Chapter 4 - My Brother Brought Khloe’s Father Into the Room—But He Wasn't the Man We Thought He Was
Thomas Evans looked older.
Harder.
But I knew him.
I had seen his photograph hundreds of times.
He had been the man my father trusted most.
Now he stood beside Daniel.
Khloe stared at him.
“Dad?”
Thomas looked at her.
His face broke.
“Khloe.”
She ran toward him.
Daniel's men raised their weapons.
I stepped forward.
“Lower them.”
Daniel smiled.
“Still giving orders.”
“You brought her father.”
“I brought the truth.”
Thomas pulled Khloe into his arms.
She cried.
He closed his eyes.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I couldn't come back.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel threatened your mother.”
Khloe looked at him.
“You knew she was alive?”
“No.”
Thomas shook his head.
“She died protecting you.”
Khloe covered her mouth.
Daniel sighed.
“Touching.”
I turned toward him.
“What happened to my father?”
Daniel smiled.
“You've been asking the wrong question.”
“What?”
“Your father wasn't killed because of the ledger.”
I stepped closer.
“Then why?”
“Because he planned to hand the entire organization to Vincent.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He believed you were the only person he could trust.”
Thomas spoke.
“That isn't true.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You were there.”
“I was trying to stop him.”
“You failed.”
Thomas's jaw tightened.
Daniel turned toward me.
“Your father knew I had discovered Elena's plan.”
“What plan?”
“To move ownership.”
“Ownership of what?”
“The company.”
I looked at Khloe.
“My mother created a secondary trust.”
Thomas nodded.
“She wanted Vincent to inherit.”
Daniel laughed.
“And that's why I couldn't allow it.”
I felt my hands clench.
“You betrayed him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I was tired of being the second son.”
The simplicity of the answer was horrifying.
Daniel had killed for an inheritance.
He had destroyed people because he was jealous.
Then Khloe spoke.
“You told my father you would let Mara live if he gave you the ledger.”
Daniel smiled.
“Yes.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
Thomas lowered his eyes.
“I gave him the ledger.”
Khloe stared.
“And Mom?”
Daniel looked away.
“An accident.”
Thomas lunged.
I stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
“You always did think you were the hero.”
“No.”
I stared at him.
“I think I'm the man who finally knows what you are.”
He laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“The ledger isn't the real prize.”
He looked at Khloe.
“She is.”
Khloe froze.
Daniel explained.
“Elena transferred everything into a biological trust.”
I frowned.
“Why would Khloe matter?”
“Because the trust requires two signatures.”
Mine.
And hers.
I felt cold.
“So that's why you've been hunting her.”
“Yes.”
“What do you want?”
“Control of Costa Logistics.”
“And if we refuse?”
Daniel smiled.
“Then no one gets it.”
The lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
I grabbed Khloe and pulled her behind cover.
Thomas fired toward Daniel's men.
Paulie stormed through the side entrance with our people.
The warehouse became chaos.
Daniel vanished.
Thomas shouted:
“Get Khloe out!”
“I’m not leaving you!”
“Go!”
I grabbed her hand.
We ran.
Outside, rain hammered the asphalt.
Khloe stopped.
“My father.”
“He'll make it.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“But I'm going back.”
We returned ten minutes later.
The warehouse was empty.
Thomas was gone.
Daniel was gone.
Only a bloodstained coat remained.
Khloe stared at it.
“No.”
I picked it up.
There was something in the pocket.
A small key.
Stamped with one word.
VALE.
“What's that?”
“I don't know.”
We took it back to the estate.
Paulie examined it.
“It opens a private vault.”
“Where?”
“Old Costa bank.”
I had forgotten the place existed.
My father had used it before the company became international.
We went there that night.
The vault opened.
Inside was a single envelope.
For Vincent and Khloe.
I opened it.
My mother's handwriting.
“If you are reading this together, Daniel has failed.”
I looked at Khloe.
The letter continued.
“The red ledger is not evidence.”
I frowned.
“It is ownership.”
I read on.
“I created it as a legal record of the company's legitimate assets. Anyone who controls it can prove who owns what.”
Khloe whispered:
“That means Daniel doesn't need the shares.”
“No.”
“He needs the ledger to steal them.”
I nodded.
The letter continued.
“Your father wanted Vincent to inherit.”
Another page.
“Thomas Evans helped me protect Khloe.”
I looked at her.
Then one sentence made my blood stop.
“Vincent, Khloe is not your sister.”
Khloe stared.
“What?”
I reread it.
The DNA report had been fabricated.
My mother had created a false record to protect her.
Khloe wasn't my sister.
She was my father's daughter from a secret relationship with Mara Evans?
No.
Another page clarified it.
“Thomas is Khloe's biological father.”
I looked at Khloe.
“Then how am I related to you?”
She frowned.
The last page answered.
“Khloe is my niece.”
She was Elena Costa's daughter.
My mother's brother's child.
My cousin.
Not my sister.
Still family.
Still protected by the trust.
And still a target.
Then the note ended:
“Never trust Daniel.”
We looked at each other.
I laughed bitterly.
“We knew that part.”
Khloe almost laughed too.
Then a phone rang.
Thomas.
I answered.
His breathing was heavy.
“Vincent.”
“Where are you?”
“Not important.”
“Daniel?”
“Alive.”
“Then why call?”
“Because I found the original ledger.”
I froze.
“Where?”
“With the one person Daniel fears.”
“Who?”
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Your mother.”
I stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
May you like
A pause.
“She is alive.”
Related Stories
