Chapter 6: The Brother I Trusted
My brother’s name was Michael Cole.
For most of my life, he had been the person I trusted most.
When our father died, Michael was the one who hugged me at the funeral.
When I got married, he stood beside me.
When the twins were born, he cried while holding them.
I remembered him whispering:
“They’re perfect, James.””
Now I wondered if those words had ever been real.
I sat in my office staring at the documents.
Daniel had left an hour earlier.
Victoria was upstairs with the police.
And my world had narrowed down to one question.
Why?
Why would Michael do this?
My phone rang.
I saw his name.
For a moment, I almost didn’t answer.
Then I did.
“Hello?””
“James.””
His voice sounded normal.
Too normal.
“You okay?””
I laughed quietly.
“You’re asking me that?””
Silence.
Then:
“What happened?””
I looked at the documents on my desk.
“You tell me.””
Another pause.
“James…”
“Did you pay for Victoria’s DNA test?””
The silence that followed told me everything.
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Michael.””
Finally, he spoke.
“Who told you?””
I closed my eyes.
Not denial.
Not confusion.
A question.
“You knew.””
“James, listen to me.””
“No.””
I stood up.
“You listen.””
My voice shook.
“You watched me raise those babies.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
The words made me stop.
“Protect me?””
“Yes.””
“By lying?””
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Michael exhaled.
“I found out before you did.””
“About the affair?””
“Yes.””
“About the twins?””
“Yes.””
I felt sick.
“How long?””
“Since the pregnancy.””
I sat down.
The room felt smaller.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because Dad knew.””
I froze.
“Again with Dad.””
Michael’s voice became quieter.
“He made me promise.””
I stared at the wall.
“My father made you hide this?””
“He said the family couldn’t survive a scandal.””
I laughed.
“The family?””
My voice cracked.
“He destroyed it.””
Michael didn’t respond.
Then I asked:
“Why were you paying for the DNA test?””
Another long pause.
Finally:
“Because I needed proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That Victoria was lying.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“I didn’t trust her.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because when I confronted her, she threatened you.””
I stopped.
“What?””
Michael continued.
“She said if I exposed her, she would make sure you lost everything.””
I looked at the documents.
“The inheritance.””
“Yes.””
“She knew.””
“Yes.””
I stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, my neighborhood looked exactly the same.
Cars passing.
Neighbors walking dogs.
Normal life continuing.
Meanwhile, mine had collapsed.
“Michael.””
“Yes?””
“Who was the man who came to my house?””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then he answered:
“I don’t know.””
I immediately knew he was lying.
“Michael.””
“I swear.””
“No.””
My voice hardened.
“You know something.””
He didn’t speak.
Then I heard him whisper:
“James, you need to leave that house.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“Take the twins and leave.””
“Why?””
“Because Victoria isn’t the most dangerous person involved.””
I looked toward the nursery.
“Who is?””
Michael’s voice dropped.
“The person who has been controlling all of this from the beginning.””
I gripped the phone.
“Who?””
Before he could answer, the call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From Michael.
One sentence.
One name.
May you like
The name of the person I never expected.
*“James, your mother is alive.””*
