Chapter 7: The Brother Nobody Knew Existed
“Your brother.””
Two words.
That was all Grant said.
But they felt heavier than everything else that had happened that night.
A sister.
A hidden inheritance.
A mother who was never supposed to return.
A husband who had been planning against me for years.
I thought I had reached the bottom of the truth.
I was wrong.
There was always another floor beneath me.
Another secret.
Another person who had been erased from my life.
I stared at Grant.
“What did you say?””
He looked like he immediately regretted speaking.
But it was too late.
Everyone had heard.
Charles stepped forward.
“Grant.””
His voice was sharp.
“Explain.””
Grant ignored him.
His eyes stayed on me.
“Ellie, I need you to listen carefully.””
I almost smiled.
“Do you hear yourself?””
His expression changed.
“What?””
“You always say that.””
I tightened my hold on Lily.
“You always tell me to listen carefully right before you reveal another thing you hid from me.””
His face fell slightly.
Because he knew I was right.
“Who is my brother?””
Nobody answered.
My mother looked devastated.
Not surprised.
Devastated.
And that hurt more than anything.
Because she knew.
My mother knew.
I turned toward her slowly.
“You knew.””
Her lips parted.
“Ellie…”
“You knew there was another child.””
Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes.””
The honesty was almost worse.
“How long?””
She looked down.
“Since before you were born.””
I felt like the room tilted.
Before I was born.
A lifetime of secrets.
A lifetime where everyone had a piece of the truth except me.
“Why?””
My voice cracked.
“Why did everyone decide I couldn’t handle knowing my own family?””
My mother took a step toward me.
“Because your father was afraid.””
“Of what?””
She looked at Grant.
“Of what people would do.””
I laughed softly.
“People?””
I pointed around the room.
“You mean people like him?””
Nobody responded.
Grant finally spoke.
“Your brother was the reason your father changed everything.””
I looked at him.
“How do you know?””
His jaw tightened.
“Because I spent years trying to find him.””
That sentence made my blood run cold.
“Why?””
Silence.
“Grant.””
He looked away.
And I understood.
The same way I understood everything now.
The pauses.
The avoidance.
The half-answers.
He was always hiding something.
“Because he was connected to Bluebird,” Charles said.
Grant looked at him.
“You don’t know the whole story.””
“Then tell it.””
Grant didn’t.
My mother did.
“He wasn’t supposed to exist.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
Her eyes filled with pain.
“Before I met your father, I had another life.””
I held my breath.
“He was from that life.””
“Your son?””
She nodded.
“My first child.””
The words barely left her mouth.
My world became completely silent.
A brother.
Not just a business connection.
Not just another beneficiary.
A person.
Someone my mother lost.
Someone my father hid.
Someone I never knew existed.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?””
My mother wiped her tears.
“Because when he disappeared, your father believed he was gone forever.””
“Disappeared?””
She nodded.
“Just like Clara.””
I looked at Charles.
“How many people disappeared from my family?””
No one answered.
That was the answer.
My mother sat down slowly.
“My son’s name was Adrian.””
The name felt unfamiliar.
But somehow, hearing it hurt.
“Where is he now?””
My mother looked at Grant.
And that scared me.
Because every answer seemed to lead back to him.
Grant spoke quietly.
“I don’t know.””
I stared.
“You found Clara.””
“Yes.””
“You knew about my mother.””
“Yes.””
“You investigated Bluebird.””
“Yes.””
“But you don’t know where Adrian is?””
His silence was uncomfortable.
Then he said:
“Not anymore.””
Not anymore.
Those words stayed with me.
Because they meant he did know once.
I stepped closer.
“When?””
Grant looked at the floor.
“Seven years ago.””
I froze.
Seven years ago.
Before Lily was born.
Before I understood who Grant really was.
“What happened?””
He didn’t answer.
“Grant.””
His voice lowered.
“Your brother found me.””
The room froze.
My mother covered her mouth.
Charles looked shocked.
“He contacted you?””
Grant nodded.
“Why?””
Grant looked at me.
“Because he thought I could help him get back what belonged to him.””
My stomach tightened.
“And what did you do?””
The silence was unbearable.
I already knew the answer.
But I needed to hear him say it.
“I tried to convince him to disappear.””
My heart dropped.
My mother stood.
“You what?””
Grant looked at her.
“I was trying to protect Ellie.””
My mother’s expression turned cold.
“You used that word again.””
She stepped closer.
“Every person who destroys a family says they did it to protect someone.””
Grant’s face hardened.
“You don’t know what Adrian was capable of.””
“And you do?””
The question silenced him.
I looked at Grant.
“Where is he?””
He didn’t answer.
“Where is my brother?””
“I don’t know.””
“Tell me the truth.””
“I don’t know.””
Something about his voice made me believe one thing.
He might not know where Adrian was now.
But he knew what happened.
Charles walked toward the documents.
“There is something else.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He opened the folder again.
“There is a reason Grant has been searching for Adrian.””
My stomach tightened.
“Because of Bluebird?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Charles pulled out an old document.
“The original succession agreement.””
He placed it on the table.
I looked at the page.
There were several names.
My mother.
My father.
Adrian.
Clara.
Me.
And one sentence written underneath.
*The final authority shall belong to the child who carries both bloodlines.*
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Charles looked at me.
“It means your father created Bluebird to be inherited by a specific person.””
“Who?””
He pointed at the document.
“Adrian.””
I felt numb.
My brother.
The person I had never met.
The person everyone hid.
The person Grant had searched for.
But then Charles continued.
“However…”
He turned the page.
“Your father added an amendment.””
I leaned closer.
“What amendment?””
Charles looked at me.
“After Adrian disappeared.””
The room became quiet.
“He changed the agreement.””
“To who?””
Charles slowly answered:
“To Ellie Mercer.””
I stared at the paper.
My hands began shaking.
“But why?””
My mother whispered:
“Because your father discovered the truth.””
“What truth?””
She looked at me.
“That Adrian was not the only person who disappeared.””
My breathing stopped.
“What?””
My mother’s voice broke.
“Someone took him.””
The room went silent.
“Who?””
She looked at Grant.
Again.
No.
Not again.
I refused to believe every road led back to him.
Grant immediately shook his head.
“No.””
My mother stepped closer.
“Your father found evidence.””
“Evidence of what?””
“That Richard Mercer arranged for Adrian to be hidden.””
Grant looked horrified.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“No.””
His voice cracked.
“My father loved this family.””
I stared at him.
“You said that about yourself.””
He went quiet.
Because he knew.
A knock suddenly came from the hotel door.
Everyone froze.
No one had invited anyone.
Charles looked toward it.
“Who is that?””
No answer.
Another knock.
Stronger.
Grant’s face changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
He whispered:
“No.””
I looked at him.
“Who is it?””
The door handle moved.
Slowly.
Then the door opened.
A man stood outside.
Older than me.
Younger than my mother.
His face was unfamiliar.
But his eyes…
His eyes were exactly like mine.
He looked past everyone.
Straight at me.
Then he said:
“Ellie.””
My heart stopped.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you.””
Nobody moved.
The man stepped inside.
“I’m Adrian.””
A pause.
May you like
Then he looked at Grant.
“And I’m here because I know exactly what you did to my family.””
