Chapter 6 - Evelyn Finally Confessed the Truth—My Missing Brother Was Alive, and He Had Been Living Inside My Enemy’s EmpireEvelyn sat across from me.
She looked exhausted.
“I didn't know everything.”
“Start with what you know.”
“Richard recruited me twelve years ago.”
“Why?”
“He threatened my son.”
I stared.
“You have a son?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Prison.”
“For what?”
“Something Richard framed him for.”
I understood.
Richard controlled people through fear.
“What did he want?”
“Information.”
“What information?”
“Your schedules.”
“Security.”
“Financial accounts.”
“Everything.”
I leaned forward.
“Did you help him kidnap Lily?”
“No.”
“Did you know?”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you stop him?”
“I was afraid.”
I nodded.
“Then why are you here now?”
She looked at Lily.
“Because I couldn't watch another child suffer.”
Her voice broke.
“I saw what Richard did to Marcus.”
I looked at Marcus.
“What?”
“He didn't just fake the explosion.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Richard ordered Marcus killed.”
Marcus's expression remained calm.
“But someone warned me.”
“Who?”
“Your father.”
I stared.
“My father?”
Marcus nodded.
“He discovered Richard's betrayal.”
“Why didn't he expose him?”
“Because Richard had already threatened your family.”
I sat down.
Everything I believed about my childhood began collapsing.
Then Evelyn whispered:
“Adrian was your father's first son.”
I looked at her.
“He survived.”
“Where?”
“Under Richard's control.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard convinced him you had stolen his inheritance.”
My stomach tightened.
“Adrian hates me?”
“I don't know.”
“Where is he?”
“New York.”
My blood went cold.
“Where?”
She gave me an address.
A luxury hotel.
The Marcelli-owned tower.
My enemy's headquarters.
We found Adrian that night.
He was standing beside a window overlooking Manhattan.
He turned when I entered.
He looked like my father.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
Same expression.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he said:
“So you're Daniel.”
I nodded.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
He smiled.
“So are several people in this room.”
Marcus stepped forward.
Adrian looked at him.
“You survived.”
“Yes.”
“Then Richard lied to both of us.”
I stared.
“Why did he tell you I stole everything?”
“Because he needed me angry.”
“Why?”
“To make me useful.”
Adrian handed me a folder.
“Richard wants this.”
Inside was a list of politicians.
Judges.
Police officers.
Business leaders.
The same names from the ledger.
Adrian had been collecting evidence.
“You've been working against him?”
“For years.”
“Then why didn't you come to me?”
“I didn't trust you.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard made sure I believed you hated me.”
I stared at him.
Then Lily walked into the room.
She looked at Adrian.
“Are you Uncle Daniel's brother?”
He froze.
“How did you know?”
“Mommy told me.”
Adrian crouched.
“What else did she tell you?”
“That family can be people who choose you.”
His eyes filled with tears.
He looked at me.
“She's right.”
For the first time in forty-two years, I met my brother.
And I realized Richard had stolen more than money.
May you like
He had stolen twelve years from all of us.
But we were going to take them back.
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