Chapter 3 - Grace Had Been Alive After Her “Death,” and the Last Video She Left Behind Changed Everything I Believed About My BrotherThe camera footage was corrupted.
But Daniel recovered fragments.
The video showed Grace.
Older.
Tired.
Holding a baby.
Then a man entered.
Marcus.
I watched.
He was younger.
Angry.
They argued.
Grace said something I couldn't hear.
Marcus shouted.
Then the screen went black.
The timestamp was seven years old.
Exactly.
I watched it again.
And again.
Marcus had lied.
He had been there.
He had known about Emma.
He had probably known about everything.
I called him.
He didn't answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
Daniel said:
“He's gone.”
“Where?”
“His house is empty.”
“Karen?”
“Also gone.”
I stared at the screen.
“Find them.”
“We will.”
I returned home.
Lily was sitting at the kitchen table.
Emma was beside her.
They were coloring.
Same face.
Same green eyes.
Two different colors of crayons.
Lily looked up.
“Dad.”
“Yes?”
“Why are there two of us?”
I sat beside them.
“Because your mommy had twins.”
Emma smiled.
“I told you.”
Lily stared.
“Then why didn't you know?”
I swallowed.
“Someone lied to me.”
“Who?”
I didn't answer.
Not yet.
Children shouldn't carry adult hatred.
But Lily deserved the truth eventually.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
“We found Karen.”
“Where?”
“Private clinic.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Take me there.”
We drove.
Karen was sitting in a hospital bed.
She looked terrified when she saw me.
“Marcus sent you.”
“No.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand enough.”
“Please.”
“Where is my daughter?”
She began crying.
“Which one?”
My blood froze.
“Emma.”
“I was told she would be safe.”
“Who told you?”
“Marcus.”
“And my wife?”
“Grace.”
“Where is Grace?”
Karen shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You were her sister.”
“I loved her.”
“Then tell me.”
She cried.
“She knew Marcus was stealing from you.”
“What?”
“Your brother had been taking money.”
“How much?”
“Millions.”
“For how long?”
“Years.”
“And Grace found out.”
“Yes.”
“She threatened to expose him.”
“Yes.”
“And he threatened her?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Karen looked down.
“He arranged the accident.”
I froze.
“My wife's death.”
Karen nodded.
“He made it look like a car crash.”
I could barely breathe.
“He took Emma.”
“What?”
“He believed the child would be leverage.”
“Against me?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't he kill her?”
“He needed your signature.”
“For what?”
“The company.”
I stared.
My brother had wanted control of Lawson Holdings.
He couldn't get it while I was alive.
So he planned to destroy me emotionally.
Take my wife.
Take my daughter.
Then make me sign.
But something went wrong.
“What happened to Grace?”
Karen whispered:
“She escaped.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
“She escaped the crash.”
“Then where is she?”
“I don't know.”
“Who does?”
Karen stared at me.
“Your father.”
My blood went cold.
“My father has been dead for twelve years.”
“No.”
Karen shook her head.
“He isn't.”
I stepped back.
“What?”
“Your father disappeared.”
“He died.”
“That's what you were told.”
I stared.
My father.
Alive?
Another lie.
Another secret.
Another missing person.
Karen continued:
“He was working with Grace.”
“To stop Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't he contact me?”
“Because he believed you were being watched.”
“By whom?”
She looked at me.
“The same person who has been watching your daughters.”
I felt cold.
“Who?”
She whispered:
“Someone inside your company.”
I stared.
“Who?”
Karen looked toward the door.
“Your chief financial officer.”
I froze.
“Michael?”
She nodded.
Michael had worked for me for fifteen years.
He knew every account.
Every transaction.
Every acquisition.
Every weakness.
I left the hospital.
I called Michael.
He answered.
“Marcus.”
I stared.
“Where are you?”
“Office.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“We need to talk.”
He paused.
“About what?”
“Your relationship with my father.”
Silence.
Then the line went dead.
May you like
I immediately knew.
He had run.
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