Chapter 4: The File Hidden Beneath The Floor

I did not sleep that night.

I sat in my office surrounded by pieces of a life I no longer recognized.

The wedding planner kept calling.

My assistant kept texting.

My mother sent messages asking why Victoria suddenly left the house.

I ignored all of them.

Because I had one question repeating in my mind.

Who was Daniel?

At six in the morning, I drove to Ethan’s old apartment.

The building looked exactly the same.

Same cracked steps.

Same faded hallway lights.

Same door where my brother used to stand with a coffee in his hand, laughing at my serious business attitude.

I stood there for almost a minute before unlocking it.

Inside, everything felt frozen.

A jacket hung by the door.

Books were still stacked on the shelf.

A photograph of our family sat on the table.

My parents.

Me.

Ethan.

A family that believed one member was gone forever.

I walked straight to the bedroom.

“The safe,” Ethan had said.

I searched everywhere.

Behind paintings.

Inside drawers.

Under the bed.

Nothing.

Then I noticed something strange.

The wooden floor near the closet had a small uneven mark.

I knelt down.

One board was loose.

Underneath was a metal box.

My heart started pounding.

Inside were documents.

A hard drive.

And a file with one name written across it.

VICTORIA HART.

I opened it.

The first page made my hands shake.

Financial records.

Bank transfers.

Private messages.

Contracts.

There were years of information.

Victoria had been hiding debts.

Massive debts.

But that was not the worst part.

A second document caught my attention.

A DNA report.

I stared at the words.

Then I felt the room spin.

The report was not about Lily.

It was about Ethan.

And Daniel.

I read the first line again.

“Biological relationship confirmed.””

Daniel was Ethan’s son.

My brother had another child.

Another secret.

A sound behind me made me turn around.

The apartment door was open.

I reached for the file.

“Who’s there?””

No answer.

Then footsteps.

Slow.

Careful.

Someone entered the room.

I stood up.

A man appeared in the doorway.

Older.

Tired.

But familiar.

I had seen his face before.

In the photograph.

Daniel.

“You’re Nathan Cole,” he said.

I couldn’t speak.

He looked at the file in my hand.

“You found it.””

“Who are you?””

His expression changed.

Not fear.

Sadness.

“I’m the person Ethan spent four years trying to protect.””

I stepped closer.

“Where is my brother?””

Daniel looked away.

“I don’t know.””

“You called him?””

“No.””

“Then who called me?””

Daniel’s face turned serious.

“That wasn’t Ethan.””

The words hit me instantly.

“What?””

He walked inside and closed the door.

“Nathan, you need to understand something.””

“What?””

“Your brother has been trying to expose Victoria for years.””

I shook my head.

“She said Ethan was dangerous.””

Daniel gave a humorless smile.

“Of course she did.””

“Why?””

“Because Ethan discovered the truth about what happened the night of the accident.””

My heart stopped.

“The accident?””

Daniel nodded.

“The boat didn’t sink because of a storm.””

I stared at him.

“What are you saying?””

He looked directly into my eyes.

“I’m saying someone wanted Ethan gone.””

The apartment suddenly felt colder.

“Who?””

Daniel hesitated.

Then he reached into his jacket and pulled out a small envelope.

“I think you already know.””

I opened it.

Inside was a handwritten letter.

The first sentence was enough to make my hands tremble.

“Nathan, if you are reading this, it means Victoria found out I survived.””

I looked up.

Daniel was watching me.

“She knew Ethan was alive.””

My throat tightened.

“Then why did she agree to marry me?””

Daniel’s answer came quietly.

“Because she wasn’t trying to replace Ethan’s place in your life.””

He paused.

“She was trying to control everything he left behind.””

I looked back at the letter.

At the name on the bottom.

Ethan.

Then my phone rang.

The screen showed Victoria’s name.

I answered.

At first, there was only silence.

Then her voice whispered:

“Nathan, please come home.””

I said nothing.

She took a shaky breath.

“Because I need to tell you what really happened to Ethan.””

A pause.

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