Chapter 3: The Things Marcus Never Saw
Nia started with the small things.
That somehow made them worse.
“Remember when I didn’t go to Kayla’s sweet sixteen last year?””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“You told me you had a headache.””
“I didn’t.””
“What happened?””
“Vanessa said I couldn’t go because I hadn’t finished my chores.””
Marcus frowned.
“You had.””
“I know.””
Nia twisted her fingers together.
“She made me redo the whole downstairs because she said it wasn’t clean enough.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Why didn’t you call me?””
“You were in Baltimore for work.””
“You could’ve called.””
“She said if I bothered you while you were working, I’d prove I was spoiled.””
Marcus leaned back.
The sentence disturbed him because it sounded exactly like something Vanessa might say when angry.
Nia continued.
“When Jasmine failed her chemistry test, Vanessa told you the teacher was unfair.””
Marcus remembered.
“When I got a C in calculus, she took my phone for two weeks.””
“I thought that was your decision.””
“No.””
Marcus’s stomach tightened.
“What else?””
Nia looked at him nervously.
“Dad…”
“What else?””
“She used the college fund card.””
His expression changed instantly.
“What card?””
“The emergency debit card you gave me.””
Marcus stood.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because she put the money back.””
“How much?””
“Two thousand dollars.””
Marcus pulled out his phone.
“Why would she even have access to that card?””
“She asked me to keep it in the kitchen safe after you gave it to me.””
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
Suddenly, the financial questions surrounding the SUV felt far larger.
“You said she replaced it?””
“Two weeks later.””
“With what money?””
“I don’t know.””
Marcus opened his banking history.
Nia watched him scroll.
His brows lowered.
Then he stopped.
There it was.
Two thousand dollars withdrawn from their joint savings.
Marcus sat down slowly.
Vanessa had taken money from Nia’s emergency college account.
Then restored it using money from their household savings.
She had not replaced anything.
She had simply moved money from one pocket to another before Marcus noticed.
“Nia,” he said carefully, “has Vanessa ever taken money directly from you?””
Nia hesitated.
“Not exactly.””
“Nia.””
“She borrowed eight hundred dollars from my savings last Christmas.””
“For what?””
“She said it was temporary.””
“Did she pay you back?””
Nia looked away.
Marcus shut his eyes.
He suddenly remembered Christmas morning.
Jasmine screaming when she found the designer handbag beneath the tree.
Vanessa insisting she had bought it on sale.
Marcus had thought it was expensive but hadn’t asked questions.
Eight hundred dollars.
His daughter’s savings.
His hands curled into fists.
Then Nia said something that made him forget the handbag completely.
“She told me not to tell you because you were still paying off Mom’s medical bills.””
Marcus opened his eyes.
“What?””
“She said you were stressed about money from when Mom was sick.””
Marcus’s face went blank.
There were no medical bills.
Not anymore.
Alicia’s insurance had covered most of her treatment. The remaining debt had been settled years before Marcus met Vanessa.
Vanessa knew that.
“She told you I was struggling because of your mother?””
Nia nodded.
Marcus stood so quickly the mattress shifted.
He crossed the room and opened the door.
Vanessa was gone from the stairwell.
But he could hear voices downstairs.
He walked fast.
Nia followed.
By the time they reached the kitchen, Vanessa and Jasmine were standing near the island.
Vanessa turned.
“I was about to come find you.””
Marcus placed both palms on the counter.
“How much money have you taken from Nia?””
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Excuse me?””
“You heard me.””
Jasmine looked between them.
“Mom?””
“This is ridiculous.””
Marcus pointed upstairs.
“You borrowed eight hundred dollars from a seventeen-year-old girl?””
Vanessa shot Nia a furious look.
“You told him that?””
Marcus stepped between them.
“Look at me.””
Vanessa’s gaze snapped toward him.
“You do not get to intimidate her for telling me the truth.””
“I borrowed it.””
“For what?””
“I paid it back.””
“No, you didn’t.””
Vanessa’s lips parted.
“You took money from our joint savings and put it back in Nia’s account. That means we paid her back.””
Jasmine stared at her mother.
“Is that true?””
Vanessa’s composure began to crack.
“It wasn’t a big deal.””
“What did you spend the eight hundred on?””
“Marcus—”
“What did you spend it on?””
Jasmine whispered, “Mom.””
Vanessa finally exploded.
“Fine! Her Christmas gift!””
The kitchen went silent.
Jasmine looked down at the handbag sitting on a chair across the room.
Her expression changed.
“You bought that with Nia’s money?””
“I was going to replace it.””
Jasmine pushed the bag away from her.
“I don’t want it.””
“Oh, don’t start acting righteous now.””
Jasmine recoiled.
Marcus stared at Vanessa with disbelief.
“You stole from one daughter to impress the other.””
“I did not steal.””
“What would you call it?””
“She got the money back!””
“You keep saying that like it erases what you did.””
Vanessa grabbed the back of a chair.
Her polished calm was gone.
“You have no idea how much pressure I’m under.””
Marcus’s voice sharpened.
“What pressure?””
She stopped.
That hesitation caught his attention.
“What pressure, Vanessa?””
“Nothing.””
“No. We’re done with ‘nothing.’”
Marcus opened his phone again.
“I want access to every account.””
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“You already have access.””
“No, I have access to the accounts I know about.””
Her face changed.
Marcus saw it immediately.
Jasmine did too.
“Mom,” she said, “what is he talking about?””
Vanessa picked up her purse.
“I’m not doing this while everybody is attacking me.””
Marcus moved toward the doorway before she reached it.
“I’m not stopping you from leaving.””
Vanessa stared at him.
“But the SUV stays.””
Her jaw clenched.
“That car is Jasmine’s.””
“No.””
Marcus held out his hand.
“The keys.””
Vanessa didn’t move.
Jasmine slowly reached into her sweatshirt pocket and placed the SUV keys on the counter.
Vanessa spun toward her.
“What are you doing?””
Jasmine stepped back.
“I don’t want it like this.””
Vanessa’s eyes filled with disbelief.
“So now you’re choosing him?””
Jasmine flinched.
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“That sentence right there is exactly the problem.””
Vanessa grabbed her purse.
“Twenty-four hours, right?””
Marcus nodded.
“Twenty-four.””
She walked toward the front door.
Before leaving, she looked back at Nia.
There was something cold in her expression.
Something Nia had seen before.
Then the door slammed.
Jasmine began crying.
Marcus rubbed both hands over his face.
Nia stood silently near the staircase.
Nobody spoke for nearly a minute.
Then Jasmine whispered, “There’s something else.””
Marcus lowered his hands.
“What?””
Jasmine looked toward the door her mother had just walked through.
“My mom didn’t buy that SUV because I needed a safe car.””
Marcus felt a chill.
May you like
Jasmine’s next words made the entire room seem smaller.
“She bought it because she owed somebody money.””
