Chapter 4: The Family Secret
I hadn’t heard my brother’s name spoken inside the Grand Regent for years.
Not since the funeral.
Not since the arguments.
Not since everything between us broke apart.
“Caleb?””
Vanessa nodded.
My hands tightened.
“Explain.””
She looked frightened.
“He visited last month.””
Daniel looked confused.
“Caleb Vance came here?””
“Yes.””
I turned toward him.
“My brother owns no position in this company.””
“I know,” Daniel said.
“Then why was he giving orders?””
Nobody answered.
That was when I realized this wasn’t about two rude receptionists.
It was bigger.
Much bigger.
I found Caleb sitting in a private restaurant three hours later.
He didn’t look surprised when I arrived.
That bothered me more than anything.
He looked almost amused.
“Ethan.””
I sat across from him.
“You knew.””
He smiled slightly.
“I assumed you’d find out eventually.””
“Knew what?””
“That your precious hotel isn’t as perfect as you believe.””
I stared at him.
“You encouraged employees to treat people badly?””
He laughed.
“Don’t be dramatic.””
“Answer me.””
His smile faded.
“You disappeared after Sarah died.””
The words hit.
“You left me to handle everything.””
“I was grieving.””
“So was I.””
Silence.
For years, I blamed myself for losing Sarah.
I never considered that Caleb carried his own anger.
But anger didn’t excuse cruelty.
“You had no authority.””
He leaned back.
“Actually, I did.””
My eyes narrowed.
“What?””
He reached into his briefcase.
And placed a document on the table.
I looked down.
My blood went cold.
It was a shareholder agreement.
One I had never seen.
“What is this?””
“Something you signed.””
“I signed hundreds of documents.””
“Exactly.””
I picked it up.
There it was.
My signature.
My stomach dropped.
A clause.
A transfer agreement.
A hidden condition.
“When did you get this?””
“After Sarah died.””
I looked at him.
“You planned this.””
“No.””
He smiled.
“I prepared.””
I stood.
“You manipulated my company.””
“Our company.””
“No.””
The word came out cold.
“Sarah and I built this.””
Caleb’s expression changed.
“You always thought you were better than me.””
“That’s not true.””
“It is.””
He leaned forward.
“Dad always chose you.””
There it was.
The real wound.
Not money.
Not power.
Jealousy.
“You had everything,” he said.
“I had responsibility.””
“And I had nothing.””
I looked at the man across from me.
My own brother.
Someone who once played basketball with me as a child.
Someone who held my daughter when she was born.
Now he was the reason employees believed kindness was weakness.
“You don’t get to hurt innocent people because you’re angry at me.””
His jaw tightened.
“You’re going to regret fighting me.””
I turned away.
Then he said one final thing.
“By the way…”
I stopped.
“Did you check the company records?””
I looked back.
“What records?””
His smile returned.
“The ones Sarah left behind.””
My heart stopped.
“What about them?””
“She knew.””
“Knew what?””
Caleb leaned closer.
“She knew someone was stealing from the company.””
The room went silent.
“Who?””
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he picked up his glass.
“You’ll find out.””
I walked away.
But one thought followed me.
Sarah had always been careful.
She had always trusted me.
May you like
If she discovered someone was betraying us…
Why didn’t she tell me?
