Chapter 7 - THE BROTHER WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD
Nobody moved.
For several seconds, the entire Mercer mansion felt frozen in time.
Claire stood behind Adrian, still holding his hand.
She didn't even realize she was doing it.
The man standing in front of them looked like Adrian.
Not exactly.
But enough.
Same dark eyes.
Same confidence.
Same dangerous calm.
Except there was something different.
Adrian carried pain.
This man carried cruelty.
"Victor Mercer," Adrian said.
His voice was colder than Claire had ever heard.
The stranger smiled.
"That's all I get?"
A small laugh escaped him.
"No hug? No tears? After twelve years?"
Claire looked at Adrian.
"Twelve years?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Victor looked amused.
"Oh, she doesn't know, does she?"
"Leave."
Adrian's voice cut through the room.
Victor tilted his head.
"Still giving orders."
He stepped forward.
Marcus immediately moved between them.
"Stop."
Victor looked at him.
"Still loyal, Marcus? That's impressive."
Marcus's expression changed.
"You should be dead."
Victor smiled.
"That's what everyone wanted."
Claire felt her stomach tighten.
Because this wasn't a normal family reunion.
This was a war.
"Who is he?" she whispered.
Adrian didn't look at her.
"My brother."
The words landed heavily.
Brother.
The man who had never been mentioned.
The missing piece of Adrian Mercer's past.
Victor walked around the room slowly.
Taking in everything.
The photographs.
The furniture.
The life Adrian built.
"You really did it."
Adrian stared at him.
"Did what?"
"Become exactly what Father wanted."
Victor laughed softly.
"A powerful man. A respected man."
His eyes moved upstairs.
"And then you got soft."
Claire felt Adrian tense.
"Don't."
Victor smiled.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The weakness."
His eyes moved toward Claire.
Then toward the upstairs bedroom.
"Lily."
Adrian stepped forward.
"Don't say her name."
Victor stopped.
And smiled.
"That's the first time I've seen fear in your eyes."
Claire's heart started racing.
Because Adrian Mercer wasn't afraid of anything.
But now?
He was.
Victor noticed too.
"Interesting."
A pause.
"All these years, people thought money was your weakness."
He looked at Claire.
"They were wrong."
Claire felt a chill.
"Adrian..."
Victor laughed.
"You really don't understand, do you?"
He looked at her.
"Nobody gets close to Adrian Mercer."
"Nobody."
"Not unless they become important."
Silence.
Then Adrian said:
"Why are you here?"
Victor's smile disappeared.
Finally.
A glimpse of something darker appeared.
"Because you took everything from me."
Adrian's face hardened.
"You destroyed your own life."
Victor's eyes flashed.
"You always believed that."
A pause.
"But you never knew the truth."
Claire looked between them.
"What truth?"
Neither man answered.
Victor smiled.
"Ask your perfect billionaire."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Get out."
Victor walked toward the door.
But before leaving, he stopped beside Claire.
She immediately stepped back.
Adrian moved between them.
Victor noticed.
And smiled.
"Protective."
Then he whispered:
"Rebecca would be disappointed."
Adrian froze.
Claire saw it.
The pain.
The anger.
The memory.
"What did you say?"
Victor walked away.
"See you soon, brother."
The lights came back on.
And Victor was gone.
But the damage was already done.
Because Claire finally understood.
Adrian Mercer wasn't hiding enemies.
May you like
He was hiding ghosts.
And one of them had just returned.
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