Chapter 8: My Brother Was Holding a Gun
I drove like a man possessed.
My mother sat beside me, gripping the dashboard.
"Marcus, slow down!""
"I can't.""
"Your brother could be in danger.""
I glanced at my phone.
The call with Matthew was still connected.
"Matthew, listen to me. Don't let Olivia leave.""
A loud metallic crash came through the speaker.
Then a man's voice shouted.
"Get away from me!""
Matthew.
I pressed the accelerator.
"Matthew!""
The call disconnected.
The garage was twenty minutes away.
It took me twelve.
When we arrived, the building's metal shutters were halfway down.
A black SUV stood outside.
Olivia's car.
I jumped out.
"Stay here, Mom!""
She grabbed my sleeve.
"Marcus, don't go in there alone.""
I looked at her.
"He's my brother.""
Then I ran inside.
The garage smelled of oil, gasoline, and burning rubber.
Tools were scattered across the floor.
A broken chair lay beside an overturned workbench.
And in the middle of the room stood Matthew.
He was holding a handgun.
Olivia stood several feet away, her hands raised.
"Put it down, Matthew," she said.
He was breathing heavily.
"Tell me the truth.""
"You're misunderstanding everything.""
"You told me my parents abandoned me because I was defective!""
Olivia's eyes narrowed.
"That was what I was told.""
"Then why did you bring me fake documents?""
"I was trying to help you.""
Matthew laughed.
"You showed me a birth certificate with a different date!""
I stepped forward.
"Matthew!""
Both of them turned.
Olivia's face changed.
"Marcus.""
My brother looked at me.
For several seconds, we simply stared at each other.
It was like looking into a mirror that had been kept in a different house for thirty years.
"Who are you?"" he demanded.
"I'm your brother.""
He lowered the gun slightly.
"You're supposed to be dead.""
"I've heard that before.""
Olivia took a step toward him.
"Matthew, don't listen to him. He's been working with Richard.""
Matthew immediately raised the gun again.
"Stay back!""
I moved between them.
"Matthew, put the weapon down. Nobody is going to hurt you.""
"How do I know you're telling the truth?""
I took out the old photograph of the twins.
"Because I have this.""
He stared at the image.
His hands began shaking.
"Where did you get that?""
"From our mother.""
He looked toward the entrance.
My mother stepped inside.
The moment he saw her, the gun slipped from his hand.
"Mom?""
She covered her mouth.
"Matthew.""
He took one step.
Then another.
"You're alive?""
She nodded.
"I'm so sorry, my darling.""
He collapsed into her arms.
I stood nearby, unable to speak.
For a few minutes, the three of us held each other.
Then Matthew pulled away.
"Why did you leave me?""
My mother began crying.
"We never wanted to.""
"Twenty-nine years!""
"I know.""
"You let me grow up believing nobody wanted me.""
She touched his face.
"I looked for you every day.""
Matthew stepped backward.
"Then why didn't you find me?""
My mother glanced at me.
Before she could answer, Olivia interrupted.
"Because she was too busy protecting Marcus.""
Matthew turned.
"Shut up.""
Olivia's face hardened.
"You have no idea what this family did to you.""
I approached her.
"What did you tell him?""
"Only the truth.""
"You told him we were dead.""
"Because you were supposed to stay out of his life.""
I shook my head.
"You found him to steal his inheritance.""
She laughed.
"Don't pretend you care about inheritance. You have everything.""
"I didn't even know he existed.""
"Exactly!""
Her voice echoed through the garage.
"Everyone always loved Marcus. Dad gave him the company shares. Mom gave him all her attention. And when Matthew was born, they threw him away like a defective product!""
My mother flinched.
Olivia pointed at her.
"Don't look so innocent. You agreed to it!""
Matthew picked up the photograph.
"Why did you tell me Ethan was my son?""
Olivia froze.
I looked at her.
"Tell him.""
She folded her arms.
"It was necessary.""
"For what?""
"To activate the inheritance.""
Matthew stared at her.
"So the baby isn't mine?""
Olivia said nothing.
I answered.
"No. Ethan is Olivia's biological child.""
Matthew looked at her in disbelief.
"Then why did you use my name?""
"Because the documents required a male heir.""
"You used my identity to claim a child that isn't mine?""
Olivia's expression turned cold.
"You're welcome. Without me, you'd still be fixing broken engines for people who don't know your name.""
Matthew stepped forward.
"Get out.""
She laughed.
"Excuse me?""
"Get out of my garage.""
Olivia reached into her handbag.
I noticed the movement.
"Don't!""
She pulled out a small remote.
A red light blinked.
Matthew looked at it.
"What is that?""
Olivia smiled.
"Something that makes sure nobody walks away with evidence.""
Before I could move, the garage lights went out.
A loud explosion shook the building.
The lights returned seconds later.
Smoke poured from a storage room at the back.
Matthew dropped to his knees, coughing.
My mother screamed.
Olivia was already running toward the exit.
I chased her.
She reached the SUV, opened the driver's door, and started the engine.
I grabbed the handle.
"STOP!""
She slammed the door against my arm.
I stumbled.
The SUV accelerated.
I watched it disappear down the road.
Then I heard Matthew shouting.
"Marcus!""
I ran back inside.
He was standing near the storage room, holding a charred folder.
"Look at this!""
He handed me a photograph.
It showed Olivia outside a fertility clinic.
Beside her was a man I recognized.
Victor Hale.
But the photograph was dated three years before Ethan's birth.
I turned it over.
There was a handwritten note.
*DONOR AGREEMENT — ORIGINAL BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR TRANSFER.*
I frowned.
"What does this mean?""
Matthew pointed toward the burning room.
"There's more.""
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flash drive.
"I found it in Olivia's car before you arrived.""
I looked at him.
"What's on it?""
He swallowed.
"An audio recording.""
We drove to a nearby motel, where Matthew connected the drive to his laptop.
The recording began with Olivia's voice.
"I don't care what the agreement says. The child has to be registered under Matthew's identity.""
Then Victor answered.
"And what if the biological father finds out?""
Olivia laughed.
"Then we'll make sure he never gets the chance.""
A second voice entered the recording.
A man's voice.
I recognized it immediately.
It was Daniel Foster.
My father's lawyer.
"Olivia, you promised me the original contract would be destroyed.""
Matthew paused the recording.
We stared at each other.
Daniel had been helping Olivia.
The same man who had promised to protect my father.
The same man who had handled the family estate for decades.
I restarted the recording.
Daniel's voice became clearer.
"Once Richard is arrested, the company shares will be transferred. Then we'll deal with Marcus.""
Olivia replied:
"And what about the baby?""
Daniel answered without hesitation.
"He's the insurance policy.""
The recording ended.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
"Marcus, where are you?""
"Why?""
"I need you to come to my office immediately.""
I looked at Matthew.
"What's this about?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Your father has just confessed to the entire fraud scheme.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"And there's something else. He's named you as the person who helped him.""
I stood.
"That's impossible.""
"Marcus, the police are looking for you.""
I stared at the phone.
May you like
Then Daniel said the words that made my blood run cold.
"Your father claims you were the one who arranged the false pregnancy.""
Related Stories
