Chapter 7: The Brother Nobody Was Supposed to Know
The rain outside became louder.
Or maybe it only sounded louder because nobody in that warehouse knew what to say.
Marcus stared at the photograph in his hand.
A photograph that should not exist.
A man who looked exactly like him.
A brother.
Another child erased from the Carter family.
"I don't have a brother.""
Marcus said it quietly.
Not as a statement.
As a desperate attempt to hold onto reality.
Clara looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"I know.""
He looked at her.
"Then why are you telling me this?""
"Because you deserve the truth.""
Marcus laughed once.
A broken, humorless sound.
"Do I?""
He looked around the abandoned warehouse.
"Do I really?""
His fingers tightened around the photograph.
"My whole life has been a lie.""
I stepped closer to him.
"Marcus.""
He shook his head.
"No.""
His eyes never left the picture.
"My mother told me I was her only child.""
Clara lowered her gaze.
"She told you what she needed you to believe.""
"And my father?""
Her silence answered.
Marcus closed his eyes.
The pain on his face was almost unbearable to watch.
I had seen Marcus angry.
I had seen him stressed.
I had seen him frustrated.
But I had never seen him look lost.
Like a child searching for a parent who was never coming back.
"Who is he?"" Marcus asked.
Clara looked at the photograph.
"His name is Adrian.""
The name hung in the air.
"Adrian Carter.""
Marcus swallowed.
"Where is he?""
Clara didn't answer.
That scared me.
"Clara.""
She looked at me.
"I don't know.""
Marcus stared.
"You don't know where my brother is?""
"No.""
"Then why show me this?""
"Because someone else knows.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"Eleanor.""
Clara's expression changed.
"Yes.""
Marcus turned away.
"No.""
His voice became angry.
"No, this doesn't make sense.""
Clara stepped closer.
"Marcus.""
"Stop.""
He looked at her.
"You're asking me to believe my mother erased two children?""
Clara didn't look away.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Her face hardened.
"Because she wanted control.""
We moved from the warehouse before anyone could find us.
Clara refused to explain more there.
She said the place was compromised.
She wouldn't say how she knew.
That bothered me.
But what bothered me more was the fact that she was right.
Someone had found her before.
Someone had been watching.
Someone had followed us.
We took Clara to a small apartment she had been hiding in.
It was nothing like the Carter mansion.
No marble.
No expensive furniture.
No perfect decorations.
Just a small room with a table, a couch, and stacks of old documents.
A life built around hiding.
Marcus stood in the doorway.
Looking around.
"This is where you've been living?""
Clara nodded.
"For years.""
The words hurt him.
"Years?""
She looked away.
"After I escaped.""
My eyes moved to her.
"Escaped from what?""
Clara hesitated.
Then she said:
"From my family.""
Nobody spoke.
She sat down at the table.
"After my disappearance, Richard tried to find me.""
Marcus listened carefully.
"He eventually did.""
"When?""
"Five years ago.""
Marcus looked shocked.
"Five years?""
Clara nodded.
"He found me after years of searching.""
"Then why didn't he bring you home?""
Her expression became sad.
"Because he was afraid.""
"Of Eleanor?""
"Of what would happen if Eleanor knew.""
I looked at the documents scattered across the table.
"Why?""
Clara picked one up.
"Because my mother had spent decades building an empire based on lies.""
Marcus sat down.
"Tell me everything.""
Clara looked at him.
"You really want to know?""
"Yes.""
She nodded.
"Then you need to understand something.""
She placed the document in front of him.
"The Carter family was never supposed to be about money.""
She pointed at the papers.
"It was about ownership.""
Marcus frowned.
"Ownership of what?""
"The company.""
"Obviously.""
"No.""
Clara shook her head.
"The person who controls Carter Holdings controls something much bigger.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
Clara leaned closer.
"A private trust.""
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"What kind of trust?""
"The kind that has been passed down for generations.""
She tapped the document.
"The kind that controls family assets, investments, and political connections.""
My stomach tightened.
"So Eleanor wanted control.""
Clara nodded.
"Yes.""
Marcus looked at her.
"And where do Adrian and I fit into this?""
Clara was silent.
Then she answered:
"You were never supposed to inherit.""
Marcus froze.
"What?""
"Neither of us were.""
I looked at her.
"Then who was?""
Clara looked at me.
And I already knew the answer before she said it.
"Your baby.""
The room became silent.
Marcus stood.
"No.""
Clara looked at him.
"It's true.""
"My father wanted my child to inherit?""
"Not just your child.""
She corrected him.
"The first child born from the Carter bloodline after the truth was restored.""
I shook my head.
"This is insane.""
"I know.""
Clara's voice softened.
"But it's real.""
Marcus walked away from the table.
"So my mother attacked Emma because of money?""
"Not just money.""
Clara looked serious.
"Because your child represents everything she lost.""
I touched my stomach.
"And she wants to stop that?""
Clara didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
A sound interrupted us.
A phone ringing.
Everyone froze.
It wasn't ours.
It was Clara's.
Her face changed when she looked at the screen.
"What?""
Marcus noticed.
"Who is it?""
She didn't answer.
The phone kept ringing.
Finally, she picked up.
"Hello?""
Silence.
Then her expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
"How did you get this number?""
Marcus stood immediately.
"Who is it?""
Clara held up a hand.
Then the voice on the other end spoke loudly enough that we all heard.
"Clara.""
Eleanor.
My body went cold.
Clara ended the call instantly.
But it was too late.
Marcus had heard.
"She knows.""
Clara nodded.
"Yes.""
"How?""
Clara looked toward the window.
"Because she always finds people.""
The lights suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then went out.
The apartment went dark.
Marcus grabbed my hand.
"Stay behind me.""
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Someone was outside.
Clara whispered:
"There's a back exit.""
Marcus looked at her.
"How many ways out?""
"Two.""
"Which one is safe?""
Clara didn't answer.
That scared us.
Then the door handle moved.
Someone was trying to open it.
Marcus looked around.
"Clara.""
She was frozen.
Because she knew who it was.
The lock turned.
Slowly.
The door opened.
And a figure stepped inside.
Not Eleanor.
Not a stranger.
A man.
Tall.
Dark hair.
A face that made Marcus stop breathing.
The photograph.
The same eyes.
The same features.
The same impossible resemblance.
Marcus couldn't move.
The man looked at him.
Then smiled sadly.
"Hello, brother.""
Marcus stared.
"Adrian?""
The man nodded.
But before anyone could speak, Adrian looked at me.
His expression changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Fear.
"You're Emma.""
I stepped back.
"How do you know my name?""
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Clara.
"You told her?""
Clara shook her head.
"No.""
Adrian's eyes moved to my stomach.
And his face became pale.
"Oh no.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"What?""
Adrian looked at him.
"The baby.""
A terrible silence filled the room.
"What about the baby?"" I asked.
Adrian's voice dropped.
"The reason Eleanor has been fighting this hard...""
He looked at the door behind him.
"...is because she knows what happens when that child is born.""
Marcus stared.
"What happens?""
Adrian swallowed.
Then whispered:
"Everyone who has ever lied to the Carter family loses everything.""
I frowned.
"That doesn't explain why she wants my baby gone.""
Adrian looked at me.
And the fear in his eyes made my blood run cold.
"Because the inheritance isn't the only thing your child carries.""
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
May you like
Then Adrian said the words that changed everything.
"Your baby is proof that Eleanor Carter's biggest secret is still alive.""
