Chapter Three — Who Am I?
Ask her who you are.
I read the message again.
Then again.
The words seemed to burn into my mind.
My fingers tightened around my phone.
Across from me, Veronica stood completely still.
She looked as though she already knew what I was about to ask.
I slowly lifted my eyes to hers.
"Who am I?"
Her lips parted.
No answer.
"Veronica, who am I?"
She looked away.
I stepped closer.
"You married me. You told me you loved me. You told me you were running from Adrian. And now he sends me a message asking me to find out who I am."
"I can explain."
"Then explain."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't know how to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
She wrapped her arms around herself.
"The truth about your family."
My heartbeat quickened.
"My family?"
She nodded.
"Your father."
I frowned.
"What does my father have to do with Adrian?"
She hesitated.
"Everything."
I stared at her.
For years, I'd believed my father had died when I was young.
That was the story my mother had told me.
He had left.
He had abandoned us.
Eventually, I stopped asking questions.
But Veronica was looking at me as if that story had never been true.
"What about my father?"
She took a shaky breath.
"Your father knew Adrian's father."
I waited.
"How?"
"They were business partners."
I shook my head.
"That isn't possible."
"It is."
"My father never had business partners."
"Stanley..."
"My mother told me he worked alone."
Veronica looked down.
"Your mother lied."
The room seemed to tilt.
I took a step backward.
"My mother?"
She nodded.
"She had a reason."
"What reason could possibly justify lying about my father?"
"She was protecting you."
"From what?"
Veronica didn't answer.
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps telling me they're protecting me."
I turned away.
"First you. Then Adrian. Now my mother."
I ran a hand through my hair.
"I don't even know what is real anymore."
Veronica approached slowly.
"Stanley."
I turned.
"Don't."
She stopped.
I saw pain flash across her face.
But I couldn't comfort her.
Not yet.
I needed answers.
"How long have you known about my father?"
"Since before I met you."
My stomach tightened.
"Before you met me?"
"Yes."
"Then our relationship wasn't an accident."
She shook her head quickly.
"No."
"How did you find me?"
She hesitated.
"Adrian."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"He introduced me to your family."
I felt cold.
"You knew my family because of Adrian?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted me to marry you."
Silence.
I stared at her.
Then I laughed.
It was the only reaction my mind could produce.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"I'm not."
"So you didn't marry me to escape Adrian."
She shook her head.
"Not entirely."
"What does that mean?"
She wiped away a tear.
"At first, I was supposed to marry you because of something your father left behind."
"What?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Adrian never told me everything."
I stared at her.
"And you agreed?"
"I was desperate."
"For what?"
"My daughter."
My anger faltered.
"What happened to her?"
"Adrian took her."
My blood ran cold.
"What?"
"He said if I didn't cooperate, I would never see her again."
I looked at the photograph on my phone.
The little girl.
My wife's daughter.
Adrian's child.
"How old is she?"
"Five."
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know."
I stared at Veronica.
"How can you not know where your own daughter is?"
"He moves her."
"Why?"
"To control me."
I closed my eyes.
Suddenly, the pieces began connecting.
Adrian hadn't come to our wedding because he was heartbroken.
He had come because he wanted Veronica afraid.
And now he was dragging me into whatever war had existed between them.
I opened my eyes.
"Why me?"
She looked confused.
"What?"
"Why did Adrian want you to marry me?"
She lowered her gaze.
"Because of your father's inheritance."
"What inheritance?"
"I don't know."
"Veronica."
"I swear."
"Then why did he think marrying me would help?"
She swallowed.
"Because your father left something hidden."
"What?"
"Documents."
I frowned.
"Documents?"
"Something that could destroy Adrian's family."
I stared at her.
"What kind of documents?"
"I don't know."
She looked at me.
"But your father trusted only one person with the information."
"Who?"
"Your mother."
My jaw tightened.
"My mother has it?"
"I don't know."
"Then why are we talking about this?"
"Because Adrian believes you have it."
I stared at her.
"Do I?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
A strange silence filled the room.
Then I heard something.
A faint sound downstairs.
I turned toward the bedroom door.
Veronica whispered, "What was that?"
I didn't answer.
I walked toward the hallway.
She followed.
"Stanley..."
"Stay here."
"No."
"Veronica."
"I'm not letting you face this alone."
I looked at her.
Despite everything, something inside me softened.
She was terrified.
Yet she still followed me.
I reached the staircase.
The house was dark.
Everyone had left.
Only the security lights outside illuminated the rooms.
I walked down slowly.
Veronica held onto my arm.
We reached the living room.
Nothing.
I looked around.
"Maybe it was the wind," she whispered.
Then I noticed the front door.
It was open.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
I immediately moved Veronica behind me.
"Stay back."
I approached the door.
Outside, the garden was empty.
But something lay on the floor.
An envelope.
I picked it up.
There was no name.
Only one sentence written across the front.
For Stanley.
Veronica stared at it.
"Don't open it."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because I know that handwriting."
"Whose?"
She whispered:
"Your father's."
My hands went cold.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
I unfolded it.
The message was short.
Stanley,
If you're reading this, then the woman you married has finally told you enough to make you suspicious.
I stopped breathing.
Veronica covered her mouth.
I continued.
Do not trust Adrian.
But do not trust your mother either.
My heart pounded.
Then I reached the final line.
And whatever Veronica tells you next, remember this: she did not marry you by accident.
I lowered the paper.
Veronica was crying.
I looked at her.
"What aren't you telling me?"
She shook her head.
"I've told you everything."
"No."
"Stanley..."
I stepped closer.
"You said you married me because you were trying to save your daughter."
"Yes."
"But my father says you didn't marry me by accident."
"I didn't."
My chest tightened.
"Then why?"
She stared into my eyes.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Finally, she whispered:
"Because before I ever met you..."
She took a trembling breath.
"...I had already been married to you."
I froze.
"What?"
She nodded through her tears.
"Legally."
I stared at her.
"That isn't possible."
"It is."
"When?"
"Five years ago."
My mind went blank.
"Five years ago, I didn't even know you."
"I know."
"Then how?"
She reached into her purse.
Slowly, she removed a folded document.
She handed it to me.
I unfolded it.
My eyes scanned the page.
Then stopped.
My name.
Her name.
A marriage certificate.
Five years old.
My signature was printed at the bottom.
But I had never signed it.
I looked at Veronica.
"That's not my signature."
"I know."
"Then who signed this?"
She started crying again.
"I don't know."
I looked at the date.
Five years ago.
The same year my father supposedly died.
I suddenly remembered something my mother had said at the funeral.
Something I'd forgotten for years.
Your father left you one final responsibility.
At the time, I'd assumed she meant the family business.
Now I wasn't so sure.
I looked back at the certificate.
Then at Veronica.
"Why would someone forge my signature?"
She whispered:
"Because they needed you to become my husband before you even knew I existed."
A sound came from behind us.
We both turned.
A man's silhouette stood at the end of the hallway.
I reached for Veronica.
The figure stepped into the light.
My breath caught.
It wasn't Adrian.
It wasn't a stranger.
It was the one person I had never expected to see inside my home.
My mother.
She looked at the marriage certificate in my hand.
Then at Veronica.
Her face went pale.
"Where did you get that?"
I stared at her.
"That's what I'd like to know."
She closed the door behind her.
Then she whispered six words that made my blood run cold.
"Your father never died, Stanley."
And behind her, the lights suddenly went out.
