I sat upright.

"What kind?"

"A private settlement regarding jointly owned assets."

I frowned.

"Denise never mentioned owning anything with Raymond."

"That's why I want you to review it."

She emailed the documents.

I opened the first page.

Raymond Carter.

Denise Carter.

Property settlement.

Then I noticed an address.

A commercial building outside Atlanta.

I recognized it immediately.

It had belonged to my construction company before I sold it five years earlier.

My heartbeat quickened.

"Rachel, why is one of my former properties listed in their settlement?"

"That's the question."

I searched my files.

The building had been purchased by a company called Southcrest Holdings.

At the time, the sale appeared legitimate.

I remembered signing the documents.

I remembered Denise encouraging me to sell because the building was sitting empty.

And I remembered investing the proceeds into our family home.

"Rachel, are you saying Denise had an interest in the company that bought it?"

"Possibly. We're still verifying beneficial ownership."

My mouth went dry.

Southcrest Holdings.

A company I had never connected to my wife.

I looked at the date.

The entity had been formed only months before Denise and I married.

I sat completely still.

Was that what Raymond had been threatening to reveal?

I wanted to storm upstairs.

Demand answers.

Make Denise explain everything.

But Rachel stopped me.

"Marcus, listen to me. We need verified facts before making accusations."

I closed my eyes.

She was right.

I had already learned how dangerous assumptions could be.

"Then find them."

"We're working on it."

That afternoon, I took Maya shopping.

Not because expensive clothes could repair what had happened.

But because she needed a proper winter coat, comfortable shoes, and glasses that actually fit.

When I told her where we were going, she looked nervous.

"Daddy, I don't need much."

I smiled gently.

"We're getting what you need."

She hesitated.

"Can we go somewhere inexpensive?"

I felt my heart ache.

"Sweetheart, we can shop wherever you're comfortable."

At the store, Maya picked up a plain blue sweater.

She examined the price tag.

Thirty-two dollars.

Then she quietly put it back.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's too expensive."

I stared at her.

"Maya."

She looked up.

"You don't need permission to ask for something reasonable."

Her eyes filled.

I picked up the sweater.

"Do you like it?"

She nodded.

"Then try it on."

She looked as though she wanted to argue.

Instead, she smiled.

A real smile.

Small.

Uncertain.

Beautiful.

We bought the sweater.

A warm coat.

Two pairs of jeans.

New sneakers.

And glasses recommended after an updated eye examination.

At the checkout, Maya reached for her purse.

"What are you doing?"

She looked embarrassed.

"I can pay for some of it."

I gently pushed her hand away.

"No, sweetheart."

"But—"

"This is my responsibility."

She looked down.

I lifted her chin.

"And taking care of you is not a burden."

Tears filled her eyes.

She hugged me right there beside the register.

I held her until she was ready to let go.

On the way home, we stopped for ice cream.

Maya chose strawberry.

Her mother's favorite.

For a while, we talked about school.

Her teachers.

Her friends.

The science club she still hoped to join.

Then she suddenly grew quiet.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Are you going to leave Denise?"

I kept my eyes on the road.

"I haven't decided what happens next."

She nodded.

"I don't want you to be lonely again."

My chest tightened.

I remembered the years after Angela died.

The empty side of the bed.

The quiet dinners.

The way Maya used to leave drawings on my pillow so I wouldn't feel sad.

I looked at my daughter.

"Maya, you don't need to worry about keeping me from being lonely."

She wiped her eyes.

"But you were so happy when you married her."

"I thought I was building a family where everyone would feel loved."

She looked down.

"I'm sorry it didn't work."

I reached across the console and squeezed her hand.

"You didn't cause this."

She nodded slowly.

When we arrived home, a silver sedan was parked in the driveway.

I didn't recognize it.

Maya noticed it too.

"Daddy, who's here?"

"I don't know."

We entered through the front door.

Voices came from the dining room.

Denise was standing beside the marble table.

Across from her stood a tall man in a charcoal jacket.

He had a close-cropped beard and a tense expression.

When Denise saw me, her face drained of color.

"Marcus?"

I looked from her to the stranger.

"Who is this?"

Nobody answered.

Then the man gave a humorless smile.

"You must be Marcus."

I stared at him.

"And you are?"

He stepped forward.

"Raymond Carter."

Maya moved closer to me.

Denise looked terrified.

Raymond glanced at the shopping bags in my daughter's hands.

Then he looked at my wife.

"Looks like you've been spending money on the wrong things again."

Denise whispered, "Raymond, stop."

He ignored her.

Instead, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a thick envelope.

He placed it on the table.

"Marcus, I think it's time you learned what your wife has been hiding."

I looked at Denise.

She shook her head desperately.

"Don't listen to him."

Chapter 6

I had spent six years believing Denise married me because she loved me.

Now her former husband stood in my dining room suggesting otherwise.

I looked at Raymond.

"Explain yourself."

Denise immediately stepped between us.

"Marcus, he's lying."

Raymond laughed.

"I haven't said anything yet."

"Get out of my house," Denise snapped.

I raised my hand.

"Nobody is leaving until I understand what's happening."

Maya stood beside me, clutching her new shopping bags.

I turned toward her.

"Sweetheart, go upstairs for a little while."

She looked frightened.

"Daddy—"

"I'll come check on you."

She nodded and slowly walked away.

I waited until she was gone.

Then I faced Raymond.

"Start talking."

He placed both hands on the dining table.

"Your wife and I owned a small investment company together."

I glanced at Denise.

She stared at the floor.

"Southcrest Holdings?" I asked.

Raymond looked surprised.

"So you already know something."

"Enough to know you've been receiving money from my household account."

His expression changed.

"Denise told you?"

"My accountant found it."

Raymond shook his head.

"Then you're smarter than she thought."

Denise snapped, "Raymond!"

I looked at her.

"Let him finish."

Raymond opened the envelope.

Inside were business documents.

Property records.

Bank statements.

Copies of emails.

He spread them across the table.

"Before Denise married you, she helped me establish Southcrest Holdings."