Chapter 7: The Man Behind The Missing Millions
The sound of Marcus’s voice echoed through my father’s house.
“Daniel.””
A single word.
Calm.
Almost gentle.
That was what frightened me the most.
The Marcus I knew was loud.
Impulsive.
Explosive.
The man downstairs sounded different.
Controlled.
Prepared.
Thomas raised one hand, signaling everyone to stay silent.
The house was completely dark.
The only light came from the faint glow of the computer screen in my father’s office.
The message was still visible.
*IF YOU ARE SEEING THIS, MARCUS HAS ALREADY FAILED.*
Almost like my father was watching.
Almost like he knew Marcus would come.
A floorboard creaked downstairs.
Slow footsteps moved through the hallway.
Marcus wasn’t rushing.
He wasn’t panicking.
He was searching.
“He knows where we are,” William whispered.
I looked at him.
“How?””
William didn’t answer.
But I already knew.
Someone had told him.
Again.
Thomas moved toward the office door.
“Stay behind me.””
I nodded.
But my eyes stayed on William.
Because something was wrong.
The entire night had been a series of people revealing pieces of the truth.
Marcus had a partner.
Rachel had betrayed Dad.
William knew more than he admitted.
And now Marcus was inside the house.
The same house my father had carefully protected.
The same house where he had hidden everything.
A voice came from downstairs.
“Daniel.””
Marcus again.
“You know what I hate about you?””
Nobody moved.
“You always think you’re the smart one.””
My hands tightened.
Because even now, even after everything, he was trying to turn this into a competition.
“You walk around pretending you’re better than me because Dad trusted you.””
A short laugh.
“But you never understood why.””
Thomas looked at me.
I understood what he was thinking.
Keep quiet.
Let him talk.
Let him reveal himself.
So I did.
Marcus continued.
“You think Dad chose you because you were special?””
His footsteps moved closer.
“No.””
A pause.
“He chose you because you were useful.””
That one hurt.
Not because it was true.
Because it was cruel.
And Marcus knew exactly where to strike.
“You were always the obedient one, Daniel.””
Another step.
“You followed rules.””
Another.
“You believed everything Dad told you.””
I looked at the folders on the desk.
The evidence.
The truth.
Maybe that was the difference between us.
Marcus thought trust was weakness.
Dad taught me it was a responsibility.
“Where is the account?”” Marcus shouted.
The sudden change in his voice shook the room.
There it was.
The desperation.
The real Marcus.
Not the calm one.
Not the controlled one.
The man who wanted something.
Thomas quietly moved toward the hallway.
Then Marcus appeared.
Standing at the end of the corridor.
His clothes were messy.
His face was tense.
But he wasn’t the angry brother from the cemetery.
He looked terrified.
His eyes immediately found the desk.
The safe.
The folders.
Then me.
“You opened it.””
I said nothing.
His expression changed.
“You opened my father’s safe.””
I almost laughed.
“Your father?””
The words slipped out.
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.””
“Interesting.””
“What?””
“You didn’t call him Dad.””
A flicker of emotion crossed his face.
Gone almost instantly.
“I don’t have time for this.””
“You never did.””
He stepped forward.
Thomas moved in front of me.
“Stop.””
Marcus looked at him.
Then smiled.
A small, arrogant smile.
“You’re the investigator.””
Thomas didn’t react.
“How do you know that?””
Marcus looked at the folders.
“Because Dad was always dramatic.””
The way he said it made my stomach turn.
Like he wasn’t talking about a parent.
Like he was talking about an obstacle.
“You know,” Marcus continued, “I actually respected him.””
Nobody answered.
“For a while.””
He walked slowly into the room.
Thomas raised his hand.
“Don’t come any closer.””
Marcus stopped.
Then looked at me.
“Daniel, tell him to leave.””
I stared at him.
“Why would I do that?””
“Because this is family.””
The irony almost made me smile.
“Family?””
“Yes.””
“You punched me at Dad’s funeral.””
“I lost control.””
“You broke into his office.””
“I was looking for answers.””
“You tried to take control of his company while he was dying.””
His face hardened.
“You don’t understand.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“I understand perfectly.””
For the first time, Marcus looked uncertain.
“You think this is about money.””
“It is.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You still don’t get it.””
His eyes narrowed.
“Get what?””
“Dad.””
The word hit him.
“Everything he did was to protect people.””
Marcus laughed.
“People?””
“Yes.””
“He cared more about strangers than his own son.””
There it was.
The wound.
The one beneath everything.
Marcus wasn’t just greedy.
He was angry.
Angry that Dad had chosen principles over him.
“I gave him everything,” Marcus said.
I stared.
“You took everything.””
His face changed.
“You think I’m the villain.””
“I think you made choices.””
“And you think you never would?””
The question surprised me.
Marcus stepped closer.
“You have no idea what it feels like to watch everyone believe you’re a failure.””
Nobody spoke.
“You know what Dad saw when he looked at you?””
I said nothing.
“He saw himself.””
A pause.
“And when he looked at me?””
His voice cracked slightly.
“He saw a mistake.””
For a moment, I saw my brother.
Not the man who attacked me.
Not the man who broke into Dad’s house.
The boy who wanted his father’s approval.
Then it disappeared.
Because Marcus chose anger.
He always chose anger.
“That’s why I deserve what’s inside that safe.””
I looked at him.
“There’s nothing for you.””
His expression froze.
“What?””
“There’s no inheritance.””
His eyes moved to the folders.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
“You think I’m stupid?””
“No.””
I looked at him.
“I think you’re desperate.””
The room went silent.
Marcus’s face turned cold.
Then he smiled.
A dangerous smile.
“Open the flash drive.””
Nobody moved.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Open it.””
“How do you know about the flash drive?””
Silence.
Again.
That tiny hesitation.
That tiny mistake.
Thomas noticed.
So did I.
“You’ve seen it before.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“No.””
“You know what’s inside.””
“No.””
“Then why are you scared?””
His eyes moved to the computer.
And I saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not because he wanted money.
Because he knew what was there.
“What’s on the flash drive?”” I asked.
Marcus didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at William.
And that was the moment everything changed.
“You didn’t tell him?””
William went pale.
“Marcus.””
“You didn’t tell Daniel the truth?””
I looked between them.
“What truth?””
Marcus laughed.
A bitter laugh.
“Ask your father’s favorite lawyer.””
My eyes went to William.
“William?””
The attorney looked exhausted.
“Daniel…”
“No.””
I stepped toward him.
“What truth?””
Marcus answered.
“Your father didn’t trust William.””
The room went silent.
I looked at William.
He didn’t deny it.
That was enough.
“What did you do?””
William closed his eyes.
“I made a mistake.””
Marcus smiled.
“A very expensive one.””
Thomas looked at William.
“What mistake?””
William didn’t answer.
Marcus did.
“He helped hide the money.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“What?””
Marcus pointed at the folders.
“You think Dad was protecting those people?””
He laughed.
“No.””
“He was protecting himself.””
“That’s a lie.””
“Is it?””
Marcus looked at William.
“Tell him.””
William stayed silent.
“Tell him what you told me.””
“Marcus.””
“Tell him!””
The room shook with Marcus’s anger.
Then William whispered:
“Your father asked me to create a trust.””
I stared.
“What kind of trust?””
William looked at me.
“A private one.””
“For what?””
His voice was barely audible.
“To move the recovered funds.””
I frowned.
“And?””
William swallowed.
“And to hide the identity of the person who was helping Marcus.””
My heart stopped.
Because that meant Dad knew.
He knew there was someone else.
Someone bigger.
Someone behind Marcus.
Marcus looked at me.
“You still think I’m the biggest problem?””
Nobody answered.
Then the computer screen changed.
A new file appeared.
No one touched it.
No one moved.
The title appeared slowly.
*THE PERSON WHO STARTED THIS.*
Marcus stared at the screen.
And for the first time all night…
He looked afraid.
Because he knew that file existed.
And he knew exactly whose name was inside.
The file opened.
One line appeared.
One name.
And my entire world collapsed.
Because the person who had been controlling everything…
Was not Marcus.
Was not Rachel.
Was not Adrian.
It was someone I had trusted my entire life.
Someone who had stood beside my father.
Someone who had just been standing in this room.
May you like
The name appeared.
*WILLIAM CARTER.*
