Chapter 4: The Brother Who Came Back From the Dead
For three seconds, Damian couldn't move.
His brother was standing twenty feet away, alive, holding a gun, and looking at him as though Damian were the one who had betrayed the family.
Sofia was gripping his sleeve so tightly that her fingers had begun to hurt.
"Put the weapon down," Damian said.
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"Six years, Damian. Six years, and that's the first thing you say to me?""
"You're supposed to be dead.""
"I noticed.""
Damian took one step forward.
"Where have you been?""
"Running.""
"From whom?""
Ethan's eyes moved briefly toward Sofia.
"Apparently, from everyone.""
Marcus positioned himself between the brothers, his weapon raised.
"Boss, step back. We don't know if this is—"
"Lower your gun," Damian interrupted.
"Sir?""
"That's my brother.""
Marcus reluctantly lowered his weapon, although he didn't put it away.
Ethan looked around the storage unit.
"You still surround yourself with men who follow orders without asking questions. Some things never change.""
"Some things should never have changed," Damian replied.
"Like you calling me before disappearing for six years.""
Ethan's expression tightened.
"I tried.""
"Don't.""
"I'm telling you the truth.""
"You were declared dead. I buried you.""
"And I watched you stand over an empty coffin while the people who arranged my death congratulated themselves.""
Damian's face went pale.
"Who?""
Ethan lowered his gun slightly.
"Victor.""
The name seemed to drain the air from the room.
"My uncle?""
"Your father's favorite brother. The man who handled the funeral arrangements. The man who insisted on identifying my remains.""
Damian shook his head.
"Victor has been running the organization for six years.""
"Exactly.""
"You're telling me he orchestrated your death and then took control of everything?""
"Not everything. He needed you alive. He needed you angry, distracted, and convinced that every problem could be solved by expanding the business.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"He turned you into the kind of man Father wanted you to become.""
Damian's jaw tightened.
"Be careful.""
"Or what? You'll threaten your dead brother?""
"Explain Sofia.""
Ethan's expression changed immediately.
He looked at her.
For the first time, the anger in his eyes gave way to something resembling grief.
"How long have you been working for him?""
"Eight months," Sofia whispered.
"And you told him nothing?""
"I didn't know what to tell him.""
"You knew enough to come here.""
Damian stepped between them.
"Stop talking to her like she's responsible for your disappearance.""
Ethan's eyes flashed.
"You don't understand what happened.""
"Then explain it.""
Ethan glanced toward the ceiling.
"We don't have much time. Someone triggered the facility alarm. They'll be here in minutes.""
Marcus checked his phone.
"He's right. Two vehicles just entered the property.""
Damian looked at Ethan.
"Are they yours?""
"No.""
"Victor's?""
"Probably.""
"Then we're leaving together.""
Ethan shook his head.
"Not until you understand why Sofia matters.""
He reached into his coat and removed a folded photograph.
It showed a hospital room.
A little girl lay in the bed, connected to monitors. Her face was bruised, and one arm was wrapped in a cast.
Beside her stood Ethan.
And behind him was a woman Damian recognized immediately.
Elena.
Sofia's mother.
Damian looked at Sofia.
"Who is the child?""
Sofia's eyes filled.
"Me.""
Damian looked again.
The photograph was dated six years earlier.
Three months before Ethan's accident.
"You told me you were twelve in the other photograph," he said.
"I was.""
"Why were you in a hospital?""
Sofia swallowed.
"Because someone tried to kill me.""
Ethan closed his eyes.
"She was never supposed to be involved.""
"Who tried to kill her?"" Damian demanded.
"Victor's men.""
Sofia shook her head.
"No. It wasn't Victor's men.""
Both brothers turned toward her.
She stepped out from behind Damian.
"My mother told me the truth before she died. The person who ordered the attack was someone who knew where I lived, what school I attended, and when I would be alone.""
Damian stared at her.
"Who?""
Sofia looked directly at him.
"Your father.""
The words struck harder than the gunshots.
Damian took a step backward.
"My father has been dead for twelve years.""
"I know.""
"He never knew you.""
"He knew my mother.""
Ethan lowered his head.
Damian looked between them.
"Start at the beginning.""
Sofia wiped her cheek.
"My mother worked for your family long before I was born. She was a bookkeeper at one of your father's businesses. She discovered that he was using the company to move money through accounts belonging to people who didn't exist.""
"That's impossible.""
"It isn't.""
"Why would he target a child?""
"Because my mother copied the records. And because she had something he wanted.""
Ethan finished the sentence.
"The original account ledger.""
Damian looked at his brother.
"You knew?""
"I found out after the hospital attack. Your father had been dead for years by then, but his instructions were still being followed.""
"By Victor.""
Ethan nodded.
"He wanted the ledger because it contained the names of everyone who had helped your father build the organization. Judges. Police officers.
Bankers. Politicians.""
"And Sofia's mother had it?""
"She hid it.""
"Where?""
Ethan looked toward Sofia.
"That's what I've been trying to find out.""
A loud crash echoed from outside the storage unit.
Marcus raised his weapon.
"Boss, we need to move.""
Damian looked at his brother.
"You're coming with us.""
Ethan hesitated.
Then he nodded.
They slipped through a narrow service corridor behind the unit. Marcus led the way while Damian kept Sofia close.
At the emergency exit, Ethan suddenly stopped.
"Wait.""
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver object.
An old watch.
Damian recognized it immediately.
It had belonged to their father.
But the watch had been buried with him.
"Where did you get that?""
Ethan looked at his brother.
"From the man who ordered the crash.""
Damian stared at it.
There was a tiny inscription on the back.
For Victor, with gratitude.
Damian's stomach tightened.
"Why would Father give Victor his watch?""
"He didn't.""
Ethan turned the watch over.
"Victor gave it to him.""
A shot rang out behind them.
Glass shattered.
Marcus shouted.
"Move!""
Damian grabbed Sofia and pushed her through the exit.
Ethan followed, but before he could reach them, a figure appeared in the corridor.
A man wearing a security uniform.
He raised his gun.
Damian turned.
"Ethan!""
His brother shoved Marcus aside just as the gun fired.
The bullet struck Ethan in the shoulder.
He stumbled against the wall.
Sofia screamed.
Damian drew his weapon and fired once.
The attacker fell.
Damian rushed to Ethan.
"Stay with me.""
Ethan pressed his hand against the wound.
"Still giving orders," he muttered.
"Shut up.""
Damian looked at Marcus.
"Get the vehicle. Now.""
Marcus disappeared through the exit.
Sofia knelt beside Ethan, tears running down her face.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Ethan looked at her.
"Don't be.""
Then he grabbed her wrist.
"Listen carefully. When we reach the estate, don't let Damian open the blue room.""
Damian frowned.
"What blue room?""
Ethan's grip tightened.
"Your father's private study.""
The older brother looked directly at him.
"There's something inside that room. Something that proves your father didn't die twelve years ago.""
Damian stared at him.
Then the realization struck.
May you like
If his father had survived, the entire history of the Cross family was a lie.
And somewhere inside Cross Manor, the man Damian had mourned for twelve years might still be waiting.
