Chapter 6: The Family Member Who Pulled the Strings
For several seconds, Ethan couldn't move.
The words repeated inside his mind.
Someone inside this family.
Not a competitor.
Not an enemy.
Not a stranger trying to destroy Carter Industries.
Someone who sat at their dinner table.
Someone who shared their blood.
Someone who had smiled beside him while hiding a knife behind their back.
The penthouse suddenly felt unfamiliar.
The walls.
The furniture.
The memories.
Everything looked different.
"Say it again."
Ethan's voice was dangerously calm.
Daniel looked at him.
"I said the person who attacked Olivia was someone inside this family."
"No."
Ethan stepped forward.
"Not that part."
His eyes narrowed.
"The name."
Silence.
Daniel looked away.
And that was the answer Ethan needed.
"You know who it is."
Daniel's face tightened.
"I know who I suspect."
"Who?"
Nobody spoke.
Ethan looked around the room.
His father.
His mother.
His brother.
His wife.
Everyone had a secret.
Everyone except him.
"Enough."
His voice echoed.
"I am done watching people protect each other."
He looked directly at Daniel.
"You were always the one who told me the truth."
Daniel gave a painful smile.
"I wanted to."
"But?"
Daniel looked at their parents.
"But I was scared."
Ethan nodded slowly.
"I understand."
A pause.
"No, actually..."
He looked around.
"I don't."
His voice cracked slightly.
"I spent my whole life believing this family was built on loyalty."
He pointed toward the documents.
"But it was built on fear."
Nobody argued.
Because nobody could.
Daniel walked toward the table.
"The night Olivia was attacked, I received a message."
Ethan turned.
"What message?"
Daniel pulled out his phone.
"I was told to come to the penthouse."
"By who?"
"I don't know."
"Show me."
Daniel hesitated.
Then unlocked his phone.
The message was short.
Come alone. Your brother's future depends on it.
Ethan frowned.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Daniel looked ashamed.
"Because when I arrived..."
He stopped.
"What?"
Daniel swallowed.
"I saw Mom arguing with Olivia."
Victoria immediately spoke.
"That is not what happened."
Daniel ignored her.
"They were fighting about the documents."
Ethan looked at Victoria.
"What happened next?"
Daniel's eyes became darker.
"Someone came from behind."
Olivia lowered her head.
Ethan immediately turned toward her.
"You saw them?"
A long pause.
"Yes."
Everyone froze.
Ethan moved closer.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Olivia's eyes filled with pain.
"Because I wasn't sure."
"Sure about what?"
She looked at him.
"About who I saw."
The silence became unbearable.
"Olivia."
Her voice shook.
"The person who pushed me..."
She stopped.
"I only saw their hand."
Ethan frowned.
"Their hand?"
She nodded.
"There was a ring."
Victoria's expression changed.
Just slightly.
But Ethan saw it.
"What ring?"
Olivia looked at Victoria.
"The Carter family emerald ring."
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone knew that ring.
It was an heirloom.
Passed down through generations.
Only one person in the family wore it every day.
Victoria.
Ethan looked at his mother.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"Mom."
Victoria's face remained emotionless.
"Don't look at me like that."
"Then explain."
"I don't need to explain something I didn't do."
"Then why did you react?"
Victoria looked away.
For the first time, she looked nervous.
"I was surprised."
"No."
Ethan shook his head.
"You were afraid."
The room went silent.
Richard stood.
"Ethan, listen to me."
But Ethan didn't look at him.
His eyes stayed on Victoria.
"My entire life, you taught me that actions reveal the truth."
A pause.
"So tell me."
He stepped closer.
"Why were your fingerprints on Olivia's necklace?"
Everyone turned.
Victoria froze.
"What?"
Ethan reached into his coat pocket.
The police officer he had contacted earlier had already sent preliminary information.
Because when he found Olivia injured, he didn't just come home.
He investigated.
"The necklace was broken."
He held it up.
"And someone grabbed it hard enough to snap the chain."
Victoria stared at him.
"The security system recorded one thing."
"What?"
"Your hand."
Victoria's face changed.
"I picked it up."
"When?"
"After Olivia fell."
Ethan stared.
"Why?"
No answer.
"Why would you touch evidence?"
Victoria remained silent.
That silence was louder than any confession.
Richard stepped forward.
"Victoria..."
She looked at him.
And for the first time, Ethan saw something between them.
Not love.
Not partnership.
Fear.
"Richard."
Victoria's voice was low.
"You promised me."
Ethan noticed.
A promise.
Between them.
A promise he didn't know about.
"What promise?"
Nobody answered.
Then Claire spoke.
"I know."
Everyone turned.
Claire looked at Victoria.
"You promised Richard you would protect the secret."
Victoria's face went pale.
Claire continued.
"But you didn't protect him."
She looked at Ethan.
"You protected yourself."
Ethan felt his stomach tighten.
"What secret?"
Claire reached into the folder again.
She pulled out an old photograph.
A photograph of Richard.
Victoria.
And a young child.
Ethan looked closer.
The child wasn't him.
It wasn't Daniel.
His heart stopped.
"Who is that?"
Nobody answered.
Then Claire whispered:
"That is the child your family erased."
Ethan stared at the photograph.
A little boy.
Same dark eyes.
Same Carter family features.
Impossible.
Because Ethan knew every member of his family.
Or at least...
he thought he did.
"Who is he?"
Claire looked directly at Richard.
"Tell him."
Richard closed his eyes.
And when he finally spoke...
his voice was broken.
"His name is Alexander."
A pause.
"He is your older brother."
Ethan felt the world collapse.
Older brother.
A brother he never knew existed.
A brother erased from history.
A brother who had a reason to hate the Carter family.
And then Ethan understood.
The attack on Olivia wasn't just about the company.
It wasn't just about the documents.
Someone was trying to reclaim something they believed was stolen from them.
Their name.
Their inheritance.
Their family.
And somewhere out there...
May you like
was Alexander Carter.
The forgotten son.
