Chapter 3 - THE BROTHER I NEVER KNEW
For several seconds, nobody breathed.
My mother's confession hung over the dining room like smoke.
A second wife.
A second son.
A second family.
And somehow, my brother had known.
I looked at Daniel.
“You knew.”
He didn't deny it.
That hurt more than anything.
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
Clara's hand tightened around mine.
“Three years?”
Daniel nodded.
“I found the documents after Dad died.”
“You found them,” I repeated, “and you said nothing.”
“You were building the company.”
“So you stole twenty-three million dollars?”
“I moved it.”
“You stole it.”
Daniel slammed his hand against the table.
“You don't understand!”
“Then explain it.”
His breathing became uneven.
“The other son isn't just some stranger. His name is Adrian Cross. He's been threatening to expose everything.”
My mother whispered, “He wanted money.”
“How much?”
Daniel looked at the floor.
“Twenty-five million.”
I laughed bitterly.
“So you gave him twenty-three.”
“No.”
“Then where did the rest go?”
Daniel said nothing.
Marcus's voice came through the speaker.
“Sir, we traced several accounts.”
I looked at my phone.
“Continue.”
“Approximately twelve million went to Adrian Cross.”
I stared at Daniel.
“And the remaining eleven?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Several shell companies.”
“Whose?”
“We're still tracing them.”
I looked at Daniel.
He was sweating.
“You weren't paying Adrian.”
“No.”
“You were hiding money.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
My mother suddenly whispered:
“Julian, there is something else.”
I turned toward her.
She looked terrified.
“Your father didn't just leave another son.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out an old envelope.
“He left another will.”
My heart stopped.
“Where is it?”
“I don't know.”
Daniel suddenly stood.
“I do.”
Everyone turned toward him.
He stared at me.
“Dad gave it to me.”
“Where?”
“Before he died.”
“And?”
Daniel swallowed.
“I destroyed it.”
Clara gasped.
I walked toward him.
“Why?”
“Because if that will surfaced, you would lose everything.”
“Everything?”
“The company. The estate. The investment portfolio. The land.”
I smiled.
“You should have let me read it.”
“You don't understand what Dad wrote.”
“Then tell me.”
Daniel's eyes filled with fear.
“He left the controlling interest in the company to Adrian.”
Silence.
I felt Clara's fingers tremble.
I looked at my mother.
“Is that true?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
I stared at the table.
For years, I had believed everything I built belonged to me.
But apparently, my father had planted a time bomb beneath my entire life.
And Daniel had been trying to defuse it with stolen money.
I looked at my brother.
“You should have told me.”
“I was protecting you.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You were protecting yourself.”
Suddenly, the mansion lights went out.
The room plunged into darkness.
Clara gasped.
Then the security alarm screamed.
Marcus's voice came through the phone.
“Sir, we've got an intrusion.”
“Where?”
“North gate.”
“How many?”
“Four vehicles.”
I looked at Daniel.
His face went white.
“Who are they?”
May you like
He whispered one name.
“Adrian.”
