Chapter 7 - THE BROTHER WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD
Michael Carter forgot how to breathe.
For ten years, he had imagined this moment a thousand times.
If Daniel was alive, Michael thought he would feel anger.
Maybe hatred.
Maybe relief.
But he felt something much worse.
Confusion.
Because the man standing in front of him wasn’t a ghost.
He was real.
Older.
Different.
But unmistakably Daniel Carter.
“No…”
Michael’s voice came out barely above a whisper.
Daniel smiled.
“You always did hate surprises.”
The doctors inside the room froze.
The security guards moved instantly.
Frank pulled his weapon.
“Don’t move.”
Daniel looked at the gun and laughed softly.
“Still protecting him, Frank?”
Frank’s face tightened.
“You should be dead.”
Daniel looked amused.
“That’s what everyone wanted to believe.”
Michael stepped forward.
“Get away from my son.”
Daniel looked at Noah.
For a second, something unreadable crossed his face.
Sadness.
Regret.
Then it disappeared.
“Your son.”
The words sounded bitter.
“You mean your heir.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed.
“What did you do?”
Daniel looked back at him.
“What did I do?”
His smile vanished.
“What did YOU do, Michael?”
The room went silent.
“You took everything.”
Michael clenched his fists.
“Not tonight.”
“No?”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Ten years ago, you took my company.”
“That was because you betrayed us.”
“You took my reputation.”
“You destroyed it yourself.”
“You took my life.”
Michael’s voice turned cold.
“And now you came after my child?”
Daniel looked at Noah.
“I didn’t come here to kill him.”
Nobody believed him.
Michael laughed once.
A cold, empty sound.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
A pause.
“I expect you to discover the truth.”
Michael stared.
“What truth?”
Daniel looked toward Emily.
Everyone followed his eyes.
Emily froze.
“Why is she here?”
Michael immediately noticed.
“You know Emily?”
Daniel’s expression changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
That terrified Michael.
“Daniel.”
A slow smile appeared.
“She didn’t tell you?”
Emily stepped back.
Michael turned.
“Tell me what?”
No answer.
The silence became unbearable.
Michael looked at Emily.
“You knew him?”
Emily’s eyes filled with fear.
“Not exactly.”
“Not exactly?”
Daniel laughed.
“She’s lying.”
Emily looked at him.
“Stop.”
Michael’s anger exploded.
“Everyone in this room seems to know something except me.”
He pointed at Emily.
“You.”
Then Daniel.
“You.”
Then Frank.
“Even you.”
His voice cracked.
“My son almost died tonight, and apparently everyone has been hiding pieces of the truth.”
Nobody spoke.
Then Noah’s monitor changed.
The doctors rushed in.
“His oxygen is dropping!”
Michael forgot everything else.
He ran to his son.
Daniel watched from the corner.
May you like
And whispered:
“Now you’ll understand.”
