Chapter 4 - THE FAMILY THAT WAS BUILT ON LIES
Thomas Carter.
The name had haunted the family records for decades.
He was supposed to have died before I was born.
Yet somehow, he was alive.
And he knew my brother.
He knew my mother.
He knew my father.
Most importantly, he knew something about me.
I sat across from Arthur the next morning.
The house was quiet.
Bennett had spent the night in the guest room.
Neither of us had slept.
Jonathan had already arranged transportation to San Francisco.
But before we left, I demanded answers.
“Tell me everything about Thomas.”
Arthur sighed.
“Thomas Carter was your mother's greatest enemy.”
“Why?”
“He wanted control of the family company.”
“And my mother stopped him.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She discovered he had been stealing from the company.”
“Millions?”
“More than that.”
Arthur opened a file.
Inside were bank statements.
Shell companies.
Offshore accounts.
Property transfers.
Names.
My mother's signature appeared on several documents.
“She tried to expose him.”
“What happened?”
“She disappeared for six months.”
I stared.
“My mother disappeared?”
“Yes.”
“When I was a child?”
“You were three.”
I felt sick.
I remembered almost nothing from that time.
“She came back.”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“She said she had been hiding.”
“From Thomas?”
“Yes.”
I looked at the documents.
“Where was Michael?”
Arthur didn't answer.
“Dad.”
He looked at me.
“He was with her.”
My heart stopped.
“My brother was alive.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she leave him?”
“She didn't.”
“What happened?”
Arthur looked down.
“Someone took him.”
“Who?”
“We never proved it.”
“But you suspected Thomas.”
“Yes.”
I stood.
“Then why didn't you find him?”
Arthur's face tightened.
“Because Thomas made sure every trail led somewhere else.”
I walked toward the window.
Outside, security guards moved around the property.
I thought about my mother.
Her fear.
Her secrets.
Her missing son.
Her death.
And now my unborn child.
The same family war was beginning again.
Jonathan entered.
“We're ready.”
I turned.
“Before we leave, one thing.”
He nodded.
“What does the trust actually control?”
“Several companies.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-seven.”
I stared.
“Twenty-seven?”
“Yes.”
“Property?”
“Hotels. Hospitals. Commercial buildings. Investment funds.”
I felt overwhelmed.
“And my child owns them?”
“Eventually.”
“Who controls them now?”
Jonathan looked at Arthur.
“Temporary trustees.”
“Who?”
“Three attorneys and a bank.”
“Not Bennett?”
“No.”
“Not Victoria?”
“No.”
“Not Thomas?”
“No.”
I exhaled.
At least one thing was protected.
We left for San Francisco.
Michael's apartment was on the third floor of an old building.
The door was open.
I knew immediately something was wrong.
Police were already there.
Jonathan approached the officer.
“What happened?”
“The apartment was searched.”
“Was anyone inside?”
“No.”
My heart sank.
“Michael?”
“We don't know.”
I stepped inside.
Books were scattered across the floor.
A chair was overturned.
Drawers had been opened.
Someone had searched every room.
Then I saw a photograph on the wall.
My mother.
Holding a baby.
Michael.
I touched the frame.
Behind it was a hidden compartment.
Inside was a small cassette recorder.
Jonathan found batteries.
We pressed play.
My mother's voice filled the room.
“If you're hearing this, then Michael has been found.”
I began crying.
Her voice continued.
“I'm sorry I couldn't tell you everything.”
She paused.
“Your father is not the man everyone thinks he is.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
My mother continued.
“Richard protected you.”
My father.
“Daniel wanted Michael.”
I looked at Bennett.
“Thomas wanted the trust.”
Then her voice became quieter.
“But the person I feared most was the one closest to me.”
The recording stopped.
I stared at the machine.
“Who?”
Jonathan checked the tape.
“That was the end.”
I looked around.
Then I saw something on the floor.
A child's drawing.
Two babies.
Holding hands.
Above them, someone had written:
LILY + MICHAEL
I picked it up.
I hadn't known my brother existed.
But my mother had always imagined that one day we would find each other.
Then footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Everyone froze.
A man entered the doorway.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
The scar above his eyebrow.
I couldn't breathe.
He looked at me.
I looked at him.
Neither of us spoke.
Then he whispered:
“Sophia?”
I nodded.
“Michael?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
I stepped forward.
He did too.
For the first time in twenty-eight years, I stood beside my brother.
But before we could embrace, Michael suddenly looked past me.
His face went pale.
“Why is he here?”
I turned.
He was staring at my father.
Michael stepped backward.
“You can't bring him here.”
My father froze.
“Michael.”
“You lied.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Michael shook his head.
“You told me my mother died alone.”
“She did.”
“No.”
Michael's voice cracked.
“She didn't.”
He pointed toward my father.
“You were there.”
My father closed his eyes.
Michael looked at me.
“I remember that night.”
I swallowed.
“What do you remember?”
Michael's eyes filled with fear.
“Mom was dying.”
He pointed at my father.
“And he was standing beside her.”
My father whispered:
“I was trying to save her.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“He wasn't alone.”
I felt cold.
“Who else was there?”
Michael stared at the floor.
Then whispered:
“Helen.”
I froze.
Bennett looked at his mother.
“What?”
Michael continued.
“Your mother was there too.”
Bennett stepped backward.
“My mother?”
Michael nodded.
“And she wasn't trying to save Eleanor.”
He looked at me.
“She was holding the medicine.”
Silence.
I couldn't breathe.
Michael's next words changed everything.
“She gave Mom something.”
Bennett's face went white.
Michael looked directly at him.
“And the woman who pushed you in the hospital today isn't the first woman in this family who tried to destroy you.”
I stared at him.
“What happened next?”
Michael swallowed.
“I saw Helen put the bottle down.”
He looked toward the window.
“Then she looked at your father.”
My father closed his eyes.
Michael whispered:
“And they both walked out.”
The room went silent.
Then Jonathan's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“The hospital just called.”
My heart stopped.
“What happened?”
“Victoria is gone.”
“How?”
“She was released.”
“Who released her?”
Jonathan looked at Arthur.
Then at me.
“Someone claiming to be her attorney.”
I felt a chill.
“Who?”
May you like
Jonathan slowly answered:
“Thomas Carter.”
