Chapter 3: My Brother's Price
Daniel walked into the kitchen carrying a black leather briefcase.
He was wearing his expensive navy suit, the one he usually reserved for business meetings and family events where he wanted people to notice how successful he had become.
He looked at me.
Then at Lily.
Then at Vanessa.
"What's going on here?"" he asked.
I pointed toward the briefcase.
"What's in there?""
Daniel frowned.
"Documents.""
"Open it.""
He laughed.
"Excuse me?""
"Open the briefcase.""
Vanessa stepped between us.
"Marcus, please. Your brother came here because he's worried about your mother.""
"Then he won't mind opening it.""
Daniel placed the briefcase on the counter.
"You've lost your mind.""
I moved closer.
"Patricia saw a man carrying a black bag out of Mom's bedroom.""
Daniel's expression remained unchanged.
"And?""
"She says the man came back yesterday.""
He looked at Vanessa.
It was quick.
But I caught it.
A tiny exchange.
A silent conversation.
Then Daniel turned toward me.
"Look, Marcus. Mom is sick. Everyone is under pressure. Maybe some things got misplaced.""
"Gold watches don't misplace themselves.""
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"Nobody is accusing anyone of anything.""
I looked at her.
"That's exactly what I'm doing.""
Daniel sighed.
"How much jewelry are we talking about?""
"Almost everything.""
He nodded slowly.
"Then we should involve the police.""
"Agreed.""
Vanessa's face tightened.
"Marcus, don't be ridiculous.""
Daniel glanced at her.
"Actually, he's right. If something valuable is missing, we need an official report.""
I watched them carefully.
Why was Daniel suddenly so cooperative?
He had barely visited our mother during the past six months. He always had meetings, travel, and business emergencies.
Now he was standing in my kitchen, volunteering to call the police.
Something wasn't right.
I took the watch from my pocket and placed it on the counter.
Daniel's face changed.
"Where did you get that?""
"Lily's backpack.""
He looked at my daughter.
"Why was it there?""
Lily shrank behind me.
"Vanessa gave it to her," I said.
Daniel stared at his wife.
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
"That's a lie.""
Lily began trembling.
"I saw you take it.""
Vanessa pointed at her.
"Enough! You need to stop inventing stories.""
I stepped forward.
"Don't point at my daughter.""
Daniel picked up the watch.
He turned it over.
Then he examined the engraving on the back.
His expression became strange.
"Where did you get this?"" I asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Vanessa.
"Did you tell him?""
Vanessa's mouth opened.
Then closed.
I stared at both of them.
"Tell me what?""
Daniel placed the watch down.
"Marcus, there are things about Mom's finances you don't understand.""
"What finances?""
"Her estate.""
I laughed bitterly.
"She's alive, Daniel.""
"I'm aware.""
"Then why are you talking about her estate?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Because she made some changes before the surgery.""
"What changes?""
Vanessa answered.
"She updated her will.""
I felt the kitchen tilt around me.
"Why wasn't I told?""
Daniel shrugged.
"She didn't have to tell you.""
"Who witnessed it?""
"Her attorney.""
"Which attorney?""
Neither answered.
I looked at Vanessa.
"You knew about this?""
She lifted her chin.
"Your mother and I have always been close.""
"Close enough to know about her will?""
"She trusted me.""
I glanced at the watch.
"Apparently, she trusted Lily, too.""
Daniel suddenly slammed his palm against the counter.
"Can we stop pretending this is about a watch?""
Lily jumped.
I turned toward him.
"Lower your voice.""
He ignored me.
"Mom changed her will because she wanted to protect the family. She didn't want her money wasted.""
"Who told you that?""
"Mom.""
"When?""
"Last month.""
I shook my head.
"She was in the hospital last month.""
"Before that.""
Daniel opened his briefcase and pulled out a thick envelope.
He placed it in front of me.
"Read it.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside were photocopies of several legal documents.
The first page appeared to be a property transfer.
My mother's house.
The house where I had grown up.
The house my father had spent thirty years paying off.
According to the document, ownership had been transferred to a company called Westbridge Holdings.
I read the name twice.
"What's this?""
Daniel folded his arms.
"Mom agreed to sell the property.""
"She didn't tell me.""
"She didn't need your permission.""
I turned to the second page.
It contained a financial authorization bearing my mother's signature.
But something looked wrong.
The signature was shaky.
Not like my mother's usual handwriting.
"Who prepared this?""
"Her attorney.""
"What's his name?""
Daniel took the documents back.
"That's enough.""
I held on to the final page.
There was a date at the bottom.
The transfer had supposedly been authorized three weeks earlier.
Three weeks ago, my mother had been unconscious following complications from her illness.
I looked up.
"Daniel, Mom couldn't have signed this.""
His jaw tightened.
"She did.""
"She was sedated.""
"You're not a doctor.""
"And you're not her attorney.""
Vanessa walked around the counter.
"Marcus, maybe you should calm down.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know about this transfer?""
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Daniel closed his briefcase.
"We're leaving.""
"Not yet.""
He turned.
"Move.""
I didn't move.
"Who is Westbridge Holdings?""
Daniel stared at me.
For several seconds, the only sound was the refrigerator humming behind us.
Then he said something I never expected.
"It's my company.""
My stomach dropped.
"You transferred Mom's house to your company?""
"She agreed to it.""
"Why?""
"Because she wanted to help me.""
"With what?""
He looked at Vanessa.
She looked away.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Because the family business is in trouble.""
I stared at him.
"What business?""
He gave a humorless smile.
"The one you've been telling everyone I run successfully.""
My brother had spent years presenting himself as a wealthy entrepreneur. He drove expensive cars, traveled overseas, and constantly talked about investments.
But now he was admitting that his company was struggling.
"How much debt?"" I asked.
"That's none of your concern.""
"How much?""
He slammed the briefcase shut.
"Enough.""
Then he walked toward the door.
Vanessa followed him.
Before leaving, she turned back.
"Marcus, think carefully about what you're doing. You could destroy this family over a misunderstanding.""
I looked at the watch on the counter.
"Who stole Mom's jewelry?""
Vanessa's face went blank.
Daniel opened the door.
Neither answered.
They left together.
I stood in the kitchen for several minutes, trying to understand what had just happened.
Then my phone rang.
It was Patricia.
"Marcus, I sent you the security footage.""
I opened the attachment.
The video showed my mother's bedroom.
The timestamp read 2:17 p.m.
Vanessa entered wearing her own blouse.
She looked toward the hallway.
Then she opened the jewelry box.
She removed the gold watch, the pearl earrings, and the diamond bracelet.
Next, she walked to the closet.
She pulled out Lily's gray hoodie.
She put it on.
Then she picked up her phone and called someone.
A few seconds later, Daniel entered the room.
He placed a black leather briefcase on the bed.
Vanessa handed him the jewelry.
Daniel opened the case and slipped the pieces inside.
But the footage didn't end there.
My mother suddenly opened her eyes.
She looked directly at Daniel.
Her lips moved.
Even without sound, I could read the words.
*"You promised.""*
Daniel leaned toward her.
Then he said something that made me freeze.
Patricia had enabled the audio.
I turned the volume up.
My brother's voice came through the recording.
"Don't worry, Mom. Once the papers are signed, Marcus and Lily won't get a penny.""
And then my mother whispered:
"Your father would be ashamed of you.""
The video stopped.
I stared at the black screen.
My mother hadn't simply witnessed the theft.
She knew why it was happening.
And suddenly, I understood that the missing jewelry was only the beginning.
Because the final frame of the recording showed Daniel slipping a second document beneath my mother's pillow.
May you like
A document with my name printed across the top.
*POWER OF ATTORNEY — MARCUS REED.*
