Chapter 3: The Brother Behind the Door
The door opened.
Daniel stood there.
His tuxedo was immaculate.
His hair was perfectly styled.
And in his hand was a small black gift box.
For three seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel smiled.
“Why does everyone look so terrified?””
Marcus stared at him.
“Where have you been?””
Daniel glanced at Aaliyah.
She looked away.
“Downstairs,” he said.
“People were asking where the groom's brother was.””
Evelyn's voice was ice-cold.
“You should have stayed downstairs.””
Daniel's smile faded.
“Mom, what's wrong?””
Marcus held up Aaliyah's phone.
“This.””
Daniel looked at the screen.
His expression changed for half a second.
Then he recovered.
“I don't understand.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You texted her.””
Daniel shrugged.
“So?””
“You asked whether she started the attack.””
Daniel stared at him.
“What attack?””
Aaliyah suddenly burst into tears.
“Stop lying!””
Daniel looked at her.
“Aaliyah, what are you doing?””
“You told me to do it!””
Marcus stepped between them.
“Tell me why.””
Daniel laughed nervously.
“Tell you what?””
“The truth.””
Daniel looked toward Evelyn.
“This is exactly what she does.””
Evelyn frowned.
“What?””
“She creates chaos and makes everyone turn against each other.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Don't bring Mom into this.””
Daniel pointed toward the tablet.
“She probably edited that recording.””
The family member holding the tablet shook his head.
“It came directly from the hotel's security system.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Then the audio was manipulated.””
Evelyn stared at her son.
“You're running out of lies.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“I am trying to protect my brother.””
Marcus shook his head.
“By stealing my house?””
Daniel froze.
“Who told you that?””
Marcus answered:
“Aaliyah.””
Daniel looked at the bride.
“You told him?””
Aaliyah nodded.
Daniel's face became frighteningly calm.
“You have no idea what you've done.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“No. I think I finally do.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You think Mom is innocent?””
“She is.””
Daniel laughed.
“You've always been blind when it comes to her.””
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
“Then explain the call.””
Daniel said nothing.
Marcus picked up the tablet.
“You told Aaliyah to fake an attack.””
Daniel's silence was answer enough.
Marcus's voice dropped.
“Why?””
Daniel looked at him.
“Because she was never going to marry you.””
Aaliyah's eyes widened.
“Daniel!””
He ignored her.
“She wanted access to your assets.””
Marcus shook his head.
“And you helped her?””
“I used her.””
The words hung in the room.
Evelyn stared at him.
Daniel finally looked at his mother.
“I needed access to the family trust.””
Marcus blinked.
“What?””
Daniel's voice remained cold.
“You think this was about Aaliyah? It wasn't.””
Evelyn felt her heart sink.
“What did you do?””
Daniel opened the small black gift box.
Inside was a silver key.
Marcus stared at it.
“What is that?””
“The key to Dad's old office.””
Evelyn's face changed.
“That office has been locked for years.””
“Not anymore.””
Daniel pulled a folded document from his jacket.
“I found the original trust agreement.””
Marcus reached for it.
Daniel pulled it away.
“And I found something else.””
Evelyn whispered:
“What?””
Daniel looked directly at her.
“Dad didn't leave everything to you.””
Evelyn's face went pale.
Marcus looked between them.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel smiled without warmth.
“He left something for me.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“Your father never—”
“He did.””
Daniel unfolded the document.
“And if I can prove it, you lose control of everything.””
Marcus stared at his brother.
“So you destroyed my wedding for money?””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“No.””
He glanced at Aaliyah.
“I destroyed your wedding because she was about to expose me.””
Aaliyah whispered:
“You promised me Marcus would never know.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“I promised you a lot of things.””
“You said we'd split the money.””
“I changed my mind.””
Aaliyah recoiled.
Marcus stared at Daniel in disbelief.
“You betrayed her too.””
Daniel looked at him.
“I betrayed everyone.””
Then the tablet suddenly made a notification sound.
The family member looked down.
“There's another recording.””
Daniel's face changed instantly.
Evelyn noticed.
“Play it.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Don't.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Why?””
Daniel didn't answer.
The video began.
Aaliyah appeared on screen again, but this time she wasn't alone.
She was sitting in the bridal suite with another person.
Marcus leaned toward the tablet.
Evelyn stopped breathing.
The camera angle showed the person's face clearly.
It wasn't Daniel.
It wasn't anyone from the wedding.
It was a woman Evelyn had not seen in more than twenty years.
Marcus whispered:
“Who is that?””
Daniel's face went completely white.
The woman on the recording leaned toward Aaliyah and said:
“Once Marcus sees what Evelyn did to your father, he'll never trust her again.””
Marcus slowly turned toward his mother.
“Mom?””
Evelyn couldn't speak.
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And then the woman on the recording said the one sentence that made everyone in the room horrified.
“Daniel doesn't even know that Evelyn is the reason his father died.””
