PART 10
“So you tried to take it.”
“Yes.”
“Through Andrew.”
“Yes.”
I looked at my husband.
“You knew?”
He shook his head.
“Not at first.”
“When did you find out?”
“Six years ago.”
The room became silent.
Marcus said:
“Andrew was supposed to convince you to sell.”
I turned toward him.
“Is that true?”
Andrew’s eyes filled with tears.
“At first…”
I waited.
“At first, yes.”
My heart shattered.
Not because of the money.
Not because of the property.
Because for a brief moment, I realized my husband had entered our marriage with a secret purpose.
I whispered:
“Did you marry me because of my family?”
Andrew shook his head violently.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“I fell in love with you.”
“Before or after you knew about the property?”
“Before.”
I stared at him.
“Then why?”
“Because by the time I learned about it, I was already completely in love with you.”
Marcus laughed.
“Love made him weak.”
Andrew turned toward him.
“No.”
His voice became stronger.
“Love made me realize what you were doing.”
Marcus’s smile disappeared.
Andrew stepped forward.
“I stopped helping you.”
“You continued paying me.”
“Because I was afraid.”
“You continued hiding documents.”
“Because I was afraid.”
“You continued lying to your wife.”
Andrew looked at me.
“Yes.”
His voice broke.
“But I stopped working for you.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“That is not what our agreement says.”
Andrew suddenly smiled.
“You’re right.”
He reached into his pocket.
“And that’s why you’re going to prison.”
Marcus froze.
Andrew pulled out his phone.
“I recorded everything you said tonight.”
Marcus’s face changed.
“You…”
Andrew looked at me.
“I knew Carla deserved the truth.”
Marcus lunged forward.
My mother screamed.
But before he could reach Andrew, the front door burst open.
Police officers rushed inside.
“Marcus Reed! Step away from him!”
Marcus froze.
Two officers grabbed his arms.
He looked at Andrew with pure hatred.
“You betrayed me.”
Andrew replied:
“No.”
He looked toward me.
“I betrayed my wife.”
Then he looked back at Marcus.
“And I’m done.”
Marcus was taken outside.
I stood in the living room, completely numb.
One of the officers approached me.
“Ms. Carter, your husband gave us evidence several weeks ago.”
I looked at Andrew.
He nodded.
“I contacted them after I realized I couldn’t keep lying.”
I frowned.
“Several weeks ago?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
He looked down.
“I wanted to tell you everything.”
“But?”
“I was ashamed.”
I shook my head.
“You don’t get to use shame as an excuse anymore.”
“I know.”
The police left.
The house became quiet.
My mother sat down.
Andrew remained standing.
For a long time, none of us spoke.
Then he said:
“I’ll leave.”
I looked at him.
“I don’t want you to stay here because you’re afraid of losing the house.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want you to stay because you think you owe me.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want apologies.”
He nodded.
“What do you want?”
I looked at him.
“The truth.”
He swallowed.
“You have it.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“Not from tonight.”
I pointed toward the door.
“From now on.”
He nodded.
“I promise.”
I looked at my mother.
She was still crying.
“Mom.”
She looked at me.
“You knew all these years.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I thought I was protecting you.”
I sighed.
“Everyone kept protecting me with lies.”
My mother cried harder.
I sat beside her.
“I don’t want that anymore.”
She took my hand.
“I know.”
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