Chapter 7: The Brother I Was Never Supposed to Find
“Your father was murdered.””
Eleanor's words kept replaying in my head long after the phone call ended.
I stood in the hallway of the Riverside building, staring at Marcus.
He looked different now.
Not like the confident businessman who had ordered me to serve his mistress wine.
Not like the husband who had spent years convincing me that everything he did was for our future.
He looked like a man who had just watched a carefully constructed lie begin to collapse.
“Tell me where Andrew is,” I demanded.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“Denise, you need to calm down.””
“Don't tell me to calm down.””
“Andrew is dangerous.””
I stepped closer.
“You've been meeting my brother for six months. You knew he existed while I didn't. And now you're telling me he's dangerous?””
“Because he is!””
Daniel moved between us.
“Mr. Carter, I suggest you choose your next words carefully.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Of course. The great Daniel Pierce. Always standing beside Denise, pretending he's protecting her.””
Daniel didn't react.
“I'm protecting her from people who have repeatedly lied to her.””
Marcus turned away.
“You don't know the whole story.””
“Then tell us.””
For several seconds, Marcus stared at the floor.
Finally, he said, “Andrew contacted me last spring. He said he wanted to meet his sister.””
My throat tightened.
“What did you tell him?””
“That you didn't know he existed.””
“Did you tell him I wanted to meet him?””
Marcus hesitated.
“No.””
I felt something inside me break.
“You told him I didn't want him?””
“I was trying to keep you out of it.””
“By lying to both of us?””
“He had information about your father's estate. He wanted money.””
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
“How much?””
“Five million dollars.””
I stared at Marcus.
“And you agreed to meet him?””
“He had documents. He threatened to expose everything.””
“What documents?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Evidence that your father transferred money to Edward Carter shortly before he died.””
Daniel immediately interrupted.
“That is impossible.””
“Why?””
“Because the accounts were independently audited.””
Marcus smiled without humor.
“Your audits never included the private account.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“What private account?””
Marcus looked toward me.
“The one your father created with your mother's name.””
I closed my eyes.
Another secret.
Another hidden account.
Another piece of my family that I had never been allowed to understand.
“Where is Andrew now?”” I asked.
Marcus shook his head.
“I don't know.””
“Don't lie.””
“I haven't seen him in three weeks.””
Daniel took out his phone.
“Denise, I think we should contact Eleanor and arrange a meeting immediately.””
I nodded.
But before he could make the call, a black SUV pulled up outside the building.
A man stepped out.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing a dark leather jacket.
He looked around thirty-five.
He had my mother's eyes.
I knew it before he even spoke.
“Denise?””
My breath caught.
The man approached slowly.
“My name is Andrew Bennett.””
I couldn't move.
He stopped a few feet away.
“I know this is a lot to take in.””
I stared at his face.
His dark hair was slightly messy. A faint scar ran across his left eyebrow. His eyes were the same warm brown as mine.
I remembered my mother's old photographs.
Her smile.
Her eyes.
The way she used to tilt her head when she was listening.
I saw all of it in this stranger.
“Are you really my brother?”” I whispered.
Andrew nodded.
“Yes.””
I wanted to hug him.
I wanted to slap him.
I wanted to ask why he had waited twenty years.
Instead, I stood there with tears gathering in my eyes.
Andrew swallowed.
“I'm sorry.””
“For what?””
“For not finding you sooner.””
I shook my head.
“Why didn't you?””
He glanced at Marcus.
“Because your husband made sure I couldn't.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“That's a lie.””
Andrew laughed.
“Still pretending you're innocent?””
Daniel moved toward them.
“Both of you need to stop.””
Andrew reached into his jacket and produced a small photograph.
He handed it to me.
It showed my mother holding a baby.
She looked younger than I remembered.
Her hair was tied back, and she was smiling down at the child in her arms.
I turned the photograph over.
On the back, in my mother's handwriting, were the words:
My precious Andrew. May you always know you are loved.
My knees nearly gave out.
Andrew gently caught my elbow.
“She never stopped loving you either,” he said.
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
He took a deep breath.
“Edward Carter raised me. He told me my mother abandoned me because she wanted a better life. He said your father refused to acknowledge me.””
“That's not true.””
“I know that now.””
“How?””
Andrew looked at Marcus.
“Because I found the original hospital records.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“Those records were stolen.””
Andrew ignored him.
“Your mother had a difficult delivery. She became seriously ill afterward. Edward used the situation to take me away. He told her I had died.””
I covered my mouth.
Andrew continued.
“Your father discovered the truth several years later. By then, Edward had already changed my identity and taken me out of the state.””
I felt tears running down my cheeks.
“My father knew?””
“He found out when I was seven.””
“Then why didn't he bring you home?””
Andrew looked away.
“Because Edward threatened to expose something that would destroy your mother.””
I whispered, “What?””
Andrew shook his head.
“I don't know everything. But I know your father spent years trying to get me back.””
Daniel looked at him carefully.
“Do you have proof?””
Andrew nodded.
He opened a leather folder.
Inside were copies of letters, bank statements, and medical records.
One letter carried my father's signature.
Edward, I know what you did. You took my son and lied to Margaret. I will not allow this to continue.
My hands shook.
Andrew pointed to the date.
“Your father wrote that twenty years ago.””
Another document followed.
A bank transfer.
Then another.
And another.
My father had been sending money into an account associated with Andrew's care.
But the account holder wasn't Edward.
It was Marcus.
I looked up slowly.
“Why was your name on these transfers?””
Marcus said nothing.
Andrew answered for him.
“Because Marcus was helping Edward hide the money.””
I turned toward my husband.
“Is that true?””
Marcus rubbed his face.
“Denise, it wasn't what you think.””
“What should I think?””
“I was young. Edward asked me to handle some paperwork.””
“How old were you?””
“Twenty-six.””
“And you were already involved in hiding my brother?””
Marcus's silence was answer enough.
Andrew stepped closer.
“There's more.””
He removed a final document.
It was a copy of an email dated three months before my father's death.
The sender was Marcus.
The recipient was Robert Hale.
The subject line read:
*Riverside Transfer — Final Stage.*
I read the first sentence.
Andrew has agreed to cooperate. Once Denise signs the final authorization, the property will be transferred as planned.
My eyes moved down.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
If Richard continues interfering, we may need to accelerate the process.
I looked at Marcus.
“What does this mean?””
His face had gone pale.
Andrew answered quietly.
“It means they were planning to take Riverside before your father died.””
Daniel took the document from me.
“This needs to be preserved.””
I stared at Marcus.
“Were you involved in my father's death?””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Marcus looked directly at me.
“No.””
His voice was strangely calm.
“But I know who was.””
Before I could ask another question, a phone began ringing.
It was Andrew's.
He checked the screen and immediately answered.
“Hello?””
His expression changed.
“What?””
He turned away.
“When did this happen?””
A pause.
Then he whispered:
“Don't touch anything. I'm coming.””
He ended the call.
I stepped toward him.
“What happened?””
Andrew looked at me.
“Robert Hale has been found dead.””
My stomach dropped.
“When?””
“This morning.””
Daniel immediately took out his phone.
Andrew looked toward Marcus.
“And the police found something in his apartment.””
“What?””
Andrew swallowed.
“A photograph of you, Denise.””
May you like
He paused.
“Taken outside your house three days before your anniversary.””
