Chapter 3: The Brother I Buried
For five years, I had told myself that my brother and I simply grew apart.
It was easier to believe that than accept the truth.
Michael Hayes was not just my younger brother. He was the person who stood beside me when we built our first company from nothing. He was the one who knew every weakness I had, every mistake I regretted, every secret I never wanted the world to discover.
And he was the one person I never expected to betray me.
I stood in my daughter’s bedroom doorway, watching Maya sleep peacefully beneath her blanket.
The image of her hand reaching over that staircase kept replaying in my mind.
I closed the door quietly and walked downstairs.
The stranger was still on the phone.
“Say it again,” I said.
The man hesitated.
“Your brother was the person Victoria met before she approached your daughter.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Who are you?””
“My name is Daniel. I used to work security for your family.””
The name sounded familiar.
Years ago, Daniel had managed private security at several of our properties before leaving unexpectedly.
“Why are you telling me this now?””
Silence.
Then he answered.
“Because I was the one who installed those cameras. And I know there’s footage Victoria doesn’t know exists.””
I looked toward the staircase.
“What footage?””
“The basement archive camera.””
I frowned.
“My estate doesn’t have cameras in the basement.””
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“That’s what everyone thinks.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Where are you?””
“I can meet you. But not at your house.””
“Why?””
“Because if Michael is involved, your home isn’t the safest place anymore.””
The call ended.
I stood there in the dark kitchen, staring at the phone.
My brother.
The person who shared my childhood.
The person who held Maya the day she was born.
How could he possibly be connected to this?
An hour later, I met Daniel at an old coffee shop outside the city.
He looked older than I remembered. His hair was gray, and his eyes carried the exhaustion of someone who had been holding onto a secret for too long.
“You look like you haven’t slept in weeks,” I said.
“I haven’t.””
He placed a small hard drive on the table.
“This is why.””
I stared at it.
“What’s on it?””
“Proof that Victoria and Michael have been planning something against you.””
I didn’t touch it.
“Planning what?””
Daniel looked around before answering.
“Your estate. Your company. Your daughter’s trust.””
My stomach tightened.
Maya’s trust had been created after her mother passed away. It was protected legally, but several family members had always been curious about it.
Michael included.
“He wants control of everything,” Daniel said.
I shook my head.
“No. Michael would never hurt Maya.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Richard, I didn’t say he wanted to hurt her.””
The pause afterward was worse than the accusation.
“He wanted something to happen that would make you look unstable.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because if you were considered unable to manage your own affairs, temporary control could be transferred.””
The pieces began connecting.
Victoria distracting me.
The staircase incident.
The footage.
The person in the hallway.
But there was still something I didn’t understand.
“Why involve Maya?””
Daniel looked down.
“Because she was the one thing that would make you lose control.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
I left the coffee shop with the hard drive in my pocket.
On the drive home, I called Michael.
He answered after the second ring.
“Richard? Everything okay?””
His voice sounded normal.
Almost too normal.
“Where were you tonight?””
A pause.
Small.
But I noticed.
“I was at home.””
“Really?””
“Yes. Why?””
I looked through the windshield at the gates of my estate approaching.
“Because security footage shows you meeting Victoria before she went upstairs.””
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then Michael sighed.
“You need to be careful who you trust.””
My hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“What does that mean?””
“Richard…”
His voice changed.
Not guilty.
Not scared.
Concerned.
“You have no idea what Victoria is capable of.””
I pulled into the driveway.
“Then explain why you were with her.””
The line went silent.
Then my brother said something I never expected.
“Because I was trying to stop her.””
I froze.
“Stop her from what?””
Before he could answer, another sound came through the phone.
A woman’s voice.
Victoria.
“Michael, who are you talking to?””
My heart dropped.
He wasn’t alone.
The call ended.
May you like
And seconds later, my security alarm started screaming.
Someone was inside my house.
