Chapter 3: The Brother Behind the Curtain
The face on the paused video made Simone forget how to breathe.
For a moment, the entire office disappeared.
The city lights.
The documents.
The unanswered questions.
Everything blurred except the man standing in the background of the gala footage.
Her brother.
Nathan Carter.
He was thirty-nine years old, seven years younger than Simone, and for most of their lives, she had been the person who protected him.
She remembered teaching him how to ride a bicycle in their old neighborhood.
She remembered helping him with his college applications.
She remembered sitting beside him in a hospital waiting room when their mother was sick.
Nathan had always been the person she believed she could trust.
The one person who knew where she came from.
The one person who understood what it meant to fight for a place in rooms where people like them were rarely invited.
But now he stood behind the Ashford family.
Watching.
Waiting.
And possibly helping them destroy her.
Maya noticed Simone’s expression.
“Simone?””
She didn’t answer.
Maya stepped closer to the screen.
“Is that…”
“My brother.””
The words came out quietly.
Maya looked back at the footage.
“I didn’t know Nathan worked with Ashford.””
“He doesn’t.””
“Then why is he there?””
Simone stared at the screen.
That was the question.
The one question that suddenly connected every piece.
The humiliation.
The distraction.
The hidden documents.
The carefully timed attack.
Someone had known Simone would be at the gala.
Someone had known she controlled the investment committee.
Someone had known exactly how much pressure she could handle before looking closer.
And Nathan knew her better than almost anyone.
“Call him,” Maya said.
Simone looked at her phone.
Her thumb hovered over Nathan’s name.
She didn’t press it.
“Why not?””
“Because if he’s involved…”
She stopped.
Maya understood.
Because a phone call was not just a question.
It was a warning.
If Nathan was innocent, he deserved the truth.
But if he wasn’t…
Simone would be telling him she knew.
“We need answers first,” Simone said.
Maya nodded.
“What’s our next move?””
Simone looked at the financial files again.
“We find out what Nathan was doing there.””
Marcus, still standing near the office door, spoke.
“I can trace his access history.””
Simone turned.
“Do it.””
Marcus picked up the tablet.
“One more thing.””
“What?””
“Someone tried accessing your company network twenty minutes ago.””
Maya immediately looked up.
“From where?””
Marcus showed the screen.
“The Ashford Foundation server.””
The room went silent.
Simone walked toward him.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
“Who attempted access?””
Marcus hesitated.
“We don’t know yet.””
“Find out.””
Marcus nodded and left.
Simone returned to her desk.
She opened the gala footage again.
This time, she watched everything.
Not the cake.
Not Victoria.
Not the crowd.
The background.
The people nobody noticed.
That was where the truth usually lived.
At 8:41 p.m., Nathan entered the ballroom.
At 8:47, he spoke with Daniel Whitmore.
At 8:52, Victoria left her table.
At 8:54, Nathan moved toward the side hallway.
At 8:55, Victoria approached Simone.
Thirty seconds later, the cake hit her face.
Simone paused the video.
“Play that again.””
Maya watched.
Nathan disappeared into the hallway right before the attack.
“That could be a coincidence.””
Simone shook her head.
“No.””
“How do you know?””
“Because Nathan hates attention.””
Maya looked confused.
“He wouldn’t stand in the center of a room unless he wanted something.””
Simone zoomed in on the hallway entrance.
“He wasn’t watching the gala.””
She pointed at the screen.
“He was watching the door.””
Maya frowned.
“Waiting for someone?””
“Or making sure someone didn’t leave.””
Before Maya could answer, Simone’s phone rang.
This time, it wasn’t unknown.
Nathan.
The office became completely silent.
Maya looked at Simone.
She let the phone ring.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Finally, she answered.
“Nathan.””
There was a pause.
His voice sounded tired.
“Simone.””
Not an apology.
Not an explanation.
Just her name.
“Were you at the Ashford gala tonight?””
Another pause.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I wanted to talk to you.””
“You had all night.””
“I didn’t get the chance.””
Simone looked at the frozen image of him on the screen.
“You had a chance.””
Nathan exhaled.
“Simone…”
“No.””
Her voice sharpened.
“I want you to answer one question.””
“What question?””
“Were you involved in what happened to me?””
Silence.
A long silence.
The kind that answered more than words could.
Finally, Nathan spoke.
“I didn’t know Victoria would do that.””
Simone closed her eyes.
That was not the answer she wanted.
“You knew something would happen.””
“I knew there was a plan.””
Maya looked at Simone.
Simone stood completely still.
“What plan?””
Nathan lowered his voice.
“I was trying to stop it.””
“You were standing there.””
“I was trying to get evidence.””
“Evidence of what?””
Nathan didn’t answer.
Simone’s patience disappeared.
“Do not protect them.””
“I’m not.””
“Then tell me.””
Another pause.
Then Nathan said:
“The Ashfords have been using Carter Meridian.””
Simone felt her stomach tighten.
“What does that mean?””
“They needed your company’s investment because it would legitimize their project.””
“I know that.””
“No, Simone. You don’t.””
His voice became urgent.
“They weren’t just hiding money.””
Simone looked at the documents.
“What else?””
Nathan whispered:
“They were hiding ownership.””
The words landed heavily.
“Ownership of what?””
“The redevelopment properties.””
Simone walked toward the window.
“Nathan.””
“They don’t own what they claim to own.””
The city stretched below her.
A billion-dollar project.
A famous family.
A respected foundation.
All built on something that might not exist.
“How do you know this?””
Nathan was quiet.
Then:
“Because I found the original contracts.””
“Where?””
“I can’t tell you over the phone.””
Simone almost laughed.
“After everything tonight, you’re still keeping secrets?””
“I’m trying to keep you alive.””
The sentence stopped her.
Maya looked at Simone.
“What did he say?””
Simone ignored her.
“Is that supposed to scare me?””
“No.””
Nathan’s voice cracked slightly.
“It’s supposed to warn you.””
Simone tightened her grip on the phone.
“Nathan, if you know something, you need to tell me.””
“I will.””
“When?””
“When I can get the documents out.””
“Out from where?””
Silence.
Then Nathan answered:
“The Ashford private archive.””
Simone’s eyes narrowed.
“The foundation archive?””
“Yes.””
“How did you get access?””
Another pause.
Then Nathan said something that made her blood run cold.
“Because Victoria Ashford gave me access.””
The room froze.
Simone looked at Maya.
Maya mouthed:
“Why?””
Simone already knew.
There was another layer.
There was always another layer.
“Why would Victoria help you?””
Nathan didn’t answer.
“Because she hates me?””
“No.””
“Because she wanted revenge?””
“No.””
“Then why?””
Nathan’s voice became barely audible.
“Because Victoria isn’t the person controlling this.””
A chill moved through Simone.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying she’s scared too.””
Simone looked at the video.
Victoria laughing.
Victoria holding the cake.
Victoria acting powerful.
But suddenly, Simone noticed something.
Right before Victoria attacked her…
Victoria had looked away.
Not at the crowd.
Not at the cameras.
At someone else.
Someone giving her permission.
“Nathan.””
“Yes?””
“Who is controlling this?””
Nathan didn’t respond.
The silence stretched.
Then a loud noise interrupted the call.
A crash.
Simone immediately sat up.
“Nathan?””
No answer.
“Nathan!””
The line remained open.
She could hear movement.
Heavy footsteps.
Then a man’s voice in the background.
“Who are you talking to?””
Nathan whispered something Simone couldn’t hear.
The man spoke again.
“Give me the phone.””
The call cut off.
Simone stared at the screen.
Maya moved closer.
“What happened?””
Simone grabbed her coat.
“We’re leaving.””
“Where?””
She looked at the last location attached to Nathan’s call.
A private Ashford property outside the city.
Then she saw one final message appear.
A text from Nathan.
Sent three seconds before the call disconnected.
Only five words.
*Don’t trust your own family.*
Simone stared at the message.
Because suddenly she understood the real reason behind the cake.
The public humiliation wasn’t meant to break her.
It was meant to make her angry.
To make her react.
To make her investigate.
Because someone inside the Ashford organization wanted her to find the truth.
But the person who opened the door…
Was someone Simone had spent her entire life protecting.
May you like
And now she had to find out whether Nathan Carter was her greatest ally—
or the person who had just led her into a trap.
