Chapter 11: The Third Child's Secret
The Ashworth estate stood beyond a long iron gate surrounded by trees.
I'd seen photographs of it before.
My mother had once shown me an old picture of a beautiful country house and told me she'd spent part of her childhood there.
I hadn't known it belonged to the family that had destroyed hers.
When our SUV stopped, Damien immediately stepped outside.
"Two guards at the gate. Three near the house. Nobody moves without my order.""
I climbed out behind him.
Shadow followed slowly.
My mother remained inside the vehicle.
"Elena," Damien said, "stay with the driver.""
She shook her head.
"I've spent eighteen years staying behind.""
"You're not strong enough.""
"I buried my husband without a grave, Damien. I watched my children grow up without knowing each other. Don't tell me what I'm strong enough to do.""
Damien didn't argue.
We entered through the front doors.
The house smelled of polished wood and old smoke.
A grandfather clock stood beside the staircase.
Its hands had stopped at 11:47.
The exact time my mother said Daniel's car had crashed.
I approached it.
"Why is it stopped?""
Damien examined the clock.
"Because the night Daniel disappeared, Vincent smashed it.""
"Why?""
"He said the house should never forget the time our family died.""
Before I could respond, a voice came from upstairs.
"That's a beautiful story, Damien.""
Corbin appeared on the landing.
He held a glass of whiskey.
Behind him stood a man wearing a dark suit.
The man looked exactly like the photograph.
Julian.
My brother.
He had dark hair, sharp cheekbones, and a thin scar running from his ear to his jaw.
He looked at me.
Then smiled.
"Briar.""
I couldn't move.
He descended the stairs slowly.
"I've waited a long time to meet you.""
I swallowed.
"Are you Julian?""
He nodded.
"Your oldest brother.""
I glanced at Damien.
"How old?""
"Thirty-one.""
Julian stopped a few feet away.
"You're twenty-four. Corbin is twenty-four. And I was the child they took.""
He looked toward Shadow.
"Hello, old friend.""
The dog growled.
Julian's smile disappeared.
"Still remembers me, apparently.""
I crouched beside Shadow.
"Did you know him?""
The dog pressed against my leg.
Julian laughed softly.
"He used to sleep beside my bed when I was little.""
My mother entered the room.
The moment Julian saw her, his expression changed.
"Mom.""
Elena stopped.
For a long moment, they stared at each other.
Then she rushed forward.
"My baby.""
Julian allowed her to embrace him.
But his arms remained at his sides.
"Don't," he whispered.
She pulled away.
"Julian...""
"Don't pretend you came looking for me.""
"I did. Every day.""
"Then why did you leave me?""
My mother began crying.
"I tried to save all of you.""
Julian stepped back.
"You saved Briar. You saved Corbin. You let me rot here.""
Corbin laughed.
"Don't be dramatic. You had everything.""
Julian turned toward him.
"Everything except freedom.""
Damien approached.
"Where have you been?""
Julian looked at him.
"Where you left me.""
Damien's jaw tightened.
"Your father...""
"Don't call him that.""
Julian pulled a photograph from his pocket.
It showed Daniel holding three babies.
"Daniel was my father. He was your friend. And you gave him to Vincent.""
Damien looked down.
"I made a mistake.""
Julian laughed.
"A mistake? You gave Vincent the location. You knew what would happen.""
I looked at Damien.
He didn't deny it.
Julian continued.
"Vincent raised me in this house. He taught me how to run his businesses, how to intimidate people, how to make everyone believe I was his heir.""
"Why didn't you escape?"" I asked.
Julian looked at me.
"Because he told me if I ever left, he'd kill you.""
My throat tightened.
"Did you believe him?""
"I saw what happened to people who disobeyed him.""
Corbin placed his glass on the railing.
"Enough sentimental nonsense.""
He approached a large desk.
"Julian and I have an agreement. He gets the trust. I get the legitimate companies. Damien gets nothing.""
Damien raised an eyebrow.
"And what does Briar get?""
Corbin smiled.
"She gets to leave alive.""
I stepped forward.
"You don't get to decide that.""
He laughed.
"Actually, I do.""
Julian opened the desk drawer and removed a folder.
Inside were documents bearing my name.
"Your twenty-fifth birthday is approaching," he said.
"The trust becomes accessible then. But there's a condition.""
I examined the first page.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
I frowned.
"I didn't sign this.""
Julian nodded.
"Someone forged it.""
"Who?""
He looked toward Corbin.
My twin brother shrugged.
"You're welcome.""
I picked up the document.
It transferred my entire share of the inheritance to a company registered in the Cayman Islands.
But there was another detail.
The signature had been witnessed by a notary whose name I recognized.
My former employer.
The veterinarian who had hired me three years earlier.
I looked up.
"Why is Dr. Hensley involved?""
Damien's expression changed.
"Who?""
"My old boss. He was the one who told me I should work with frightened animals.""
Julian smiled.
"Exactly.""
My mother suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Briar, we have to leave.""
A loud crash came from outside.
Then the lights went out.
Gunshots erupted across the property.
Damien pulled me behind the desk.
"DOWN!""
Shadow barked violently.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Through the window, I saw several armed men entering the garden.
One of them wore a white medical coat.
I recognized his face.
Dr. Hensley.
My former employer.
He raised a loudspeaker.
"Bring me the girl and the necklace!""
Julian looked toward the window.
Then whispered:
"That's not possible.""
I turned to him.
"Why?""
May you like
He stared at the man outside.
"Because Dr. Hensley died three years ago.""
