Chapter 9: The Name Written on the Contract
I stared at the screen.
The name sat beneath mine.
A name Sarah recognized.
A name my father feared.
A name that should not have existed.
“Who is it?””
Nobody answered.
I looked at my father.
“Dad.””
His face had gone completely blank.
“Tell me.””
Finally, he whispered:
“Your brother.””
The room became silent.
The photograph.
The hidden DNA report.
The secret family.
Everything crashed together.
“My half-brother?””
My father nodded.
“But he’s dead.””
“Yes.””
“Then how is he signing documents?””
My father looked away.
“That’s what we need to find out.””
Ryan took the phone.
“I need to check the company records.””
“You think this is fake?””
“I think someone has been pretending to be dead.””
That sentence stayed in my mind.
Pretending.
My entire life suddenly felt like a performance.
I looked at Sarah.
“How long have you known about my brother?””
She shook her head.
“I didn’t.””
“Then why did you look terrified when you saw his name?””
She hesitated.
“Because Ryan told me there was another person involved.””
“Who?””
Sarah looked down.
“I never knew his name.””
I stepped closer.
“But you knew.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I knew someone was trying to take Ethan.””
That stopped me.
“What does Ethan have to do with your brother?””
Sarah looked at my son.
“Because the DNA report wasn’t only about you.””
Ryan opened another document.
“James, we need to talk about inheritance.””
I looked at him.
“Explain.””
He placed the papers on the table.
“Your grandfather created a private trust.””
I scanned the document.
“The Carter Family Trust.””
Ryan nodded.
“Only descendants of the original bloodline can control it.””
“So?””
“So Ethan’s DNA confirms he is a direct descendant.””
I frowned.
“Of course he is.””
Ryan shook his head.
“Not only through you.””
I felt cold.
“What?””
He pointed at the report.
“Ethan has genetic markers from another branch.””
My father closed his eyes.
“The branch they thought disappeared.””
I looked at Sarah.
She whispered:
“Your brother.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
Ryan continued.
“That’s why someone has been watching Ethan.””
I looked upstairs.
At my son’s room.
A child who had no idea adults were fighting over him.
A child who only wanted his red bicycle.
My phone rang.
This time, it wasn’t unknown.
It was Michael.
I answered.
“What do you want?””
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“James, we need to talk.””
“You mean about stealing my company?””
A pause.
Then a sigh.
“You finally found out.””
My blood boiled.
“You betrayed me.””
“No.””
His voice hardened.
“I saved you.””
I laughed.
“By taking everything?””
“You don’t understand what your father did.””
I looked at my father.
“What are you talking about?””
Michael continued.
“Ask him why he erased your brother from history.””
Nobody moved.
My father’s face changed.
“Michael…”
Michael laughed.
“You really thought you could hide forever?””
I gripped the phone.
“Where are you?””
“I’m where this all started.””
“Where?””
Another pause.
Then:
“The hospital where Ethan was born.””
My heart stopped.
Michael continued.
“And James?””
“What?””
“Bring your father.””
The line went silent.
Then one final sentence came through.
“Because he’s the only person who knows which baby was really taken that night.””
The call ended.
I looked at my father.
He looked terrified.
And for the first time in my life…
May you like
I wondered if I was the person who had been lied to.
Or the person who had been protected from the truth.
