Chapter 7 - Caleb’s Secret
Danielle returned for clothes that evening.
Marcus made sure Simone was present.
He also kept the children upstairs.
Danielle entered the bedroom without speaking and began packing.
Marcus stood near the doorway.
“You can take anything personal that you need.”
She laughed bitterly.
“How generous.”
“This doesn’t need to happen in front of the kids.”
“You already turned the kids against me.”
“I haven’t told them anything.”
“Caleb betrayed me in a department store.”
“He told me his sister was being sent away.”
Danielle zipped a suitcase.
“She is not his sister.”
Marcus went still.
Danielle realized what she had said.
For years she had insisted they were one family.
Marcus spoke quietly.
“Say that again.”
“I’m angry.”
“No. You said it because you believe it.”
“Don’t psychoanalyze me.”
“They are siblings.”
“They are not blood.”
“They are siblings.”
Danielle turned.
“You adopted Caleb and Jordan. You never adopted Nia.”
“She is biologically my daughter.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I really don’t.”
Her face crumpled for half a second before hardening.
“You built a shrine to Alana and put me inside it.”
Marcus stared at her.
“What does that have to do with stealing from Nia?”
“I did not steal.”
“You created fake expenses.”
“I used money for this family.”
“Nia’s trust is not family money.”
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“Your daughter. Her money. Her mother’s property.”
Marcus understood something then.
Danielle had not merely needed cash.
She had kept score.
Every dollar connected to Alana had become evidence, in Danielle’s mind, that she and her sons ranked second.
“You were jealous of a child.”
Danielle’s eyes flashed.
“I was tired of watching a dead woman control my marriage.”
“You forged my name.”
“To keep this household functioning.”
“You planned to move my daughter while I was on a plane.”
“To give everybody space.”
“You lied to Simone.”
“Because you would never agree.”
“That sentence should tell you everything.”
Danielle shoved clothes into her suitcase.
“Talk to your lawyers.”
“I will.”
“You approved the money.”
“I know.”
“You benefited from it.”
“If I did, we’ll account for that too.”
She stopped.
That answer had surprised her.
Marcus continued.
“I’m not asking anyone to pretend I supervised the trust properly.”
Danielle stared.
“You’ll destroy your own reputation.”
“If that’s the cost of finding out what happened to Nia’s money, yes.”
For the first time, Danielle looked uncertain.
Marcus stepped away.
“Finish packing.”
After she left, Caleb came downstairs.
He had been listening.
Marcus knew because the boy’s eyes were red.
“You okay?”
Caleb shook his head.
Marcus sat beside him on the stairs.
For a while neither spoke.
Then Caleb whispered, “I helped her.”
Marcus’s chest tightened.
“With what?”
“Mail.”
“How much?”
Caleb rubbed his hands together.
“She told me when envelopes came with your name and Ashford on them, I should put them in her office.”
“Why?”
“She said you were too busy and she handled it.”
“That’s not your fault.”
“There’s more.”
Marcus waited.
Caleb swallowed.
“One time she told me to take a picture.”
“Of what?”
“Your computer.”
Marcus frowned.
“What on my computer?”
“Your password thing.”
The hair on Marcus’s arms rose.
“My password manager?”
“I don’t know.”
“When?”
“A long time ago. Maybe last winter.”
“What did she say?”
“That she forgot a password and you were at work.”
“Did she tell you which screen?”
Caleb nodded.
“She opened something, then told me to take a picture with her phone because she had stuff on her hands.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Caleb began crying.
“I didn’t know.”
Marcus immediately pulled him close.
“I know.”
“She said family helps family.”
“I know.”
“I thought I was helping.”
“You were a kid doing what your mom told you.”
Caleb pressed his forehead against Marcus’s shoulder.
“What if she goes to jail?”
There it was.
The question no attorney could answer gently.
“I don’t know.”
Caleb cried harder.
Marcus held him.
“Listen to me. Whatever adults did, you and Jordan and Nia are not responsible.”
“Mom says you hate her.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re getting divorced.”
Marcus hesitated.
“Probably.”
“That means you hate her.”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Marcus looked at his son.
“Because sometimes you can love someone and still decide they are not safe to trust.”
Caleb looked terrified.
“Are you going to stop being our dad?”
“No.”
“You could.”
“No.”
“What if Mom says we have to go?”
“I adopted you.”
“So?”
“So being your father is not a favor I can take back because life got difficult.”
Caleb’s face twisted.
Marcus hugged him again.
From the upstairs landing, Nia stood watching.
Marcus opened one arm.
She ran down and joined them.
Jordan appeared seconds later.
Soon all four were sitting on the stairs tangled together.
And for several minutes Marcus forgot the lawyers, the accounts, the forged signatures and the missing money.
Then Caleb whispered something against his shirt.
“There’s a man named Kevin.”
Marcus’s body stiffened.
“What?”
“Mom talks to him on the phone.”
Marcus pulled back.
“Kevin March?”
May you like
Caleb nodded.
“She told him after Nia left, everything would be easier.”
