Chapter 4: The Night Everything Changed
I didn't drive away that night.
Not because I trusted Serena.
Not because I believed Victor.
Because I realized I had spent months looking at the wrong enemy.
The photo on my phone stayed open as I stood by the front door with Mei holding my hand.
Six months ago.
Before Singapore.
Before the deal.
Before the boxes.
Before my daughter learned how to disappear.
The picture showed Serena and Victor sitting across from each other at our dining table.
Not like relatives.
Not like people having a casual conversation.
Like two people making a decision.
A decision that involved me.
"Who sent that?"" Serena asked.
Her voice was different now.
No anger.
No confidence.
Fear.
I looked at her.
"You tell me.""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Really?""
"Yes.""
Victor stepped forward.
"Marcus, someone is trying to manipulate you.""
I looked at him.
"Someone took a picture of you and my wife in my house six months ago.""
"That doesn't mean anything.""
"Then explain it.""
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
That was the first time I saw Victor without an answer.
And I noticed something else.
Serena noticed too.
She looked at him.
Not at me.
At him.
A tiny movement.
A silent question.
"What did you do?""
The words came out quietly.
Victor's face changed.
"Serena.""
"No.""
She took a step toward him.
"What did you do?""
I watched them.
The two people who had spent the entire night acting like they were united suddenly looked like strangers.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Mei tugged my hand.
"Daddy?""
I looked down.
Her eyes were moving between the adults.
She was scared.
I crouched.
"Hey.""
She looked at me.
"Can we leave?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
I grabbed my keys.
But before I opened the door, Serena spoke.
"Marcus.""
I stopped.
"Please.""
I turned around.
The woman standing in front of me looked exhausted.
Not innocent.
Not guilty.
Just exhausted.
"I need you to listen.""
"I've been listening all night.""
"No. You've been angry.""
The sentence irritated me because part of me knew she wasn't completely wrong.
But anger wasn't the only thing I felt.
I felt betrayed.
"I want the truth.""
Her eyes moved toward Victor.
Then back to me.
"Not here.""
"Why?""
"Because Mei is here.""
I looked at my daughter.
She was still holding her stuffed rabbit.
The same rabbit she slept with every night.
The same rabbit someone had decided she didn't need anymore.
"You're right," I said.
Serena looked relieved.
For half a second.
Then I continued.
"Not here.""
I opened the door.
"We'll talk tomorrow.""
"Marcus—"
"And Victor?""
He looked at me.
"You don't touch anything in this house.""
His expression hardened.
"This is my family's temporary home.""
"No.""
I stepped closer.
"It was my family's home.""
Then I left.
My mother opened her door before I even knocked.
She had been waiting.
That scared me more than anything.
Mei ran into her arms.
My mother held her tightly.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
Mei buried her face against her shoulder.
"I didn't want Daddy to be mad.""
My mother looked at me.
That sentence hurt her too.
"She thinks you're mad at her?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Then who?""
I looked away.
"Everyone else.""
My mother closed her eyes.
Like she had been afraid I would say that.
After Mei fell asleep in the guest room, I sat across from my mother at the kitchen table.
The same table where I used to eat cereal before school.
The same table where she helped me with homework.
The same table where she had told me my first heartbreak would not kill me.
Now she was telling me something else.
"Tell me everything.""
She poured coffee into two cups.
"Do you remember the night you left for Singapore?""
I nodded.
"Serena cried.""
"Yes.""
"She told you she didn't want you to go.""
"Yes.""
My mother stared into her coffee.
"Did she tell you Victor was there that night?""
I frowned.
"What?""
"After you left.""
I shook my head.
"Victor came over?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"I don't know.""
My mother's fingers tightened around the cup.
"But I know what I saw.""
"What?""
"Your wife and your cousin sitting at this same table.""
I stared at her.
"Talking.""
"About what?""
"About you.""
The room felt smaller.
"What did you hear?""
"Not everything.""
"Mom.""
She looked at me.
"But I heard enough.""
I waited.
She took a breath.
"Victor told Serena she couldn't keep pretending everything was fine.""
My stomach dropped.
"Pretending what was fine?""
My mother looked away.
"Your marriage.""
I felt a strange emptiness.
Not pain.
Not anger.
Just emptiness.
"You're saying they were having an affair?""
My mother shook her head.
"No.""
The answer surprised me.
"No?""
"No.""
She looked directly at me.
"But they were talking about leaving.""
I sat back.
"Leaving?""
"Yes.""
"Together?""
"I don't know.""
The uncertainty bothered me.
Because my mind wanted a simple answer.
A villain.
A victim.
A clear line.
But life rarely gave those.
"What else?""
My mother hesitated.
"Your wife said something.""
"What?""
"She said she was tired of being alone.""
I looked down.
That hurt.
Because I knew there was truth there.
I had been gone.
A lot.
But then my mother continued.
"Victor said if you failed in Singapore, everything would become easier.""
My head lifted.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't know.""
"Mom.""
"I don't know, Marcus.""
She leaned closer.
"But I remember the way they looked at each other.""
"How?""
"Like they weren't talking about a problem.""
"Like what?""
She was quiet for a moment.
"Like they were waiting for something.""
I couldn't sleep.
Not that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Mei at the end of the table.
Every time I opened them, I saw the photo.
At 3:17 in the morning, my phone buzzed.
Another message.
Same unknown number.
I stared at it.
Part of me didn't want to open it.
Because I knew once I did, there was no going back.
I opened it.
A video.
Seven seconds.
I pressed play.
The screen showed my dining room.
The angle was different from the photo.
Hidden.
Someone had been recording.
The date appeared.
Six months earlier.
The night I left for Singapore.
I watched.
Serena walked into the room.
Victor was already there.
She looked upset.
Then she said something that made my entire body freeze.
"I can't keep doing this, Victor.""
The video continued.
Victor stood up.
"Then tell him.""
Serena shook her head.
"You don't understand.""
"I understand perfectly.""
"I have a daughter.""
Victor looked toward the stairs.
Then back at Serena.
"She's the reason you stay.""
Serena didn't answer.
Then Victor said:
"And Marcus?""
A long pause.
Then Serena whispered:
"Marcus won't be the problem much longer.""
The video ended.
I sat there staring at my phone.
My hands were shaking.
Because that sentence could mean a hundred different things.
But none of them were good.
Before I could replay it, another message appeared.
This time, it wasn't a video.
It was a name.
A name I knew.
A name I had trusted.
*"Ask your lawyer why he changed the ownership documents the same week Serena started planning your departure.""*
I looked at the name attached to the account.
And my blood went cold.
Because the person sending me the messages wasn't a stranger.
It was someone who had been inside my house.
Someone who had attended every family holiday.
Someone who had smiled at me while hiding the truth.
May you like
The sender was:
*Victor's wife.*
