Chapter 9: The Brother Nobody Knew
My father moved first.
He stepped between me and Daniel.
“You're supposed to be dead.””
Daniel smiled.
“That was the story.””
Denise was crying.
“You can't be here.””
Daniel looked at her.
“I've been here for years.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“You've been watching my family?””
“I've been watching what you did to Maya.””
I flinched.
Daniel noticed.
“You don't know me.””
“No,” he said.
“But I know you.””
He looked at Denise.
“She told you I died.””
Dad turned toward Denise.
“You told me Daniel Cross was dead?””
She nodded.
“Why?””
“Because he was supposed to be.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“I survived.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Where have you been?””
Daniel looked at him.
“You know where.””
Victor's face tightened.
“You've been blackmailing her.””
Daniel smiled.
“That's one word for it.””
Dad grabbed his collar.
“Enough games.””
Daniel didn't resist.
“Ask your wife why she needed me.””
Dad released him.
He turned toward Denise.
“Why?””
Denise couldn't look at him.
Daniel answered for her.
“Because I was the only person who knew the truth.””
“What truth?””
“That Maya wasn't the child Arthur thought she was.””
Dad looked at me.
Daniel continued.
“Your daughter died.””
Dad's face hardened.
“And Maya?””
“She was born to Denise.””
Elena gasped.
Daniel nodded.
“Denise gave birth to twins.””
I stared at him.
“Twins?””
“Yes.””
“But Elena…”
“Wasn't your mother.””
Elena's face crumpled.
“I thought she was.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You were told that.””
“By whom?””
“By the hospital.””
Victor whispered, “The records.””
Daniel nodded.
“I paid for them to be changed.””
Dad stared.
“You?””
Daniel shrugged.
“I was desperate.””
“For what?””
“For money.””
Silence.
Daniel looked at Denise.
“She knew.””
Denise closed her eyes.
“She knew her daughter had a twin.””
I felt cold.
“You knew?””
Denise nodded.
“I was told there were two babies.””
“Then where is the other one?””
Daniel looked at me.
“You're looking at her.””
My heart stopped.
“No.””
He nodded.
“You and Elena are twins.””
Elena stepped toward me.
“I knew there was something.””
She touched her face.
“My mother used to say I looked like a stranger.””
I stared at her.
“I have her eyes.””
“Yes.””
“And her scar.””
“Yes.””
Daniel sighed.
“But there's something you don't know.””
Dad's voice sharpened.
“What?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your biological father wasn't me.””
I stared.
“You said your name was Daniel Cross.””
“Yes.””
“And Denise was your sister.””
“Yes.””
“Then who is my father?””
Daniel's expression became serious.
“Arthur.””
My father froze.
“What?””
Daniel looked at Denise.
“She never told you.””
Denise shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel continued.
“Daniel Cross was your mother's husband.””
He looked at me.
“But he wasn't your biological father.””
Dad's face went white.
“Then who?””
Daniel answered.
“You.””
Nobody breathed.
Dad stared.
“That isn't possible.””
Daniel smiled sadly.
“It is.””
Victor stepped forward.
“The timeline…”
Daniel nodded.
“Arthur and Denise were together before Denise married him.””
Dad looked at Denise.
“Is that true?””
She couldn't answer.
Daniel did.
“Yes.””
Dad's face twisted.
“You lied about when you met me.””
“I was afraid,” Denise whispered.
“You were pregnant.””
“Yes.””
“With my child.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
“I thought you would hate me.””
Dad laughed bitterly.
“I loved you.””
Denise began sobbing.
“I know.””
“You let me believe I wasn't Maya's father.””
“I was ashamed.””
“So you let me raise her without knowing she was mine.””
“I wanted her to have a father.””
“You had one.””
Denise looked at him.
“You were married to someone else.””
Dad shook his head.
“No.””
Daniel interrupted.
“That isn't the worst part.””
Dad turned.
“What now?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Maya wasn't supposed to come home with either of you.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
“The hospital knew there had been a mix-up.””
Victor nodded.
“We discovered it after discharge.””
“Then why didn't you tell them?””
Victor looked ashamed.
“Money.””
Dad stared.
“Everyone lied for money.””
Daniel nodded.
“The hospital wanted to avoid a scandal.””
Denise wanted to keep Maya.
“And you?””
Daniel looked at her.
“I wanted to make sure she stayed hidden.””
“Why?””
“Because her birth was connected to something much bigger.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“What?””
Daniel pulled a folder from his coat.
Inside were old hospital records.
He spread them across the table.
There were names.
Dates.
Payments.
Signatures.
Then I saw one name.
*Dr. Evelyn Carter.*
My father's face changed.
“Carter?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your family doctor.””
Dad shook his head.
“She was my mother's physician.””
“She was also involved in the deliveries.””
Dad picked up the document.
“She was paid.””
Daniel nodded.
“By whom?””
Daniel pointed to the bottom.
A company name.
*Carter Construction Holdings.*
Dad stared.
“That was my company.””
“Exactly.””
Dad's face hardened.
“But the company wasn't involved in medical matters.””
“Someone used it.””
“Who?””
Daniel looked at Denise.
She whispered—
“I don't know.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You do.””
“I don't.””
“You signed the transfer.””
“What transfer?””
Dad looked at her.
“Denise.””
Daniel placed another document on the table.
It was dated six years ago.
The year Denise married my father.
I looked at the signature.
Denise's.
Beneath it was an authorization giving a private investigator access to my childhood records.
Dad read it.
“Why would you investigate Maya?””
Denise cried.
“Because I knew something was wrong.””
“What?””
“I knew she wasn't supposed to be yours.””
Dad stared.
“But she is mine.””
Denise nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then what were you looking for?””
She didn't answer.
Daniel did.
“She was looking for the other twin.””
Elena stepped forward.
“Me.””
Daniel nodded.
“You.””
Elena looked at me.
“Why?””
Daniel's expression darkened.
“Because the other twin inherited something.””
Dad frowned.
“What?””
Daniel pulled out one final document.
A trust agreement.
The beneficiary was listed as:
*Maya Carter and Elena Bennett.*
My hands shook.
“What is this?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your grandfather created a trust before you were born.””
Dad stared.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“What did he leave?””
Daniel smiled.
“Twenty-four million dollars.””
Nobody spoke.
Denise sank into a chair.
Dad looked at her.
“You knew.””
She nodded.
“I found the trust six years ago.””
“And you wanted it.””
“Yes.””
“So the ten thousand dollars…”
“Was nothing compared to that.””
I felt sick.
“All of this was about money.””
Denise cried.
“At first.””
“At first?””
She looked at me.
“Then I became afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That the truth would come out.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“The truth is already out.””
Dad picked up the trust.
“There has to be a catch.””
“There is.””
“What?””
Daniel pointed to a clause.
“The trust activates only when both daughters are identified by DNA.””
Elena stared.
“So that's why…”
Denise nodded.
“I needed Maya tested.””
“But why hurt her?””
“Because if she knew she had a sister, she would find Elena.””
“And then?””
“The trust would activate.””
Dad stared at Denise.
“You were trying to prevent them from meeting.””
“Yes.””
I looked at Elena.
She was crying.
“I spent twelve years believing my sister was dead.””
I stepped toward her.
“And I spent twelve years believing I wasn't wanted.””
We stood facing each other.
Then she reached for my hand.
I let her.
Her fingers were warm.
Familiar.
Like holding the hand of someone I'd known before I could remember knowing anyone.
Dad looked at us.
For the first time that night, his anger disappeared.
He looked broken.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
His expression changed.
“What?””
He listened.
Then slowly sat down.
Daniel watched him.
“What happened?””
Dad looked at me.
“The hospital found one more record.””
“What record?””
Dad's voice was barely audible.
“Your original birth certificate.””
I looked at Elena.
Dad continued.
“It lists two mothers.””
I frowned.
“Two?””
He nodded.
“And one father.””
“Who?””
Dad looked at me.
Then at Denise.
His face went completely pale.
“Me.””
A long silence followed.
Then Dad whispered—
“But the second mother's name isn't Elena.””
I felt Elena's hand tighten around mine.
Dad turned the page.
The name belonged to a woman none of us had ever heard of.
And beneath her name was a note handwritten by the doctor:
*Do not tell Arthur. He will recognize her.*
My father stared at the sentence.
Then he whispered—
“I know this woman.””
May you like
And somewhere upstairs, a floorboard creaked.
Someone else was in the house.
