Chapter 8: The Brother in the Shadows
Nobody spoke.
The silence was unbearable.
Adrian stared at Alexander.
“I don’t have a brother.””
Alexander looked like he wanted to believe that.
But he couldn’t.
“You did.””
Adrian stepped back.
“My parents had one child.””
Alexander shook his head.
“No.””
His voice weakened.
“You had two.””
My eyes moved between them.
“Then where is he?””
Alexander looked down.
“I don’t know.””
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“This is insane.””
“No.””
Alexander’s voice became sharper.
“This is exactly what they wanted.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Who?””
Alexander closed his eyes.
“The people who erased him.””
I felt a strange pressure in my chest.
Because somehow, I knew.
This wasn’t just about money.
It was about identities.
Families.
People being removed from history.
“Tell us everything,” Adrian said.
Alexander looked at him.
“Your parents adopted him before you were born.””
Adrian froze.
“What?””
“He was six years old.””
Alexander looked away.
“He was brilliant. Charming. But he had anger inside him.””
Adrian’s voice became cold.
“And you gave him away?””
“No.””
Alexander shook his head.
“We loved him.””
The room became quiet.
“Then what happened?””
Alexander looked at me.
“The night of the fire, he disappeared.””
My stomach tightened.
“Was he the one who started it?””
Alexander didn’t answer.
That was worse.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Say it.””
Alexander whispered:
“I don’t know.””
The uncertainty made Adrian furious.
“You expect me to believe you?””
“I expect you to understand that you were also a victim.””
Adrian turned away.
For years, he had built himself around one truth.
His family died.
His sister died.
His father died.
Now every piece was breaking apart.
Then Marco entered.
“Boss.””
Everyone looked at him.
“We found the shooter.””
Adrian immediately turned.
“Where?””
Marco’s face was serious.
“He wasn’t trying to escape.””
“What?””
“He wanted us to find him.””
Marco handed Adrian a phone.
A video was already playing.
A man sat in a dark room.
His face hidden.
Then he spoke.
“Hello, Adrian.””
Adrian went completely still.
The voice.
It was familiar.
Not Vincent.
Not Alexander.
Someone else.
“You don’t know me.””
The man smiled.
“But you should.””
The video continued.
“You spent fifteen years blaming Vincent Kane.””
A pause.
“But the truth is…”
The man leaned closer.
“I’m the reason your family died.””
I felt Adrian tense.
The man continued.
“And I’m the reason your sister survived.””
The screen went black.
Nobody moved.
Then Adrian whispered:
“Find him.””
Marco nodded.
But before he left, my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Another message.
A location.
And one sentence.
*COME ALONE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE.*
Adrian noticed.
“What is it?””
I locked the screen.
“Nothing.””
His eyes narrowed.
“Wren.””
I looked away.
“I need answers.””
“You don’t go anywhere alone.””
“I need to know.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“You don’t understand what’s happening.””
“No.””
My voice broke.
“But I understand something.””
I held up the phone.
“Everyone keeps deciding my life for me.””
The room went silent.
“I was hidden. Lied to. Protected.””
I looked at him.
“But nobody ever asked what I wanted.””
Adrian had no response.
Because he knew I was right.
Two hours later, I left the hospital.
Alone.
I followed the location.
An abandoned church on the edge of the city.
The door was already open.
Inside, candles burned.
And someone was waiting.
A man stepped out from the shadows.
He looked exactly like Adrian.
Older.
Harder.
But the resemblance was undeniable.
My breath caught.
He smiled.
“Hello, Isabella.””
I couldn’t speak.
The man touched his face.
“I suppose I should introduce myself.””
He looked toward the door.
“My name is Lucas Kane.””
May you like
A pause.
“And I’m your brother.””
