Chapter 6: The Man Outside
I turned toward the front window.
A man stood beyond the glass.
He was tall, thin, and completely still.
The porch light cut across his face.
I had never seen him before.
And yet something about him made my stomach twist.
He looked like my father.
Not exactly.
The jaw was different. The eyes were darker. The hair was longer.
But there was something in the way he stood.
Something familiar.
Evelyn watched me.
“Don't open the door yet.””
“That's my house.””
“He knows that.””
I looked at Laura.
She was crying silently.
“You knew he was coming?””
“No.””
“Then why are you shaking?””
“Because I know what happens when Michael gets angry.””
A knock sounded.
Once.
Then twice.
The third knock was softer.
Almost polite.
I stepped closer to the door.
“Mark,” Evelyn said quietly.
I didn't stop.
I opened it.
The man on the porch looked directly at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he said,
“You have his voice.””
I stared.
“Michael?””
He nodded.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it.
“You're my brother?””
His eyes moved past me.
They landed on Laura.
Then on Evelyn.
Finally, back to me.
“Half-brother.””
I swallowed.
“How long have you known who I am?””
“Since you were born.””
That answer hit harder than it should have.
“You watched me?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know me?””
“Your father talked about you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“My father died believing he only had one son.””
Michael's expression hardened.
“He died hoping no one would find out he had two.””
He stepped inside.
Evelyn shut the door.
Laura backed toward the kitchen counter.
Michael looked at her.
“You almost got him killed.””
Laura shook her head.
“I didn't know.””
“You knew enough.””
“About the affair, yes,” she said.
“Not about the rest.””
Michael looked at me.
“That part is true.””
I frowned.
“You're defending her?””
“No.””
He reached into his coat and pulled out a folder.
“I need you to understand something before you decide who to hate.””
He opened the folder on the table.
Inside were photographs.
Bank records.
Surveillance images.
A series of text messages.
One photo showed Jason entering a storage facility.
Another showed him meeting a man I recognized from the paperwork.
“Who's that?””
“A broker.””
“What broker?””
“The man who was supposed to sell your father's old properties after the transfer.””
I looked up.
“After?””
Michael nodded.
“The money wasn't the final target.””
“What was?””
He pointed to the last page.
A list of properties.
Seven addresses.
I recognized four.
“They're all owned by Westridge.””
“Yes.””
“And the house?””
“Number one.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Why take my house first?””
“Because it was the easiest thing to make you surrender.””
I looked at Laura.
She whispered,
“I was supposed to convince you the transfer was for our future.””
Michael nodded.
“Exactly.””
I turned back to him.
“You knew about Laura and Jason.””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Eight months.””
I felt something inside me crack.
“Eight months?””
Michael's voice softened.
“I didn't know how to approach you.””
“You could have called.””
“I did.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
He pointed at my phone.
“The unknown number.””
The messages.
The warnings.
The same number that had been appearing for weeks.
“You were there?””
“I've been trying to warn you without letting Jason know I found you.””
I shook my head.
“Why hide?””
“Because Jason was tracking my phone.””
Michael closed the folder.
“There's another reason.””
I waited.
He looked at Evelyn.
She gave him a small nod.
Then he said,
“Our father didn't just steal money from Evelyn.””
The room went quiet.
“He stole it from me.””
I frowned.
“How?””
“He created Westridge using money that belonged to my mother's family.””
I looked at Evelyn.
She nodded.
“My father trusted him.””
Michael looked down.
“And your father betrayed all of us.””
I couldn't process it.
“So the company…”
“Was never entirely his.””
Michael slid one final document toward me.
At the bottom was my father's signature.
Beside it was another signature.
One I didn't recognize.
Michael.
I looked at the date.
1999.
Before I was born.
“What is this?””
“A trust agreement.””
I read the first paragraph.
My father's voice seemed to rise from the page.
*Upon the death of the surviving founder, fifty percent of the remaining assets shall pass to Michael Parker.*
I looked up.
“Then why didn't you ever claim them?””
Michael stared at me.
“Because your father destroyed the original.””
“Then how do you have this?””
A faint smile crossed his face.
“Because he destroyed the copy he knew about.””
He opened the folder again.
“Your mother kept the other one.””
I froze.
“My mother?””
Michael nodded.
“That's why Jason wanted to reach her.””
My phone buzzed.
A new message.
This time from Laura's number.
But Laura was standing three feet from me.
She hadn't touched her phone.
I looked at the screen.
*THE TRANSFER ISN'T TOMORROW. IT'S TONIGHT.*
I stared at the message.
Then another appeared.
*GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. NOW.*
Michael read it over my shoulder.
His face changed.
“That's not Jason.””
“Who is it?””
Michael looked toward the windows.
“The person who has the original trust.””
Before I could ask anything else, the power went out.
Every light in the house died.
A car engine roared outside.
Michael grabbed my arm.
“Move.””
“Where?””
May you like
He pulled me toward the back door.
“Before they realize you're still here.””
