Chapter 3: The Brother Who Returned From The Grave
For four years, I believed my brother was dead.
I attended his funeral.
I watched my parents collapse under the weight of losing their youngest child.
I stood beside a grave and promised myself I would never forget Ethan Cole.
But now his voice was coming through my phone.
Alive.
Calm.
Terrified.
“Nathan,” Ethan said again.
“You need to listen carefully.””
I walked away from everyone in the kitchen, but my eyes never left Victoria.
She stood frozen beside the counter.
The woman I was supposed to marry.
The woman who had just whispered that my dead brother was never supposed to return.
“Where are you?”” I asked.
There was a long pause.
“Somewhere I should have left years ago.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Ethan, what happened?””
“I made a mistake.””
“You disappeared.””
“I know.””
“You let everyone believe you were dead.””
“I know.””
My voice cracked.
“You let me bury you.””
Silence.
For a moment, I heard nothing but his breathing.
Then he said quietly, “I’m sorry.””
Those two words should have made me feel better.
They didn’t.
Because apologies could not erase four years of questions.
They could not erase birthdays missed.
Family dinners without him.
The empty chair at Christmas.
“Why?”” I asked.
“Because I found out what Victoria was capable of.””
I looked at her.
She immediately shook her head.
“Nathan, don’t believe him.””
Ethan heard her voice.
A bitter laugh came through the phone.
“She’s there, isn’t she?””
I said nothing.
That was enough.
“She always gets nervous when the truth gets close.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“Give me the phone.””
I moved away.
“No.””
Her expression changed.
“Nathan.””
The way she said my name used to make me feel loved.
Now it sounded like a warning.
Ethan continued.
“Do you remember the night before the accident?””
I closed my eyes.
The memories returned instantly.
Ethan had called me three times.
I ignored every call.
I was preparing for a major business presentation the next morning.
I told myself I would call him back.
I never did.
“He wanted to meet you,” Ethan said.
“Why?””
“Because he found something.””
I looked at Grace.
She was holding Lily tightly.
“What?””
A pause.
Then Ethan answered.
“Proof that Victoria had been lying to your family for years.””
Victoria’s face hardened.
“That’s enough.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked at me.
“Nathan, your brother is manipulating you.””
“Then why are you afraid?””
She froze.
Because she didn’t have an answer.
Ethan spoke again.
“Check the safe in my old apartment.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“There’s something inside.””
“I thought your apartment was cleared out.””
“It was supposed to be.””
The way he said it made my stomach tighten.
“What did you leave there?””
“Everything I needed you to find.””
The call suddenly became distorted.
“Ethan?””
“Nathan, listen to me. You cannot trust—”
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone.
“Ethan?””
Nothing.
Victoria immediately stepped toward me.
“You see? It’s a trick.””
I looked at her.
“A trick?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you say he wasn’t supposed to come back?””
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Regret.
Fear.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Because I thought he was gone.””
The room went silent.
Grace stood.
“You finally admitted it.””
Victoria looked at her.
“Don’t act like you know everything.””
“I know enough.””
“No, you don’t.””
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“You have no idea what Ethan did.””
That caught my attention.
“What did he do?””
She looked at me.
For a moment, I thought she would finally tell the truth.
Instead, she reached for my hand.
“Nathan, please.””
I stepped back.
The movement hurt her more than I expected.
But I couldn’t stop.
Not after what I had seen.
Not after what I had heard.
“I need to know everything.””
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I love you.””
I almost believed her.
That was the worst part.
Because love did not disappear just because someone betrayed you.
It stayed.
It hurt.
And it made the truth harder to accept.
Grace picked up the envelope.
“There’s more.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She pulled out another photograph.
This one was older.
It showed Ethan standing outside a hospital.
Beside him was Victoria.
And between them was a man I had never seen before.
A man handing Ethan a folder.
On the back of the photo were three words.
“Ask about Daniel.””
I stared at the name.
“Who is Daniel?””
Nobody answered.
May you like
Then Victoria whispered something that made my blood run cold.
“He was the reason Ethan had to disappear.””
