Chapter 4: The Secret Behind My Hotel Room
Marcus stared at me as though I had just accused him of a crime.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he laughed.
It was a short, nervous sound that didn't reach his eyes.
"Nia, this is ridiculous. Someone is trying to ruin our wedding.""
"Our wedding is already canceled.""
His smile disappeared.
Behind him, Vanessa stood motionless in the bridal suite doorway, one hand pressed against the uneven ends of her hair.
I held up my phone.
"Someone says you were in my room last night. Were you?""
"No.""
The answer came too quickly.
I studied his face, searching for the man who had promised to spend his life being honest with me.
"Then why did you look terrified when I showed you that photograph?""
"Because you're making accusations based on a picture you don't understand.""
"Fine. Help me understand it.""
Marcus glanced toward the hallway.
"Can we talk somewhere private?""
"No.""
"Nia, please.""
"You've had four years to talk to me honestly. I'm not giving you another private conversation so you can tell me I'm imagining things.""
My mother approached slowly.
She had tried to smooth the ruined sections of her hair with her fingers, but the damage was impossible to hide.
"Sweetheart," she said gently, "we can leave. You don't need to do this right now.""
I looked at her.
She was still protecting me from pain, even after everything that had happened to her.
That was when I knew I couldn't leave.
Not yet.
I needed the truth.
Marcus lowered his voice.
"Your mother has been through enough today. Don't make this worse for her.""
I stared at him in disbelief.
"You don't get to use my mother as an excuse to avoid answering me.""
His jaw tightened.
Then he turned toward Vanessa.
"Tell her.""
Vanessa blinked.
"Tell me what?"" I asked.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Tell her what happened last night.""
Vanessa's face lost some of its color.
"I don't know what you're talking about.""
"You know exactly what I'm talking about.""
The exchange was so strange that, for a moment, I forgot about the photograph.
Marcus sounded angry with her.
Vanessa looked frightened of him.
And neither seemed willing to say what had happened.
I took a step closer.
"What did you two do?""
"Nothing," Vanessa snapped.
"Then why are you afraid to explain?""
"I'm not afraid!""
"Then answer the question.""
She looked at Marcus again.
He shook his head almost imperceptibly.
I saw it.
So did my mother.
"Nia," Mom whispered, "look at them.""
I didn't need to.
I could feel the truth sitting between us like a third person.
Marcus finally exhaled.
"Last night, I came to your room because I needed to talk to you.""
"About what?""
"About the wedding.""
"Why didn't you tell me that when I called you?""
"I didn't want to upset you.""
I almost laughed.
"You didn't want to upset me, so you lied about where you were?""
He ran a hand through his hair.
"I was going to explain everything this morning.""
"Before or after you watched Vanessa cut my mother's hair?""
His expression hardened.
"That has nothing to do with this.""
"Then why did you tell me to ask her what happened after you left my room?""
For the first time, Vanessa looked directly at me.
Her eyes were bright, but there was no sadness in them.
Only anger.
"Because someone is twisting everything," she said.
"Who?""
She didn't answer.
I looked at Marcus.
"Did Vanessa come to my room last night?""
He swallowed.
That tiny movement was enough to make my stomach turn.
"Marcus.""
He stared at the carpet.
"Yes.""
My mother covered her mouth.
I felt as though someone had opened a door beneath my feet.
"Why?""
"It wasn't what you think.""
I closed my eyes for one brief second.
That sentence.
The sentence people used when they wanted you to doubt your own instincts before you even knew the facts.
"Then tell me what it was.""
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
"Don't," she whispered.
I turned toward her.
"Don't what?""
"Don't let him put this on me.""
Marcus's head snapped toward her.
"Are you serious?""
"You said you would handle it!""
The words burst from her before she could stop herself.
Silence swallowed the hallway.
I looked between them.
"You promised her something?""
Vanessa's face went white.
Marcus stepped toward her.
"Shut up.""
My mother gasped.
I had never heard him speak to anyone like that.
Not even during our worst arguments.
And suddenly, the man standing in front of me seemed like someone I had never truly known.
I raised my phone.
"I'm going to ask one more time. What happened in my room?""
Marcus looked at me.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Vanessa was helping me get something.""
"What?""
He hesitated.
"Something I needed before the ceremony.""
"What could you possibly need from my room?""
His gaze dropped to my purse.
The small white bridal purse hanging from my wrist.
I instinctively pulled it closer to my body.
Marcus noticed.
His expression changed.
Not guilt.
Not embarrassment.
Urgency.
"Nia, give me the purse.""
I stepped backward.
"Why?""
"Because I need to check something.""
"You can explain what you're looking for.""
"Just give it to me!""
His sudden shout echoed through the hallway.
My mother moved between us.
"Don't you dare raise your voice at her.""
Marcus stared at her.
For one brief second, I thought he might argue.
Instead, he took a step back.
Then he looked at my purse again.
I remembered the photograph.
The folded paper in his hand.
The unknown sender's warning.
And the strange look Vanessa had given Marcus when I asked about my room.
I opened the purse.
My lipstick.
My compact mirror.
My hotel key card.
A small envelope containing the handwritten vows I had planned to read to Marcus.
Everything looked normal.
Until I noticed a corner of white paper tucked beneath the lining.
I pulled it free.
It was folded twice.
My name was written on the outside.
Not in Marcus's handwriting.
Not in my mother's.
I opened it.
Inside was a printed document with several paragraphs highlighted in yellow.
At the bottom was a signature.
Mine.
Or something that looked remarkably like it.
My fingers went numb.
"What is this?""
Marcus closed his eyes.
Vanessa whispered something I couldn't hear.
I looked at the document again.
Then I read the heading.
And suddenly, the photograph, the lies, and the panic in Marcus's face began to make a terrible kind of sense.
Because this wasn't a love letter.
May you like
It was a legal document.
And someone had been planning to use my signature for something I had never agreed to.
