Chapter 3: The Brother Who Disappeared
Gabriel stared at Marta as if he had misheard her.
“My brother?””
The words came out almost like a whisper.
Claire looked between them, confused.
“Gabriel, you never told me you had a brother.””
Gabriel’s eyes stayed locked on Marta.
“I didn’t know I had one.””
The old woman’s expression changed instantly.
She looked down at the paper again, then back at Gabriel.
The years between then and now seemed to disappear.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
Luis stepped closer.
“Marta…”
But she shook her head.
“No. He needs to know.””
Gabriel pulled a chair from beside the cart and sat down.
For the first time since arriving, the billionaire looked lost.
Not powerful.
Not untouchable.
Just a man waiting for an answer.
“Tell me everything.””
Marta took a slow breath.
“It was many years ago. Before you came to us, there was another boy.””
She looked toward the street.
“He was older than you. Maybe fourteen or fifteen. His name was Daniel.””
Gabriel frowned.
“Daniel?””
“Yes.””
Marta’s voice became quieter.
“He came to this corner one winter night. He was angry. He didn’t trust anyone. He wouldn’t even accept food at first.””
Luis nodded.
“I remember. He stood across the street for almost an hour before coming near the cart.””
“What happened to him?”” Gabriel asked.
Marta looked at the photograph in his hand.
“He told us he had a little brother. He said you were separated after your parents died.””
Gabriel froze.
“My parents…”
He had spent his entire life believing he had been abandoned by everyone.
That was the story written in every file.
A child with no family.
No one searching.
No one coming back.
Marta continued.
“Daniel said he tried to protect you. But he was just a child himself. He couldn’t take care of both of you.””
Gabriel looked away.
His fingers tightened around the old photograph.
“Why didn’t I know?””
“Because by the time you came to us, you had already been through so much,” Marta said.
“You were scared. You barely spoke. You didn’t remember everything clearly.””
Gabriel swallowed.
“Where was he?””
Marta hesitated.
That hesitation answered the question before she spoke.
“We don’t know.””
The silence felt heavy.
Luis looked at Gabriel.
“We searched for him.””
Gabriel looked up.
“You did?””
“Of course we did,” Luis said.
“He was your brother.””
The billionaire lowered his head.
All his life, he had believed he had been completely alone.
Now, standing beside the old cart where he once ate his only meals, he discovered there had been someone else.
Someone who had tried to protect him.
Someone who had disappeared.
Claire carefully closed the folder.
“Gabriel, we need to focus on the current issue.””
Gabriel looked at her.
“The person trying to remove this cart.””
“Yes.””
He stood.
“Who signed the request?””
Claire turned the document around again.
“Daniel Whitmore.””
The name sat there like a warning.
Gabriel stared at it.
“My brother is alive.””
Marta nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“How do you know?””
Her eyes moved toward the empty street.
“Because I saw him.””
“When?””
“Three weeks ago.””
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Where?””
Marta looked uncomfortable.
“Outside a restaurant near downtown.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I wasn’t sure it was him.””
Gabriel’s voice softened.
“You recognized him?””
Marta nodded.
“He had the same eyes.””
A cold feeling moved through Gabriel.
“Did he speak to you?””
“No.””
“Did he know who you were?””
Marta looked away.
“I think he did.””
That answer disturbed Gabriel more than anything else.
Claire noticed.
“What aren’t you telling us?””
Marta stayed silent.
Luis gently touched her shoulder.
“Marta.””
The old woman closed her eyes.
“He saw the photograph.””
Gabriel’s expression changed.
“What photograph?””
“The same one you have.””
The street became quiet.
“He looked at it,” Marta continued.
“He looked at you standing between us. Then he said something.””
Gabriel waited.
“What did he say?””
Marta’s voice trembled.
“He said…”
She paused.
“He said, ‘So he really made it.’”
Gabriel felt his chest tighten.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Something worse.
Confusion.
Because his entire life had been built around a missing family.
And now pieces of that family were appearing one by one.
Claire looked at the documents again.
“If Daniel is behind this, we need to understand why.””
Gabriel nodded.
But before he could answer, his phone rang.
The screen showed an unknown number.
He almost ignored it.
Then he saw a message appear.
*I know you found them.*
Gabriel stared.
A second message arrived.
*You always were better at finding people than understanding them.*
His face went pale.
Claire noticed.
“Gabriel?””
He slowly turned the phone toward her.
Then another message appeared.
*Ask Marta what happened the night you disappeared.*
May you like
Gabriel looked at the old woman.
And for the first time, Marta looked afraid.
