Chapter 7 - THE BROTHER I NEVER KNEW
The word echoed in my head.
Brother.
Impossible.
My father had one child.
Me.
At least, that was what every document said.
Every family record.
Every school record.
Every photograph.
Every story I had been told.
Victor watched my face.
“His name is Adrian.”
I laughed.
It sounded hollow.
“My father never had another son.”
“He did.”
“When?”
“Before you were born.”
I looked at Samuel.
He couldn't meet my eyes.
“You knew.”
Samuel nodded.
“Your father had another son.”
“Why did he hide him?”
“Because the boy's mother died.”
“And?”
“Your father believed Adrian was dangerous.”
Emily stepped forward.
“Dangerous how?”
“He grew up angry.”
Victor's expression hardened.
“Your father abandoned him.”
I stared.
“Where?”
“Several places.”
“Orphanages.”
“Prisons.”
“Private institutions.”
I felt sick.
“He blamed me?”
“No.”
Victor looked at me.
“He blamed your father.”
Then I understood.
The threats.
The surveillance.
The manipulation.
Someone wanted the Whitmore family destroyed.
Not because of money.
Because of revenge.
“Where is Adrian now?”
Victor shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Samuel spoke.
“He knows about the children.”
“How?”
“Because Richard told him.”
“But Richard was dead.”
“Before he died.”
I looked at Emily.
She was holding Noah.
Lily stood beside her.
I felt something inside me settle.
Whatever happened next, I couldn't run.
Not anymore.
We returned to Kentucky before dawn.
Victor came with us.
I didn't trust him.
But I needed answers.
When we reached the house, the front door was open.
My heart stopped.
Marcus drew his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
We entered.
The house was empty.
Noah and Lily stayed close to Emily.
I walked into the kitchen.
On the table was a photograph.
My father.
A young woman.
And a baby.
On the back:
ADRIAN — 1988.
My father's handwriting.
I stared at the date.
He was born two years before me.
My brother.
There was another note beneath it.
He will never forgive me.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Daniel.”
A man's voice.
Cold.
Calm.
“You took everything.”
“Who is this?”
“You took my father's company.”
“I didn't know you existed.”
“You took his love.”
“I was a child.”
“You took his name.”
“I didn't know.”
“You took his life.”
I froze.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to feel what I felt.”
The call ended.
Emily came toward me.
“Who was it?”
“Adrian.”
Victor nodded.
“He's coming.”
A sound came from upstairs.
Footsteps.
Marcus moved.
Then Lily screamed.
We ran.
A man stood at the end of the hallway.
Tall.
Dark hair.
A scar across his cheek.
His eyes were almost identical to mine.
He looked at me.
I knew immediately.
Adrian.
My brother.
He held something in his hand.
A gun.
Emily pulled the children behind her.
I stepped forward.
“Adrian.”
He smiled.
“So you finally learned my name.”
“Don't hurt them.”
He looked at Noah.
“I don't want to hurt children.”
“Then what do you want?”
“You.”
I stopped.
“Take me.”
He laughed.
“You think this is a movie?”
“No.”
“You think sacrificing yourself fixes everything?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He lowered the weapon.
Then he said something that changed everything.
“Your father didn't abandon me because he hated me.”
I stared.
“He abandoned me because I wasn't his son.”
Silence.
“What?”
Adrian looked at Emily.
Then at me.
“He wasn't my father.”
My heart pounded.
“Then whose son are you?”
Adrian's eyes filled with hatred.
“That's the question your mother died trying to answer.”
My blood ran cold.
“My mother?”
He smiled bitterly.
“The woman your father married before he married yours.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You're saying…”
“I'm saying we're not brothers.”
He lowered the gun.
“We're cousins.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“No.”
Adrian looked at him.
“You knew.”
Victor didn't answer.
Adrian turned toward me.
“And that's why your father hid me.”
“Why?”
“Because my father was the real heir.”
He pointed toward the floor.
“And your father stole everything.”
Then the house shook.
An explosion sounded outside.
Windows shattered.
Emily screamed.
Smoke filled the hallway.
Adrian grabbed Lily.
May you like
I lunged toward them.
Then the lights went out.
