Chapter 3: The Man Who Was Never Supposed to Return
Darius watched the man walk toward the front entrance.
His name was Logan Pierce.
Three years earlier, Logan had been engaged to Brittany.
According to the story Brittany had told Darius, Logan had been a controlling man who disappeared after stealing money from her savings.
She had supposedly never heard from him again.
Yet there he was.
Standing outside Darius's home.
Holding a key.
Darius immediately called security.
“Don't let him inside.””
The guard responded, “Sir, Miss Collins says he's an invited guest.””
“Miss Collins no longer has authority to invite anyone into this house.””
“Understood.””
Darius ended the call.
Then he watched the camera.
Logan handed something to the guard.
The guard examined it.
A moment later, he opened the gate.
Darius stood up so quickly his chair rolled backward.
“What the hell?””
He hurried downstairs.
Logan was already inside the entrance hall when Darius reached it.
He looked around the expensive interior.
“Beautiful place,” he said.
Darius stopped several feet away.
“What are you doing here?””
Logan smiled.
“It's good to see you too.””
“I asked you a question.””
“Brittany invited me.””
“She doesn't live here anymore.””
Logan raised an eyebrow.
“Interesting. She didn't mention that.””
Brittany appeared at the top of the staircase.
“Logan!””
She hurried down.
Her face was pale.
“What are you doing here?””
Logan gave her a puzzled look.
“You told me to come.””
“Not now!””
He laughed.
“What's the problem? Did the little princess ruin the party?””
Darius moved forward.
“Don't mention my daughter.””
Logan looked at him.
Then he smiled.
“Oh. So you know.””
Brittany grabbed his arm.
“Logan, please.””
He pulled away.
“Relax. I'm just asking.””
Darius looked between them.
“You two have been in contact.””
Neither answered.
“I'm going to ask once. Why was he talking to you about my house and my accounts?””
Brittany shook her head.
“I don't know what you think you heard.””
“There's a recording.””
Her eyes widened.
Logan stopped smiling.
Darius continued.
“I heard the conversation. I heard you discuss what would happen after the wedding.””
Logan slowly turned toward Brittany.
“You told him?””
“I didn't tell him anything!””
“Then why does he know?””
Darius took out his phone.
“Security is on its way.””
Logan laughed again.
“You really think this is a good idea?””
“I think you're trespassing.””
Logan stepped closer.
“Listen, Mitchell. You don't know what you're involved in.””
“Then explain it.””
Logan glanced at Brittany.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
But Darius noticed.
He looked at her.
“What exactly were you planning?””
Brittany's eyes filled.
“Darius, please. We can talk about this privately.””
“No. You had no problem discussing my daughter's hair in private.””
Logan suddenly laughed.
“Her hair? That's what all this is about?””
Darius moved so quickly that Logan stepped backward.
“Don't.””
Logan raised both hands.
“I'm not touching anybody.””
“Then leave.””
Before Logan could answer, Evelyn appeared from the hallway.
“Mr. Mitchell?””
Darius turned.
“What is it?””
“Kayla woke up. She's asking for you.””
His anger immediately disappeared.
“I'll be right there.””
He looked at the security guard.
“Escort this man out.””
Logan shook his head.
“Fine. But tell Brittany she still owes me.””
Darius froze.
“Owes you what?””
Logan smiled.
“Ask her.””
Then he walked out.
Brittany remained standing near the staircase.
Darius looked at her.
“Go pack your things.””
“Darius—”
“You have until tomorrow morning to remove your belongings. After that, my attorney will handle everything.””
She began crying.
“You can't just throw me out!””
“I can. And I am.””
“You promised to marry me!””
“I promised to build a future with someone I trusted.””
He turned away.
Brittany called after him.
“Your daughter will destroy every relationship you ever have!””
Darius stopped.
Then he looked back.
“No. The people who hurt her will.””
Upstairs, Kayla was sitting on the guest bed.
Evelyn had brought her a small stuffed rabbit.
It was the same rabbit Kayla had slept with since she was two.
Darius entered quietly.
“Hey, princess.””
Kayla looked up.
“Daddy.””
He sat beside her.
“What's wrong?””
“Is Brittany going away?””
Darius brushed a loose strand of hair from her forehead.
“Yes.””
“For a long time?””
“She won't be living here anymore.””
Kayla stared at her hands.
“Is it because I cried?””
“No.””
“Because I told Miss Evelyn?””
“No, sweetheart.””
Darius gently lifted her chin.
“It's because an adult hurt you. You told the truth. And I believe you.””
Kayla seemed to think about that.
Then she whispered:
“Will she come back and cut the rest?””
Darius felt his heart tighten.
“No one will touch your hair without your permission. I promise.””
Kayla looked at the rabbit.
“Can we call Mommy?””
Darius swallowed.
He reached for his phone.
“Would you like to hear her voice?””
Kayla nodded.
Darius opened an old video.
Renee appeared on the screen, sitting in the garden with little Kayla in her lap.
Her hair was thick and curly, tied with a lavender ribbon.
“Okay, my beautiful girl,” Renee said in the recording.
“Show Daddy your princess hair!””
Little Kayla giggled.
Renee kissed her cheek.
“Never let anybody make you feel less beautiful, sweetheart. Not ever.””
The video ended.
Kayla touched the screen.
“I miss Mommy.””
Darius pulled her close.
“Me too.””
They sat together until Kayla fell asleep.
Then he stepped into the hallway.
Evelyn was waiting.
“Mr. Mitchell, there's something else.””
He looked at her.
“What?””
“When I went into the dressing room, Brittany wasn't only holding the clippers.””
Darius frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“She had a small envelope on the counter. I saw your daughter's name written on it.””
“Kayla?””
“Yes. I thought it was some kind of invitation or card.””
Darius looked toward the dressing room.
“Where is it now?””
“I don't know. Brittany took it when she left.””
Darius rubbed his forehead.
“Did you see what was inside?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No. But I remember something strange.””
“What?””
“She kept asking Kayla whether she knew where her mother's jewelry was.””
Darius stared at her.
“Renee's jewelry?””
“Yes.””
Evelyn lowered her voice.
“Brittany asked whether Kayla had ever seen a little gold key.””
Darius went completely still.
A little gold key.
He knew exactly what she meant.
Renee had once mentioned hiding something in a locked wooden box.
He had never found it after her death.
He had assumed it was an old keepsake.
But there was something else.
Renee had told him the key was connected to Kayla's future.
He had promised not to forget.
And somehow, Brittany knew about it.
At 10:30 p.m., Darius called Marcus again.
“I need you to look into something else.””
“Go ahead.””
“My late wife left a locked box somewhere in this house. Brittany knew about it.””
Marcus was silent.
“Are you sure?””
“Evelyn says she asked Kayla about a gold key.””
“That's interesting.””
“What is?””
“I found something while checking Brittany's public records.””
Darius sat down.
“What?””
“Three years ago, Brittany was involved in a civil dispute with Logan Pierce. It wasn't just a broken engagement.””
“What was it?””
“Fraud allegations. There was a substantial amount of money involved.””
Darius's stomach tightened.
“Was she charged?””
“No. The case was settled privately.””
“Why?””
“That's what I'm trying to find out.””
Darius looked through the office window.
The garden lights illuminated the empty party tables.
Then Marcus continued.
“There is something else. Brittany changed her legal surname shortly after that case.””
Darius frowned.
“Why?””
“I found an older identity document. Her surname wasn't Collins.””
“What was it?””
Marcus paused.
Then he said a name Darius had never heard before.
“Brittany's original surname was Bennett.””
Darius leaned back.
“Why does that matter?””
“Because her father was arrested fifteen years ago for running a financial fraud operation.””
Darius stared at the phone.
Marcus continued.
“And according to the old case file, Logan Pierce worked for him.””
At 11:06 p.m., Darius entered the master bedroom.
Brittany's suitcase was still beside the wardrobe.
He opened the closet.
Her clothes were hanging neatly.
Perfume bottles covered the dressing table.
Then he noticed a small drawer left slightly open.
Inside was a photograph.
Brittany and Logan stood together outside a courthouse.
On the back, someone had written:
The plan is simple. Get inside. Gain his trust. Secure the inheritance.
Darius felt cold.
He turned the photograph over again.
There was a date.
It was from eight months before he had met Brittany.
He heard a noise behind him.
A voice whispered:
“You weren't supposed to find that.””
Darius turned.
Brittany stood in the doorway.
Her face was no longer frightened.
May you like
She was smiling.
And in her hand was a small gold key.
