I stared at the name on the screen.
Marcus Hill.
For several seconds, I convinced myself it had to be a mistake.
Because Marcus wasn’t a stranger.
He was my friend.
My neighbor.
The person who had helped me move into my house eight years earlier.
The person who stood beside me when Malik was born.
The person Tanya always called “family.””
“No,” I whispered.
Rebecca looked at me.
“You know him?””
I nodded slowly.
“Too well.””
She closed the file.
“Darius, we need to be careful. Knowing someone isn’t enough. We need evidence.””
I looked back at the message.
Tanya wasn’t asking Marcus for advice.
She was working with him.
“When was this sent?””
“Three months ago.””
Three months.
The same time Nia started becoming quieter.
The same time she stopped asking to visit her friends.
The same time she stopped leaving drawings on the refrigerator.
I felt sick remembering.
I thought she was going through a phase.
I thought she was adjusting.
I never imagined she was being pushed away.
That evening, I went to Marcus’s house.
I needed answers.
He opened the door wearing a surprised expression.
“Darius?””
I stepped inside.
“Did Tanya ever talk to you about custody?””
His face changed.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
“What are you talking about?””
I laughed bitterly.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.””
He looked toward the kitchen.
“Maybe we should talk somewhere else.””
“No.””
My voice was firm.
“You don’t get to make me feel like I’m the one causing a problem.””
Marcus sighed.
“Darius, you don’t understand the situation.””
“The situation?””
I stepped closer.
“My daughter was locked outside in the rain.””
His face tightened.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
“That’s not what happened.””
“How do you know?””
Silence.
That was enough.
“How do you know what happened unless Tanya told you?””
Marcus looked away.
I felt my anger rise.
“You knew.””
“I knew Tanya was struggling.””
“With what?””
“With being replaced.””
I stared at him.
“Replaced?””
He sighed.
“She felt like after Nia came back into your life, there wasn’t room for anyone else.””
I shook my head.
“That’s insane.””
“Darius—”
“No.””
I pointed toward the door.
“You don’t get to explain away hurting a child.””
Marcus rubbed his face.
“She just wanted to protect her family.””
I laughed.
“By destroying mine?””
He didn’t answer.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Rebecca.
*We found the source of the fake statement.*
I opened it.
My hands went cold.
Attached was a scanned document.
At the top was:
*Child Interview Summary.*
The signature belonged to a licensed counselor.
But the date was impossible.
Because Nia had never met that counselor.
I looked at Marcus.
“Did you help her create this?””
He didn’t respond.
That was the answer.
I walked away.
But before I reached my truck, Marcus called after me.
“Darius!””
I stopped.
His voice sounded different.
Not defensive.
Afraid.
“You need to understand something.””
I turned around.
“What?””
He swallowed.
“Tanya didn’t do this because she hated Nia.””
I stared at him.
“Then why?””
He looked toward his house.
“Because she was scared.””
“Scared of what?””
Marcus hesitated.
Then said:
“She found out something about Nia’s biological mother.””
My expression changed.
“What?””
“She thought Imani was trying to take Nia away permanently.””
I shook my head.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Tanya believed Nia would leave. She thought if she made Nia look unstable, she could control the situation.””
My stomach twisted.
“So she destroyed my daughter’s life because she was afraid?””
Marcus looked down.
“Yes.””
I drove home in silence.
But one question kept repeating in my mind.
What had Tanya discovered about Imani?
When I arrived, I found an envelope taped to my front door.
No name.
No return address.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Tanya and Imani together.
Not arguing.
Not fighting.
Smiling.
Like friends.
On the back of the picture was one sentence:
“Ask your wife what happened before you became Nia’s father.””
