Chapter 7: My Husband's Last Secret
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
I stared at the photograph on the desk.
My husband, Robert Harris, was lying in a hospital bed. His face looked thinner than I remembered, his cheeks hollow, his eyes exhausted.
Beside him stood Daphne.
She looked younger, perhaps twenty-five.
But there was no mistaking her.
I reached for the photograph.
"Leon, where did you get this?""
He carefully turned it over.
"From a storage unit I rented after I returned to Atlanta. Your husband left me a package before he died.""
I looked at him.
"Robert knew you?""
"Yes.""
"How?""
Leon hesitated.
"Because I was investigating Daphne's first marriage before she disappeared.""
Daphne suddenly stepped forward.
"That's enough!""
Leon didn't turn.
"You've had enough chances to tell the truth.""
"You're lying!""
He removed a second photograph.
This one showed Robert sitting at a small restaurant table with Leon. Between them was a thick envelope.
I recognized the restaurant immediately.
It was a little place on the south side of Atlanta where Robert used to meet former colleagues.
My hands began shaking.
"Why would my husband meet you?""
Leon pulled out a chair.
"Because Robert discovered that Daphne had been using different identities to obtain money from men she dated.""
Daphne laughed bitterly.
"That's ridiculous.""
Leon continued.
"She met my family first. She convinced my mother to invest in a business that never existed. Then she emptied our joint savings account and disappeared.""
I looked at Daphne.
"Was that true?""
She folded her arms.
"Your husband was old. He was confused. He probably misunderstood something.""
I felt something cold move through my chest.
"Don't speak about Robert that way.""
Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Gloria, please. Your husband is dead. Whatever story Leon has invented, Robert isn't here to confirm it.""
Leon placed a small envelope on the desk.
"Actually, he left a recording.""
Calvin looked up.
"What recording?""
Leon removed a USB drive.
"Your father recorded a statement before he died.""
I stared at the little device.
Robert had been gone for four years.
Four years of waking up alone.
Four years of sitting at the kitchen table with an empty chair across from me.
And now a stranger was telling me my husband had left behind a secret.
"Play it," I whispered.
Leon connected the USB drive to the laptop on Robert's old desk.
A video appeared.
The screen flickered.
Then my husband's face filled it.
He was sitting in his hospital room, wearing a blue shirt I remembered buying him for his sixty-third birthday.
His voice was weak.
But it was unmistakably his.
"Gloria, if you're watching this, something happened that I was afraid might happen.""
I covered my mouth.
"Robert...""
The video continued.
"I met a young woman named Daphne through a business contact. At first, she seemed charming. She asked questions about our finances, our property, and our family.""
Daphne moved toward the laptop.
"Turn that off!""
Leon blocked her path.
Robert continued.
"Later, I discovered she was married to a man named Leon. She had told people he was dead, but I found evidence that he was alive.""
My eyes filled.
Robert looked directly into the camera.
"She was trying to use his identity to secure money. When I confronted her, she told me she knew things about our family that could hurt us.""
I looked at Calvin.
He was staring at the screen.
Robert continued.
"I didn't tell you everything, Gloria, because I didn't want to frighten you. But I began documenting what I found.""
He paused to catch his breath.
Then he said something that made my stomach tighten.
"Calvin was already involved.""
My son stepped backward.
"No.""
Robert looked down before continuing.
"I found messages between our son and Daphne. They were discussing our property. I warned Calvin to stay away from her.""
I turned toward my son.
"Your father knew?""
Calvin's eyes filled.
"Mom...""
On the screen, Robert continued.
"He promised me he would stop. He promised he would never allow anyone to take advantage of you.""
The video paused.
Robert leaned closer to the camera.
"Gloria, if Calvin is involved again, please don't protect him just because he's our son.""
A tear rolled down my cheek.
"Protect yourself.""
Then the recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
I sat down slowly.
My husband had known.
He had seen the danger coming.
And he had tried to protect me even when he was dying.
Calvin covered his face.
"Mom, I was young.""
I turned toward him.
"You were thirty-one years old.""
"I made a mistake.""
"Your father warned you.""
"I know!""
His voice cracked.
"I know he did!""
He sank into the chair opposite me.
"I thought Daphne loved me. I thought she was helping me build something.""
Daphne laughed.
"Don't make yourself sound innocent.""
Calvin looked at her.
"You told me my father was trying to control me!""
"Because he was!""
"You said he wanted to keep me from having anything!""
Daphne stepped closer.
"Because he knew I could see through him!""
I stared at her.
"Why did you hate my husband?""
For the first time, she didn't have an immediate answer.
Leon spoke instead.
"Robert discovered that Daphne had another identity.""
He opened his folder and removed a copy of an old identification document.
The photograph showed Daphne.
But the name was different.
Denise Walker.
I looked at the document.
"That's her sister's name.""
Leon nodded.
"They are sisters. But years ago, Daphne used Denise's identity to open accounts and arrange financial transactions.""
Daphne's face hardened.
"That document proves nothing.""
Leon placed another sheet beside it.
"Your father-in-law discovered the connection. He also discovered that the company Daphne planned to use for the property transfer was already involved in a previous fraud investigation.""
Calvin stared at the paperwork.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Daphne turned toward him.
"Because you would have walked away!""
He looked at her.
"Maybe I should have.""
Her expression changed.
She slapped him.
The sound echoed through the office.
"After everything I did for you?""
Calvin touched his cheek.
I stood between them.
"Enough.""
Daphne looked at me.
"You think you've won?""
I didn't answer.
She grabbed her handbag.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with.""
Then she stormed down the stairs.
Leon looked at me.
"She's going to Denise.""
I glanced at the USB drive.
"Then let her go.""
He frowned.
"Are you sure?""
I picked up Robert's photograph.
"For four years, I thought I had lost every part of my husband except his memories.""
I looked at Calvin.
"But tonight, I discovered he left me something more important.""
"What?"" Calvin whispered.
"The truth.""
My phone rang.
It was Bernice.
I answered.
"Gloria, listen. I just checked the security camera footage from your driveway.""
"What happened?""
"Denise is outside.""
I looked toward the window.
A black SUV was parked at the curb.
Bernice continued.
"She's not alone. There's a man with her carrying a briefcase.""
Leon moved toward the window.
His expression changed.
"That's Marcus Reed.""
The notary.
Bernice lowered her voice.
"Gloria, they're coming toward your front door.""
Then Leon said something I wasn't prepared to hear.
"Don't let them inside. Marcus isn't here to collect documents.""
"What is he here for?""
Leon looked at me.
May you like
"He's here to make sure the originals disappear.""
And before I could respond, somebody began pounding on my front door.
