Chapter 4: The Secret Lauren Left Behind
Darius didn't touch the envelope.
He stared at the photograph of Lauren holding baby Kayla, then slowly looked up at Cynthia.
“What do you mean I need to understand something about Lauren's death?””
Cynthia adjusted the strap of her handbag.
“Perhaps we should sit down.””
“No. You're going to explain yourself right now.””
Brittany stepped between them.
“Darius, my mother is trying to help.””
He looked at her.
“Get out of my way.””
Brittany's lips parted.
“Excuse me?””
“You heard me.””
Cynthia raised one hand.
“Brittany, let him see the letter.””
For the first time, Brittany looked genuinely frightened.
“Mom, don't.””
Cynthia pulled a folded sheet of paper from the envelope.
It was old, with yellowed edges and a faint crease down the middle.
Darius recognized the handwriting immediately.
Lauren's.
He had spent years looking at birthday cards, Christmas notes, and handwritten reminders she had left around the house.
He knew every curve of her letters.
He took the paper.
His eyes moved over the first line.
Dear Cynthia,
If you're reading this, something has happened that I was afraid of. I need you to understand that Kayla must never become a bargaining chip in anyone's hands.
Darius swallowed.
He continued.
I discovered that money has been disappearing from the trust established for our daughter. I initially believed it was an accounting error. But I found documents bearing my signature that I never signed.
His fingers tightened.
I have copies of everything. I've spoken to someone who can help me expose it. Please, if anything happens to me, make sure Darius knows. He deserves the truth, and Kayla deserves to grow up without being treated like an inconvenience.
Darius stopped reading.
He looked at Cynthia.
“What money?””
Cynthia lowered her eyes.
“Lauren was investigating several transfers from Kayla's education trust.””
“Who authorized them?””
She didn't answer.
Darius slammed the letter onto the table.
“WHO?””
Cynthia flinched.
“Brittany and I.””
Silence.
The air conditioning hummed above them.
Darius stared at Cynthia as if he had never seen her before.
“You stole from my daughter?””
“It wasn't supposed to be permanent,” Cynthia said quickly.
“That's your explanation?””
“I was managing several accounts, and the transfers were temporary.””
“Temporary?””
“Darius, you have no idea how complicated the financial situation was at that time.””
He laughed once, without humor.
“You took money from a six-year-old's future.””
Brittany stepped forward.
“Dad—”
“I'm not your father.””
Her mouth snapped shut.
Darius turned toward her.
“How much?””
Brittany looked at her mother.
“How much did you move?”” he repeated.
Cynthia finally spoke.
“Approximately six hundred and forty thousand dollars.””
Darius stared at her.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he picked up the letter again.
“Lauren found out?””
“Yes,” Cynthia admitted.
“And she was going to report you?””
Cynthia nodded.
Darius looked at Brittany.
“Were you involved?””
Brittany folded her arms.
“I only helped with the paperwork.””
“You forged documents?””
“I never thought it would become a problem.””
“You forged my signature?””
She looked away.
“Your mother signed some of them.””
Darius turned toward Cynthia.
“You signed my name?””
Cynthia's face crumpled.
“I was trying to protect my daughter.””
Darius stared at her.
“From what? Having to work for her money?””
Brittany suddenly raised her voice.
“You're acting as if we stole millions! You have more money than you'll ever spend. We moved some funds around. Nobody was going hungry.””
Darius looked at her in disbelief.
“Kayla doesn't need to be hungry for you to be stealing from her.””
Brittany shook her head.
“This is exactly why I couldn't stand living in Lauren's shadow. Everything is about her. Her money.
Her photographs. Her stupid little traditions.””
He looked at the woman he had planned to marry.
Then at the letter.
“You knew Lauren was investigating this before she died?””
Cynthia nodded slowly.
“She confronted me several days before the accident.””
Darius's breathing changed.
“What did she say?””
“She told me she was going to speak with her attorney.””
“And?””
Cynthia stared at the carpet.
“I told Brittany.””
Darius looked at her daughter.
Brittany's face had gone pale.
“Did you know Lauren was going to report your mother?””
Brittany didn't answer.
“Answer me!””
“Yes,” she whispered.
Darius stepped backward.
The room suddenly seemed too small.
He remembered Lauren's last telephone call. She had called him during his business trip, but he had been in a meeting and sent her a message promising to call later.
He never got the chance.
The accident happened that night.
For three years, he had wondered whether there had been something he should have noticed.
Now he was standing in front of two women who had known Lauren was preparing to expose them.
“Did either of you have anything to do with her accident?””
Cynthia immediately shook her head.
“No! Darius, absolutely not!””
Brittany looked horrified.
“I would never hurt Lauren.””
“Then explain why you kept this letter.””
Cynthia's voice cracked.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing everything.””
Darius stared at her.
“You let me bury my wife without telling me what she had discovered.””
“I didn't know what else to do.””
“You could have told the truth!””
“I thought I could repay the money before anyone noticed.””
“You had three years!””
Cynthia began crying.
Brittany suddenly grabbed the letter.
“Enough! This is getting ridiculous.””
Darius caught her wrist before she could pull it away.
“Don't touch that.””
She yanked her hand back.
“You're destroying our lives over an old letter.””
“No. You destroyed your future when you decided my daughter was something you could control.””
He took out his phone.
“Marcus?””
The security manager answered immediately.
“Sir.””
“Call my attorney. I want every account connected to Kayla's trust frozen pending an audit. Preserve all financial records, emails, and recordings. And contact the authorities.””
Cynthia's face went white.
“Darius, please.””
He continued.
“I also want an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Lauren's death. Every phone record, every communication, everything.””
Cynthia grabbed the edge of the table.
“Please don't do that.””
Darius looked directly at her.
“Lauren deserved the truth.””
Twenty minutes later, Evelyn entered the private suite.
Kayla was asleep in her arms.
Darius immediately walked toward them.
“Is she okay?””
“She woke up and asked for you.””
He gently took his daughter.
Kayla's eyes fluttered open.
“Daddy?””
“I'm here.””
“Are you mad?””
He shook his head.
“Not at you, baby.””
She rested her cheek against his shoulder.
Then her eyes moved toward Brittany.
The little girl immediately stiffened.
“Grandma said she wouldn't come near me.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“She won't, sweetheart.””
Brittany rolled her eyes.
“Oh, for heaven's sake. I'm not going to hurt her.””
Darius turned.
“Don't speak to her.””
“Darius, I'm her future stepmother.””
“No.””
He reached into his pocket and removed his engagement ring from the small chain where he had placed it earlier.
He set it on the table.
“That's over.””
Brittany stared at the ring.
“You can't be serious.””
“I've never been more serious about anything.””
“Darius, we can work this out.””
“There's nothing to work out.””
She looked at Kayla.
“This is what you wanted, isn't it? You wanted your father all to yourself.””
Kayla buried her face against Darius's neck.
His expression became ice-cold.
“Say one more word to my daughter, and you'll be speaking to my lawyer.””
Brittany stood frozen.
Evelyn gently took Kayla's hand.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let's go upstairs.””
But as Darius turned toward the door, his phone rang.
It was Marcus.
“Sir, we've found something in the original security archive. It's from the night your wife died.””
Darius stopped.
“What?””
“We recovered a deleted recording from the rear entrance.””
“Play it.””
There was a pause.
Then Marcus spoke again.
“Mr. Morgan, you should know that Ms. Whitmore's car was on the property that night.””
Darius slowly turned toward Brittany.
May you like
Her face had lost all color.
And for the first time, she looked less angry than terrified.
