Chapter 8: The Woman Who Gave Birth to My Brother
Vanessa dropped into the nearest chair.
Michael stared at her.
"No.""
Richard walked slowly around the table.
"Yes.""
"No," Michael repeated.
"That's impossible.""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Robert looked at her.
"Tell him.""
She shook her head.
"I can't.""
Richard laughed.
"Of course you can. You've spent your entire life pretending to be something you're not. Perhaps it's time to stop.""
Michael stepped toward her.
"Vanessa?""
She looked up.
"Michael, I'm sorry.""
He backed away.
"What is he talking about?""
Vanessa's voice trembled.
"I gave birth to you.""
Michael stared at her.
Then he looked at Richard.
"You're saying she's my mother?""
Richard nodded.
"Biologically, yes.""
I watched Michael struggle to process the information.
The man I had just discovered was my brother wasn't my twin.
He wasn't even my mother's biological son.
And the woman I had intended to marry had given birth to him.
I felt physically sick.
"How old was Vanessa when Michael was born?""
My father answered.
"Seventeen.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Vanessa was young. Her parents wanted the baby kept out of the newspapers. I arranged a private adoption.""
Michael looked at Vanessa.
"You knew?""
She nodded.
"Not at first.""
"When did you find out?""
"When I was twenty-one.""
Michael's face twisted.
"And you never told me?""
Vanessa began crying harder.
"I wasn't allowed to.""
Richard placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Nobody forced you to keep quiet.""
She pulled away.
"You threatened to ruin my life.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"Careful, Vanessa.""
"No!""
She stood.
"You told me if I ever told Michael the truth, you would make sure he never received anything from the trust. You said you would send him away again.""
Michael stared at her.
"Send me away?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Richard told me he had arranged for you to be raised by another family. But when your father discovered what happened, he intervened.""
Robert spoke quietly.
"Richard didn't arrange an ordinary adoption. He used a forged guardianship agreement to keep Michael under his control.""
Michael turned toward him.
"Then why did you let me stay with him?""
"Because I couldn't prove what he'd done.""
"You were alive!""
"I was hiding.""
Michael laughed bitterly.
"So you hid while I grew up believing nobody wanted me.""
Robert lowered his head.
"Yes.""
For a moment, Michael looked as though he might strike him.
Then he turned toward me.
"And you?""
I frowned.
"What about me?""
"Did you know?""
"About Vanessa? No.""
"Did you know our mother wasn't your biological mother?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
He studied my face.
"Did you know Richard had been paying for your education?""
I froze.
"What?""
Michael looked toward Richard.
"Tell him.""
Richard sighed.
"Your college scholarship was funded through one of our charitable foundations.""
I stared at him.
"My scholarship came from the university.""
"Technically, yes. But the foundation provided the money.""
I remembered the anonymous scholarship letter.
The generous annual grant.
The invitation to a private dinner that my mother had insisted I decline.
"Why?""
Richard smiled.
"Because I wanted to know what kind of man you would become.""
I stepped toward him.
"You were watching me?""
"Of course.""
"All those years?""
"Not personally. I have people for that.""
My fists clenched.
Robert placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Marcus, there's more.""
He opened the leather folder he had brought.
Inside were several pages from an old company registry.
The first page listed the original shareholders of Whitmore Technologies.
My father's name appeared at the top.
The second page contained a trust agreement.
And the third page had a clause highlighted in yellow.
*Upon the thirty-fifth birthday of the biological children of Robert Carter, the controlling shares shall transfer jointly to both beneficiaries, provided their identities have been independently verified.*
I looked at the date.
"What happens if one of them isn't who the documents say?""
Robert answered.
"The transfer becomes invalid.""
Richard smiled.
"Exactly.""
I finally understood.
He had spent years keeping Michael's identity hidden because the trust couldn't be transferred while the real beneficiaries remained unidentified.
And he had brought Vanessa into the arrangement because she was the person who could authenticate the original adoption documents.
But why involve me?
I looked at Richard.
"You wanted me to acquire the company.""
"Yes.""
"Even though you knew the trust owned it?""
"Your acquisition would have created a legal opportunity to consolidate the shares.""
"And if the identities were challenged?""
Richard leaned back.
"Then the entire trust would be frozen.""
My father shook his head.
"Richard wanted to make sure neither son could claim anything.""
Daniel suddenly spoke.
"That's enough.""
Everyone turned.
He had been standing near the fireplace, looking increasingly uncomfortable.
Richard glared at him.
"Sit down.""
Daniel ignored him.
"Marcus, there is something else you need to know.""
Richard's voice became sharp.
"Daniel.""
But Daniel continued.
"The original hospital records weren't destroyed.""
I looked at him.
"Where are they?""
Daniel swallowed.
"In a private archive. Richard paid someone to remove them from the hospital decades ago.""
My father stepped forward.
"Who?""
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
"Your mother.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No.""
Daniel nodded.
"She knows where they are.""
Richard suddenly pulled a small pistol from inside his jacket.
The entire room froze.
"Nobody moves.""
My father raised both hands.
"Richard, this is over.""
Richard laughed.
"Not even close.""
He pointed the weapon toward the laptop.
"Give me the USB.""
Vanessa stepped behind Michael.
"Richard, please.""
"Now.""
Michael moved in front of her.
"You're not touching her.""
Richard looked at him.
"You're alive because of me.""
Michael's voice shook.
"You stole my childhood.""
"I gave you a life.""
"You gave me a cage.""
Richard's face twisted with rage.
Then he looked directly at me.
"Marcus, you have no idea how much trouble your father has caused.""
I stared at the gun.
"Put it down.""
Richard smiled.
"Before you give me orders, perhaps you should ask your mother what she did with the second baby.""
My father went completely still.
I looked at him.
"What does he mean?""
Robert's face changed.
For the first time since arriving, he looked genuinely afraid.
"Richard, don't.""
Richard lowered the weapon slightly.
"Tell him, Robert.""
I stepped toward my father.
"What happened to the second baby?""
Robert swallowed.
Then he spoke.
"The hospital didn't switch you and Michael.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"The hospital switched you with another child.""
My mind raced.
"Another child?""
Robert nodded.
"And the baby who was taken from that hospital...""
May you like
He looked toward Richard.
"...was never Michael.""
