Chapter 7 - THE BROTHER WHO LEFT A WARNING
Emily Carter had spent ten years believing the hardest thing in her life was losing Noah.
She was wrong.
The hardest thing was discovering that maybe she had never known why she lost him.
The mansion was silent after the message ended.
No guards spoke.
No alarms sounded.
Nobody moved.
Because everyone in that room understood one terrifying truth.
Someone had broken into the Kingston estate.
Someone who knew secrets that were supposed to be buried.
Alexander stood in the center of the room, his eyes fixed on the speaker system.
“Find the source.”
The security team immediately moved.
Emily barely heard them.
Her fingers were still holding Noah’s letter.
Her brother’s handwriting.
His words.
His warning.
Do not trust anyone.
Not even the people who say they are protecting you.
She read the sentence again.
Then again.
Until the letters blurred.
“Emily.”
Alexander’s voice pulled her back.
She looked up.
“You knew something was wrong with Noah.”
It wasn’t a question.
It was an accusation.
Emily’s expression hardened.
“You think I’m hiding something?”
“No.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“I think you’re hurting.”
The answer surprised her.
She expected suspicion.
Not understanding.
Emily looked away.
“Noah disappeared when I was nineteen.”
She took a slow breath.
“Everyone told me he left because he wanted a new life.”
“And you believed them?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Alexander looked at her.
“Then why didn’t you search?”
Emily’s eyes filled.
“Because I did.”
The room became quiet.
“I searched hospitals. Police records. Missing person databases.”
Her voice cracked.
“I called every number I could find.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“But every door closed.”
Alexander’s expression changed.
“Someone stopped you.”
Emily nodded.
“Yes.”
She looked at the letter.
“Someone wanted me to give up.”
Alexander clenched his jaw.
Because he knew exactly what that meant.
Powerful people.
Hidden enemies.
A system designed to make ordinary people disappear.
His mother touched Emily’s hand.
She signed slowly.
You were not supposed to find this.
Emily looked at her.
“What?”
Alexander translated.
“She believes Noah hid the truth because he was trying to protect you.”
Emily shook her head.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Alexander looked at the letter.
“It does if whoever took him was watching.”
A sudden sound came from upstairs.
A door closing.
Everyone froze.
Alexander immediately signaled the guards.
Within seconds, they moved.
Emily watched him.
This was the man everyone feared.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
But when he looked at her, she saw something else.
A man who was scared of losing another person.
“Stay here,” he ordered.
Emily crossed her arms.
“No.”
Alexander sighed.
“Emily.”
“You keep saying that like I’m going to listen.”
Despite everything, a small smile appeared on his face.
“You’re impossible.”
She looked at him.
“People usually say stubborn.”
“I was being polite.”
Before she could respond, a guard appeared.
“Sir.”
Alexander turned.
“We found something.”
They walked upstairs.
Inside an empty bedroom was a small wooden box.
No fingerprints.
No explanation.
Only one item inside.
A flash drive.
Alexander picked it up.
Then Emily noticed something carved into the box.
Three words.
FOR EMILY CARTER.
Her heart stopped.
May you like
Because whoever left it…
knew she would be there.
