Chapter 3: The Brother Behind The Wheel
I stared at the photograph until the edges began to blur.
The man standing beside the wrecked car was not a stranger.
Not a business rival.
Not someone who had ever shown me hatred.
It was my younger brother, Adrian.
The same Adrian who held my hand in the hospital after the accident.
The same Adrian who sat beside my bed and told me everything would be okay.
The same Adrian who whispered, “I’m glad you’re alive,” while secretly waiting for me to lose everything.
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
“No,” I said quietly.
Victoria watched my reaction carefully.
“You recognize him.””
I didn’t answer.
Because admitting it out loud would make it real.
Martha looked between us.
“Mr. Blackwood… your brother?””
I placed the photograph back on the table.
“Where did you get this?””
Victoria crossed her arms.
“Does it matter?””
“Yes.””
My voice became colder.
“Because if you’re lying, this changes nothing.””
She laughed softly.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Then help me understand.””
Victoria walked toward the fireplace and leaned against the marble frame.
“For months, you’ve been looking for proof that I wanted your money.””
She shook her head.
“You were right about one thing. I did want something.””
I waited.
“Your money.””
Her honesty surprised me.
But then she continued.
“And I wasn’t the only one.””
The room became silent.
Victoria looked at the photograph.
“Adrian promised me that once you were gone, everything would be divided.””
My stomach tightened.
“Divided?””
She nodded.
“He told me your company was already unstable. He said your board would remove you after the accident. He said your shares would eventually become available.””
I looked away.
My brother knew exactly what those shares meant.
Control.
Power.
Legacy.
Everything my family had built.
“When did he approach you?”” I asked.
Victoria hesitated.
For the first time, she looked uncomfortable.
“Before we got married.””
Martha gasped.
“You married him knowing this?””
Victoria looked at her.
“You think I wanted to be part of this?””
Martha stared at her.
“You tried to poison him.””
Victoria’s face hardened.
“I was trying to survive.””
I almost laughed.
“Survive?””
I pointed toward the broken cup.
“You were willing to kill me.””
She looked down.
For a moment, there was something close to regret in her eyes.
Then it disappeared.
“Adrian changed after your accident.””
I listened.
“He became impatient. He kept asking why you were still alive. Why doctors were optimistic. Why you hadn’t signed over more control.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Signed over control?””
Victoria nodded.
“He had documents prepared.””
I turned toward her.
“Where are they?””
She looked at me.
“Safe.””
“Where?””
Victoria smiled slightly.
“That’s the problem, Ethan.””
She stepped closer.
“I’m not the only person who has secrets.””
Before I could respond, the sound of the front door opening echoed through the mansion.
Everyone froze.
Martha’s face changed.
“He’s here.””
I looked at her.
“Who?””
She didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
A familiar voice came from the hallway.
“Ethan?””
Adrian.
My brother walked into the dining room wearing a perfectly tailored suit, carrying a small gift bag.
The same fake concern.
The same friendly smile.
“Why is everyone standing here?””
His eyes moved across the room.
The broken cup.
Victoria’s pale face.
My standing body.
And then his expression changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Shock.
Fear.
He quickly recovered.
“Ethan…”
He forced a laugh.
“You’re standing.””
I walked toward him slowly.
“Yes.””
Adrian swallowed.
“I thought your doctor said—”
“My doctor was right.””
I stopped in front of him.
“He said recovery was possible.””
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
“I’m happy for you.””
I stared into his eyes.
“Are you?””
The silence between us felt heavier than any argument.
Then Adrian smiled.
“Of course.””
But his hands were shaking.
And that was when I knew.
Victoria wasn’t protecting herself.
She was protecting him.
My brother had been the real reason behind everything.
But I still needed proof.
And I knew exactly where to find it.
Because Adrian had one weakness.
He believed he was always the smartest person in the room.
I looked at him and smiled.
“Adrian.””
“Yes?””
“I think it’s time we talked about the night of my accident.””
His face lost color.
Just slightly.
But enough.
And before he could answer, his phone suddenly rang.
He looked at the screen.
Then quickly rejected the call.
Too quickly.
I noticed.
“Who was that?”” I asked.
“No one.””
I smiled.
“Interesting.””
Because the name I saw before he turned the phone away was someone I never expected.
My own chief financial officer.
May you like
And that meant my accident wasn’t just a family betrayal.
It was a company takeover.
