Chapter 6 - THE NAME ON THE PAYMENT RECORDS

Nobody moved.

The dining room felt frozen.

Daniel slowly placed the tablet on the table.

The screen showed the payment records.

Fake vendors.

False invoices.

Authorization codes.

Then one name appeared.

Marcus Moretti.

My brother.

The room became silent.

Even Evelyn looked shocked.

Not because she was innocent.

Because she didn’t expect him to be exposed first.

I looked at Marcus.

He shook his head immediately.

“No.”

I said nothing.

“Adrian, listen to me.”

Still nothing.

“This isn’t what you think.”

I pointed at the screen.

“Then explain.”

He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

That was the answer.

“You approved payments to fake companies.”

“I was helping manage expenses.”

“You approved fake companies.”

His voice became defensive.

“You don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

He looked around.

At the employees.

At Evelyn.

Then back at me.

“You’re destroying this family.”

I almost smiled.

“Interesting.”

“What?”

“You’re worried about the family now?”

His face hardened.

“You think you’re better than everyone because you have power.”

“No.”

I stepped closer.

“I think power shows who people really are.”

The words landed.

Marcus looked away.

Daniel continued.

“There’s more.”

Of course there was.

There was always more.

“What?”

He hesitated.

“The payments weren’t just household expenses.”

He opened another file.

“They were transferred into an outside account.”

“Whose?”

Daniel looked at Evelyn.

Then Marcus.

“Both.”

A wave of anger moved through the room.

Evelyn immediately stepped forward.

“This is ridiculous.”

“No.”

I looked at her.

“This is evidence.”

She smiled.

That same controlled smile.

“You think you have everything figured out.”

I stared at her.

“What does that mean?”

She looked at Marcus.

Then back at me.

“It means you don’t know the whole story.”

The room went quiet.

“What story?”

She said nothing.

“Evelyn.”

Her smile disappeared.

Then she whispered:

“Ask your brother why Lily’s father disappeared.”

My blood went cold.

Anna’s face changed.

She looked terrified.

I turned toward her.

“Anna?”

She lowered her eyes.

And that was when I realized.

There was a secret nobody had told me.

A secret bigger than stolen money.

Bigger than fake invoices.

Bigger than the scratches on my floor.

“Who is Lily’s father?”

Anna’s lips trembled.

Before she could answer, Marcus spoke.

“Adrian, don’t.”

I looked at him.

“Why?”

Silence.

Then Anna whispered:

“Because he’s not a stranger.”

My heart stopped.

“Who is he?”

She looked directly at me.

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