Chapter 6: The Secret My Mother Took to Her Grave
For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood him.
“My mother?””
Marcus nodded.
“Your father never told you.””
“My mother died when I was sixteen.””
“I know.””
“Then what does she have to do with your family?””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Can we talk without him?””
“No,” I replied.
He exhaled sharply.
“Fine. Your mother and my father knew each other long before your parents got married.””
I stared at him.
“My mother was married to my father.””
“Eventually.””
“What does that mean?””
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“Your mother worked for Edward Carter when she was young. She handled his business accounts.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Are you suggesting she had a financial relationship with Edward?””
Marcus shook his head.
“I'm suggesting your father wasn't the only man she knew before she got married.””
I felt a wave of anger.
“Don't you dare use my mother's name to distract me from what you've done.””
“I'm not distracting you.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
Marcus reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded document.
“Your father kept this hidden.””
He placed it on the cabinet.
I opened it.
It was a photocopy of an old legal agreement.
The date was twenty-seven years earlier.
At the top were the names Edward Carter and Richard Bennett.
Richard Bennett was my father's name.
The agreement concerned a business partnership and a substantial loan.
But something else caught my attention.
A third name appeared near the bottom.
*Margaret Bennett.*
My mother.
I read the document twice.
“Why did my mother sign this?””
Marcus answered quietly.
“Because she guaranteed the loan.””
Daniel took the document.
“That doesn't explain why you think Denise's mother owed your family anything.””
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“Edward lost his company after the partnership collapsed. He believed Richard had deliberately hidden assets.””
“Did my father?””
“I don't know.””
“You've spent years telling me my father was a dishonest man. Do you have proof?””
Marcus hesitated.
“Edward had documents.””
“Where are they?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel looked at the agreement.
“Marcus, this document is incomplete.””
“What?””
“The final page is missing.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“Your father took it.””
I turned toward him.
“Why would my father take the final page?””
“Because it showed what your mother promised.””
“What did she promise?””
Marcus looked directly at me.
“That if Richard failed to repay the money, she would transfer her interest in the Riverside land to Edward.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“That's impossible. My mother never owned Riverside.””
“She did before your father transferred everything into the family trust.””
Daniel examined the document.
“That's not correct.””
Marcus laughed.
“Of course you'd say that.””
Daniel pointed to a paragraph.
“This agreement refers to a separate investment account. It does not establish ownership of the Riverside property.””
Marcus grabbed the paper.
“That's because the final page is missing!””
Daniel took it back.
“Or because you're deliberately misrepresenting what it says.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Be careful, Daniel.””
Daniel didn't move.
“I'm being very careful.””
I held up my hand.
“Enough.””
Both men turned.
I looked at Marcus.
“Why did you wait until now to tell me about this?””
He lowered his voice.
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed.
It was a short, bitter sound.
“Protect me?””
“Yes.””
“From what? The truth? Or the fact that you stole from my companies?””
“I borrowed money.””
“Without permission.””
“I was going to put it back.””
“When?””
He didn't answer.
I stepped toward him.
“Before or after you sold my father's building?””
His face tightened.
“Denise, you're making everything worse.””
“No. I'm finally asking the questions you don't want to answer.””
Daniel placed the documents back into the wooden box.
“We should leave. There is no reason to continue this conversation without reviewing the original agreement.””
Marcus blocked the doorway.
“She's not going anywhere with you.””
I looked at him.
“Move.””
“Denise, please.””
“Move, Marcus.””
For a moment, he stood motionless.
Then he stepped aside.
We walked past him.
At the elevator, Daniel lowered his voice.
“There's something I haven't told you.””
I turned.
“What now?””
“Your mother had a separate attorney. Her name was Eleanor Price.””
“Is she still alive?””
“Yes. She retired several years ago, but she is still living in Connecticut.””
“Why didn't my father ever mention her?””
“Because she handled the original agreement between your parents and Edward Carter.””
I felt a strange chill.
“Can you contact her?””
“I already have.””
I looked at him.
“When?””
“Last night. After I listened to your father's recording.””
“And?””
Daniel hesitated.
“She agreed to meet us. But she asked me one question.””
“What question?””
“Whether you knew about the child.””
I stared at him.
“What child?””
Daniel looked toward Marcus, who was standing at the far end of the hallway.
“I don't know.””
My phone rang.
The caller ID displayed an unfamiliar number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through.
“Denise Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Eleanor Price. Daniel tells me you're investigating the old Riverside agreement.””
“Yes. I need to know what happened between my parents and the Carter family.””
There was a long silence.
Then Eleanor spoke.
“Your father was trying to protect you. But he made one terrible decision.””
“What decision?””
“He allowed you to grow up believing you were an only child.””
My knees weakened.
“What?””
“Your mother gave birth to another child before you.””
I gripped the elevator railing.
“That isn't possible.””
“I'm afraid it is.””
“Who was the child?””
Eleanor lowered her voice.
“His name is Andrew.””
I closed my eyes.
“Where is he?””
“I don't know where he is now. But I know why your father never wanted you to find him.””
“Why?””
“Because Andrew was raised by Edward Carter.””
I stopped breathing.
Marcus was standing several feet away.
He had heard the name.
His expression changed so dramatically that Daniel immediately noticed.
I whispered into the phone.
“Are you telling me Edward Carter raised my mother's son?””
“Yes.””
“And what does that have to do with Marcus?””
Eleanor was quiet.
Then she delivered the sentence that shattered everything I thought I knew.
“Denise, Andrew isn't just your brother. He's the person your husband has been secretly meeting for the past six months.””
I slowly lowered the phone.
Marcus stared at me.
Daniel looked between us.
“Denise?””
I couldn't speak.
My husband had lied about the money.
He had lied about Vanessa.
He had lied about my father's business.
But now there was something even worse.
A brother I had never known existed.
A man raised by the family Marcus claimed had been wronged.
And somehow, all three men were connected to the building my father had spent his life protecting.
Marcus finally spoke.
“Denise, I can explain who Andrew really is.””
I looked at him.
“Then explain why you've been meeting my brother behind my back.””
His jaw tightened.
And his answer was not what I expected.
“Because Andrew is the only person who can tell you what your mother did before she died.””
He took a breath.
“She's the reason your father changed the will.””
My phone vibrated again.
A message from Eleanor appeared.
Denise, please don't believe Marcus. Your brother has been looking for you for twenty years.
Then another message arrived.
And he believes your father was murdered.
I looked up at Marcus.
For the first time, he wasn't trying to hide his fear.
He was terrified.
May you like
And I suddenly understood that the anniversary dinner had never been the real beginning of this nightmare.
It had only been the moment I finally discovered how long everyone had been lying to me.
