Chapter 10 - The Brother

Victor stared at Julian’s face.

His brother had died two years earlier in what everyone believed was a boating accident.

He was smiling in the photograph.

One arm around Serena.

The date was seven years old.

Before Amelia died.

Before Ethan was born.

Lily looked at Victor.

“You never knew?”

“No.”

Victor turned the photograph over.

One sentence had been written there.

JULIAN WANTS CONTROL BEFORE VICTOR HAS AN HEIR.

Monroe looked at the ledger.

Payments flowed from Project Aster through three shell companies.

One belonged to Serena.

One to Dr. Cole.

The third belonged to Julian.

Victor sat back against the cemetery wall.

“My own brother.”

Lily said nothing.

There are some betrayals too large for comfort.

Monroe opened the ledger.

“Julian might be dead, but somebody kept using his company after his death.”

Victor looked up.

“Who?”

Monroe traced the signatures.

One appeared repeatedly.

Initials.

S.V.

Serena Vale.

Another.

A.C.

Adrian Cole.

Then a third.

J.H.

Victor stared.

“Julian Hale?”

Monroe shook her head.

“These entries are dated after Julian died.”

Lily felt cold.

“Then somebody is using his initials.”

Victor suddenly remembered something.

Julian had a son.

A secret child from a relationship the family had buried years ago.

Jonathan Hale.

Victor had met him only twice.

He would be twenty-four now.

Nobody had seen him since Julian’s funeral.

Monroe searched law enforcement databases.

Jonathan Hale had no current address.

No employment records.

No recent tax filings.

Almost as if he had disappeared.

Victor whispered.

“Serena didn’t vanish alone.”

At 10:36 P.M., Victor received a video call.

Serena appeared.

Behind her sat Ethan.

Alive.

Frightened.

But unharmed.

“Daddy.”

Victor moved toward the screen.

“I’m here.”

Serena smiled.

“Do you have the records?”

“Yes.”

“Midnight.”

“Old boathouse.”

“Come alone.”

“I want to see Ethan walk toward me first.”

Serena laughed.

“You’re not negotiating.”

Then someone stepped into frame behind her.

A young man.

Dark hair.

Hale eyes.

Victor stopped breathing.

Jonathan.

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His nephew looked directly into the camera.

“Hello, Uncle Victor.”