She covered her face.
“Yes.”
I stepped away from her.
I couldn’t even recognize the man I had married.
Then I heard Andrew shouting downstairs.
“Carla, please don’t come down!”
I opened the door.
My mother followed.
We reached the stairs.
Marcus was standing in the living room.
He was older than I had imagined.
Gray hair.
Expensive suit.
Calm expression.
He didn’t look like a criminal.
That was what frightened me most.
Andrew stood across from him.
His face was bruised.
Marcus looked at me.
“Carla.”
I descended the stairs.
“What happened to my brother?”
Marcus smiled sadly.
“Your husband knows.”
I looked at Andrew.
“Tell me.”
Andrew couldn’t speak.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Your brother discovered that I was using forged guarantees and illegally transferred property documents.”
“Did you kill him?”
Marcus’s expression changed.
“No.”
I stared at him.
“Then who did?”
He looked at Andrew.
Andrew whispered:
“I was driving.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Andrew’s voice cracked.
“Your brother got into my car that night.”
“Why?”
“We were going to the police.”
“And?”
“We were arguing.”
“About what?”
“The recording.”
Andrew wiped his face.
“Your brother wanted me to go immediately.”
“And you refused.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Marcus had threatened me.”
I stared at him.
“What did he threaten?”
“My life.”
He looked at me.
“And yours.”
I felt my knees weaken.
Andrew continued.
“Your brother told me I was a coward.”
A tear rolled down his cheek.
“He was right.”
“What happened?”
“We left the warehouse.”
“And?”
“A truck came through the intersection.”
Andrew’s voice almost disappeared.
“I swerved.”
He closed his eyes.
“The car hit the barrier.”
My brother died.
Andrew survived.
And the recording disappeared.
I stared at him.
“You had the recording.”
“Yes.”
“You had proof.”
“Yes.”
“You could have exposed Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t.”
Andrew began crying.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Marcus found me before I reached the police.”
I shook my head.
“And you believed him?”
“He told me he would destroy you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“So you protected me by lying to me?”
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“You were protecting yourself.”
Andrew didn’t argue.
Because he knew it was true.
Marcus suddenly spoke.
“There is one thing he hasn’t told you.”
I turned.
“What?”
Marcus reached into his coat.
Andrew shouted:
“Don’t!”
Marcus pulled out a small black device.
My breath stopped.
“The recording.”
Andrew looked horrified.
Marcus smiled.
“I kept a copy.”
I stared at it.
“You have it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Insurance.”
I stepped forward.
“Give it to me.”
Marcus held it up.
“You need to understand something first.”
“What?”
“The debt was never about money.”
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Marcus looked at Andrew.
“Your husband has spent twelve years believing he owed me money.”
He smiled.
“He doesn’t.”
I stared at Andrew.
“What?”
Marcus continued.
“The debt was leverage.”
“For what?”
“For the property.”
My mother’s face went white.
Marcus looked at me.
“Your family’s land sits on something extremely valuable.”
I didn’t understand.
“What?”
“Mineral rights.”
My mother whispered:
“No.”
Marcus nodded.
“Your father discovered it before he died.”
I looked at her.
She was crying.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“Your father found rare mineral deposits beneath the property.”
My mind raced.
“And the beach house?”
“Part of the same parcel.”
Marcus continued.
“Your family refused to sell.”
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