Chapter 11: The Brother No One Mentioned
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Even Victor looked satisfied by the silence.
Bear stared at Nadia.
A twin.
The word felt impossible.
“Bear: You had another child?””
Nadia nodded slowly.
The pain in her eyes answered before her voice did.
“Bear: Where is he?””
She looked down.
That was the answer he feared.
“Bear: Nadia.””
Her lips trembled.
“Bear: Where is he?””
Nadia whispered:
“Gone.””
Eli looked between them.
“Eli: I had a brother?””
Nadia immediately turned toward him.
“Eli…”
The boy stepped back.
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“Eli: You told me I was alone.””
Nadia’s face broke.
“Eli: You said it was always just me and you.””
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
The boy shook his head.
“Eli: From what?””
No one answered.
Because the answer was too painful.
Bear looked at Victor.
“Bear: You knew.””
Victor nodded.
“I knew everything.””
Bear moved forward.
“Bear: And you let her live with this?””
Victor smiled.
“Bear: You think I gave her a choice?””
Nadia looked at him with hatred.
“Victor: You destroyed enough lives.””
Victor’s expression changed.
“Victor: No.””
He looked at Bear.
“She did.””
Bear froze.
Victor continued.
“Victor: Nadia made a decision twenty years ago.””
Nadia’s voice became sharp.
“Stop.””
Victor ignored her.
“She chose one child.””
The rain fell harder.
Bear looked at Nadia.
“Bear: Is that true?””
Her silence hurt more than anything.
“Bear: Nadia.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
A tear fell.
“Bear: Tell me.””
Nadia stepped closer.
“Bear, listen to me.””
“Tell me.””
Her voice broke.
“I didn’t choose Eli because I loved him more.””
She looked at the boy.
“I chose the child who was still alive.””
The words hit.
Bear looked confused.
“Bear: What does that mean?””
Nadia closed her eyes.
“Bear: What happened?””
Simone answered quietly.
“The twins were separated.””
Bear turned.
“Bear: By who?””
Nobody looked at Victor.
But everyone knew.
Victor’s expression remained calm.
“Victor: There was an accident.””
Darius laughed bitterly.
“Darius: Don’t call it that.””
Victor looked at him.
“Victor: Careful.””
Darius stepped forward.
“Darius: You took two babies and turned their lives into a game.””
Bear stared.
“Bear: Two babies?””
Darius nodded.
“Darius: Eli’s brother wasn’t lost.””
Silence.
“He was taken.””
Bear’s fists clenched.
“Bear: Where is he?””
Darius looked at Victor.
Nobody answered.
Bear’s voice became dangerous.
“Bear: Where is he?””
Victor finally spoke.
“Victor: Alive.””
The word shook Nadia.
“Victor: He grew up.””
Bear stared.
“Bear: Where?””
Victor smiled.
“Victor: Closer than you think.””
Eli looked afraid.
“Eli: Is he okay?””
Nadia immediately hugged him.
But Bear noticed something.
The fear on Victor’s face.
Not confidence.
Fear.
Something had changed.
“Bear: Why are you telling me this now?””
Victor looked at him.
“Victor: Because you found Nadia.””
A pause.
“And because she has something I need.””
Bear looked at Nadia.
“What?””
Nadia reached into her jacket.
She pulled out a small metal drive.
Everyone became still.
Victor’s expression changed.
There it was.
The first real reaction.
Fear.
Bear noticed.
“Bear: That’s what this is about?””
Nadia nodded.
“Bear: What’s on it?””
She looked at him.
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Nadia looked at Victor.
“Everything.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Victor: Give it to me.””
Bear immediately moved.
“No.””
Victor looked at him.
“Victor: You don’t know what you’re holding.””
Bear looked at Eli.
Then Nadia.
Then the drive.
“Bear: Neither do you know what I’m willing to do.””
The vehicles around them started moving.
The people with Victor closed in.
Darius reached inside his coat.
Bear noticed.
“Bear: What are you doing?””
Darius pulled out a weapon.
But he didn’t aim at Bear.
He aimed at Victor’s men.
Everyone froze.
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“Victor: You finally chose a side.””
Darius looked at him.
“No.””
A pause.
“I chose the right one.””
The first gunshot echoed through the rain.
And in the chaos, Nadia grabbed Bear’s hand.
“Bear: We have to go.””
They ran.
But before they reached the motorcycle, Bear heard Victor shout:
“Victor: Bear!””
He turned.
Victor stood beside the vehicles.
Holding something.
Something that made Nadia stop.
A photograph.
A recent one.
Victor smiled.
“Victor: You want to know where your other son is?””
Bear froze.
May you like
Victor lifted the photograph.
“Victor: Ask yourself why he looks exactly like you.””
