stared at my wife downstairs.
The woman who had asked my mother to leave.
The woman who had accused her of hiding secrets.
The woman who apparently had possessed a letter from my father all along.
I walked downstairs.
"Nia.""
She looked up.
Her face changed when she saw my expression.
"Marcus?""
I held the envelope Robert gave me.
"Why didn't you tell me your father gave you something from mine?""
Her mouth opened.
Then closed.
The silence was enough.
"You knew.""
Tears filled her eyes.
"I was going to tell you.""
"When?""
She didn't answer.
"After you forced my mother out?""
"Marcus, that's not fair.""
"Fair?""
My voice shook.
"My mother almost slept on someone's couch because of a secret you were hiding.""
Nia looked away.
"I didn't understand what I had.""
"Then explain it.""
She took a shaky breath.
"I found it years ago.""
"Where?""
"In my father's things.""
"And you never opened it?""
She whispered:
"I did.""
My chest tightened.
"What did it say?""
Nia looked at me.
And the fear in her eyes told me the answer was worse than I imagined.
"It said your father was trying to protect me.""
I stared.
"From what?""
She began crying.
"From my own father.""
The room went silent.
May you like
Then she said the words that changed everything.
"Marcus, my father wasn't the only person who lied that night.""
