Chapter 1: The Secret Jordan Came to Reveal
"Don't say another word!""
Nia's fingers tightened around Jordan's arm, but he gently pulled away.
For the first time since I had entered the bedroom, Jordan looked directly at me without trying to defend himself.
"Marcus," he said quietly, "there's something you don't know about your wife.""
I stared at him.
"Then talk.""
Nia shook her head violently.
"No. You don't understand what's happening here.""
"Then explain it!"" I shouted.
"Because right now, I'm standing in my bedroom with my wife and her ex-boyfriend, and neither of you seems capable of telling me why!""
Jordan rubbed his forehead.
"Two weeks ago, Nia contacted me. She said she needed help with something. Something involving your marriage.""
I turned toward my wife.
"What involving our marriage?""
Nia swallowed.
"Marcus, please. Let me explain.""
"That's what you've been saying for the last ten minutes. Explain!""
Jordan glanced at her before continuing.
"She told me she had discovered something about you.""
I frowned.
"About me?""
"Yes.""
I almost laughed.
"What exactly did my wife discover about me that required bringing you into our bedroom?""
Jordan hesitated.
Then he said something that made my stomach tighten.
"She thinks you're hiding money.""
For a moment, I didn't understand.
"Money?""
Nia closed her eyes.
Jordan continued.
"She found some financial documents. Bank statements, transfers, and something about an account she didn't recognize. She thought you might be preparing to leave her without anything.""
I looked at Nia.
"Is that why you called him?""
She nodded reluctantly.
"Marcus, I found documents in your office. You told me we were saving for our future, but there were transfers I couldn't explain.""
"What transfers?""
"Don't pretend you don't know.""
I stared at her.
Then I remembered.
Six months earlier, I had opened a separate account for my mother's medical expenses. My mother had undergone surgery, and I had been sending money to my younger sister, Danielle, who was handling most of her care.
I hadn't told Nia every detail because my mother had specifically asked me not to discuss her medical situation with anyone.
But the account wasn't secret in the way Nia imagined.
It was money I had earned.
Money I had saved.
Money I was using to take care of my family.
"Those transfers are for my mother's treatment," I explained.
"I've told you she's been having medical problems.""
Nia folded her arms.
"You never told me about a separate account.""
"Because my mother asked me to keep her medical situation private.""
"Your wife isn't entitled to know where her husband's money goes?""
"That's not what I said.""
Jordan stepped between us.
"Marcus, maybe you should listen to her before getting defensive.""
I turned slowly.
"Nobody asked for your opinion.""
"She was scared.""
"She's my wife. If she was scared, she could have spoken to me.""
Nia's voice cracked.
"I tried!""
"When?""
"Several times!""
"Then why didn't you?""
She looked away.
Jordan answered for her.
"Because she didn't trust what you would say.""
That sentence landed harder than I expected.
I looked at my wife.
Four years.
Four years of waking up beside her, paying our mortgage, planning vacations, celebrating birthdays, and believing we were building something permanent.
And apparently, she had been discussing the future of our marriage with the man she once loved.
I walked toward the dresser and picked up my phone.
"Show me the documents.""
Nia hesitated.
"What?""
"The documents you found. Show me.""
She reached into the pocket of her cardigan and pulled out several folded sheets.
I recognized the first page immediately.
It was a bank statement.
My name was printed at the top.
I examined it carefully.
Then I looked at the dates.
Something was wrong.
The statement showed a transfer of $48,000 into an account I had never opened.
I read the account number twice.
"Where did you get this?""
"Your office drawer.""
"This isn't mine.""
Nia frowned.
"What?""
"I've never seen this account.""
Jordan stepped closer.
"That's what we were trying to establish.""
I looked at him.
"You said she found it in my office.""
"That's what she told me.""
I turned the page.
There were three additional transfers.
$12,500.
$18,000.
$7,800.
All bearing my name.
But the account numbers were unfamiliar.
And the dates were particularly disturbing.
One transfer had supposedly occurred while I was in Chicago on a business trip.
Another had been made on a Sunday when the bank was closed.
I felt a chill crawl up my spine.
"Did you check whether these documents were real?"" I asked.
Nia shook her head.
"That's why I contacted Jordan.""
I stared at her.
"You brought my ex-wife's former boyfriend into our bedroom to investigate my finances?""
"He's an accountant, Marcus!""
Jordan immediately corrected her.
"I used to work in accounting. I'm not a licensed forensic accountant.""
I looked between them.
Something about the way they exchanged glances bothered me.
"How long have you two been discussing this?""
Nia hesitated.
"About two weeks.""
"Two weeks?""
"Yes.""
"And you never thought to mention any of this to me?""
"You were working constantly.""
"So you decided to investigate me behind my back?""
"Marcus, you're making this about Jordan again!""
I laughed bitterly.
"He's sitting on our bed, Nia. It's a little difficult not to notice him.""
Jordan reached for his jacket.
"I think I should leave.""
"Not yet.""
Both of them looked at me.
I held up the bank statement.
"Who printed this?""
Nia answered immediately.
"I did.""
"Where?""
"At home.""
"On our printer?""
"Yes.""
I examined the bottom of the page.
There was a faint gray line across the paper.
Our printer had been malfunctioning for months. Every document printed from it had the same mark.
But there was something else.
A small notation in the bottom corner.
A handwritten number.
I recognized the handwriting.
It wasn't mine.
It wasn't Nia's.
It belonged to my younger sister.
Danielle.
My throat went dry.
"Why is my sister's handwriting on this?""
Nia's expression changed.
Jordan looked down.
And suddenly, I understood that there was another part of this story neither of them had told me.
I held up the paper.
"How does Danielle fit into this?""
Nia's lips parted.
Before she could answer, my phone vibrated.
A message appeared from Danielle.
*MARCUS, DON'T SIGN ANYTHING NIA GIVES YOU. I FOUND OUT WHAT SHE AND JORDAN ARE PLANNING. CALL ME NOW.*
I read it once.
Then again.
My wife watched my face.
"Who is it?"" she asked.
I slowly lowered my phone.
"Danielle.""
Nia's face went completely white.
And for the first time that evening, she looked genuinely frightened.
Not angry.
Not offended.
Frightened.
May you like
Because whatever my sister had discovered, my wife already knew about it.
And she clearly hadn't expected Danielle to contact me.
