Chapter 9: The Brother Who Kept the Biggest Secret
I stared at the screen.
Unable to process what I was seeing.
My brother’s name.
My oldest brother.
Marcus.
The man who spent his life protecting justice.
The man everyone respected.
The man who stood beside me at the gala.
His name was connected to an account receiving money from Richard Voss.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Caleb whispered:
"That’s impossible.""
Julian looked equally shocked.
Marcus himself stood frozen.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because Marcus always had an answer.
Always.
But now?
Nothing.
I looked at him.
"Marcus.""
He didn’t respond.
"Tell me this isn’t real.""
His eyes met mine.
And the sadness there told me everything.
Not guilt.
Not exactly.
Something worse.
Regret.
"Emma...""
My heart sank.
"How long?""
He closed his eyes.
"Since before you met Adrian.""
The room went silent.
I felt betrayed all over again.
Not by Adrian.
By the people I trusted most.
"What did you do?""
Marcus sat down slowly.
"Nothing illegal.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That’s what everyone says before explaining something terrible.""
He accepted the criticism.
"The account was created to monitor Richard.""
Julian looked at him.
"You never told us?""
"I couldn't.""
"Why?""
Marcus looked at me.
"Because you were involved.""
I froze.
"What?""
He took a deep breath.
"Richard knew about our family. He knew our connections. He knew if he attacked us directly, we would fight back.""
"So he chose Adrian.""
Marcus nodded.
"But there was another reason.""
"What reason?""
His voice became softer.
"Because Richard believed you were the easiest person to manipulate.""
I felt anger.
"Me?""
Marcus shook his head.
"No.""
He looked ashamed.
"He believed you were the person we would sacrifice everything to protect.""
That hurt.
Because it was true.
Marcus continued.
"The account wasn't mine. It was an operation.""
"With who?""
He hesitated.
And that hesitation answered before he did.
"Federal investigators.""
I stared.
"You're telling me you secretly investigated Richard?""
"Yes.""
"And you let me marry Adrian?""
His face broke.
"I tried to stop it.""
The room became quiet.
"What?""
Marcus looked at me.
"I warned Dad.""
My breathing stopped.
"You knew?""
"Yes.""
"Before the wedding?""
He nodded.
"Your father knew Adrian was connected to Richard.""
I stepped back.
"My father knew?""
The pain was different now.
Because suddenly everyone had known except me.
Marcus’s voice softened.
"He wanted to tell you.""
"But?""
"But he died before he could.""
I looked away.
Seven years of secrets.
Seven years of people deciding what I could handle.
And somehow, that hurt almost as much as Adrian’s betrayal.
"I needed the truth.""
Marcus nodded.
"You’re right.""
No excuses.
No defense.
Just acceptance.
That was why Marcus had always been different.
He could admit when he was wrong.
Even when it hurt.
Julian looked at the computer.
"There’s something else.""
Everyone turned.
"What?""
He pointed.
"The account wasn’t only used to track Richard.""
My stomach tightened.
"What else?""
Julian enlarged the document.
A second transaction appeared.
A payment.
From Richard.
To someone else.
Not Marcus.
Not Adrian.
Someone close.
Very close.
Caleb leaned forward.
Then his face changed.
"No.""
I looked.
The name appeared.
And this time, none of us spoke.
Because the person connected to Richard’s operation was someone who had been beside our family for years.
Someone we trusted.
Someone who knew every weakness.
Someone who knew every secret.
The person who had helped raise us.
Our father’s closest friend.
*Daniel Cross.*
Marcus stood immediately.
"That’s impossible.""
But nobody believed those words anymore.
Because we had learned something painful.
Impossible things happened every day.
Adrian’s betrayal had been impossible.
Richard’s plan had been impossible.
And now this.
I looked at the evidence.
The truth was unfolding piece by piece.
But every answer created a new question.
Why had Daniel helped Richard?
What did my father discover before he died?
And most importantly...
Was my father’s death really an accident?
The room fell silent.
Then my phone buzzed.
Another anonymous message.
This time, only three words.
*Ask about the accident.*
I looked at my brothers.
And for the first time in years...
May you like
We all wondered the same thing.
What if we had been fighting the wrong enemy all along?
