Chapter 4: The Truth Behind The Rescue
The call ended before I could ask another question.
No explanation.
No goodbye.
Just silence.
I stood there with the phone pressed against my ear, waiting for my brother's voice to return.
It didn't.
For six years, I had imagined what I would say if Ewan somehow came back.
I imagined anger.
I imagined tears.
I imagined grabbing him by the shoulders and asking why he left me alone.
But I never imagined this.
I never imagined hearing his voice and immediately wondering if I could trust him.
Celeste was watching me.
Not with fear.
With sadness.
That hurt more.
Because fear would have meant she was hiding something.
Sadness meant she knew exactly how much this was going to destroy me.
"Who was it?"" she asked.
I lowered the phone.
"You know who.""
Her lips parted.
"Lucian—"
"Don't.""
My voice stopped her.
I walked around the desk, keeping distance between us.
"Six years.""
She looked down.
"Yes.""
"Six years you knew my brother was alive.""
"Yes.""
"You watched me believe he was dead.""
Her eyes filled.
"I watched you lose him.""
I laughed quietly.
A bitter sound.
"Do you hear yourself?""
"I was trying to keep you alive.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You were making decisions for me.""
Celeste didn't argue.
And somehow, that made it worse.
The woman I loved always had an answer.
Always had a reason.
Always knew how to make everything sound logical.
But now she stood there with nothing.
Because there was no explanation that could erase six years.
I picked up the letter again.
"Ewan said you were the reason he disappeared.""
Her face changed.
Not surprise.
Pain.
"He said that?""
I nodded.
She closed her eyes.
For a moment, she looked exhausted.
Not like the elegant woman everyone saw at charity events.
Not like the future wife of Lucian Moretti.
Just a woman carrying something too heavy.
"Then he finally told you his version.""
"His version?""
Celeste opened her eyes.
"Lucian, there are three people in this story.""
She pointed at the letter.
"Your brother.""
Then at me.
"You.""
Then herself.
"And all three of us remember that night differently.""
I stared at her.
"Then start talking.""
She hesitated.
"I can't do it here.""
My patience disappeared.
"You don't get to choose the place anymore.""
A small sadness crossed her face.
"You're right.""
She looked toward the window.
"The truth about Ewan started in this house.""
Twenty minutes later, we were sitting in the old garden room behind the mansion.
The same place where Celeste and I had first talked alone.
Before the engagement.
Before the secrets.
Before I knew every beautiful memory could have a shadow behind it.
Rain tapped against the glass ceiling.
Celeste sat across from me.
Her hands were folded tightly.
"When Ewan found out about the fire, he didn't know who to trust.""
I said nothing.
She continued.
"Your father had discovered someone inside the organization was moving money through fake companies. He thought it was one of his accountants.""
"Elias.""
She looked at me.
"Eventually.""
The word bothered me.
"Eventually?""
"Because Elias wasn't working alone.""
I leaned forward.
"Who else?""
Celeste looked away.
"That is the part Ewan never told you.""
"Because?""
"Because he was afraid you would kill them.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
She whispered:
"Your father.""
The room went silent.
I felt anger rise immediately.
"Be careful.""
"I'm telling you the truth.""
"My father died trying to protect this family.""
Celeste looked at me.
"Your father died because he realized too late that the person closest to him was the person destroying it.""
I stood.
"Enough.""
"Lucian—"
"No.""
I walked toward the window.
"My father raised me.""
"I know.""
"He taught me loyalty.""
"I know.""
"He sacrificed everything for us.""
Celeste's voice softened.
"And maybe that's why he made one mistake.""
I turned.
"What mistake?""
She looked at me.
"Trusting someone who knew exactly how to use his love for his family against him.""
I left her there.
Not because I believed her.
Not because I didn't.
Because I didn't know what I believed anymore.
The worst part about betrayal wasn't discovering someone lied.
It was realizing the truth was probably hidden between two different lies.
Marco found me in the underground garage.
"You talked to her.""
I nodded.
"And?""
I looked at him.
"Elias was involved.""
His expression darkened.
"I thought that was impossible.""
"So did I.""
Marco ran a hand over his face.
"If Elias was behind it, then everything changes.""
"Why?""
"Because he wasn't just your father's adviser.""
He paused.
"He managed the family records.""
I looked at him.
"Meaning?""
"Meaning if someone wanted to erase evidence, hide witnesses, change reports...""
Marco's voice lowered.
"He was the person who could do it.""
I looked toward the mansion above us.
Everything suddenly felt different.
The walls.
The rooms.
The people inside.
Like I had spent years living inside a carefully designed illusion.
My phone vibrated.
A message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
One photo.
My stomach dropped.
It was Ewan.
Standing outside a train station.
Alive.
The message beneath it had only six words.
*You need to see what he found.*
Then another message appeared.
A location.
An abandoned factory on the edge of the city.
Marco saw my face.
"What is it?""
I showed him.
His expression changed.
"No.""
"What?""
"That location.""
"You know it?""
He nodded slowly.
"That's where your father kept the emergency files.""
I stared at him.
"The files were destroyed.""
"That's what we were told.""
The words hung between us.
Another notification appeared.
This time from the same number.
*Come alone.*
Marco immediately shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
I looked at him.
"He asked me to come alone.""
"He could be setting a trap.""
"He could.""
"And?""
I put the phone away.
"And if that's my brother, I've already waited six years.""
The abandoned factory looked exactly like the kind of place where people buried secrets.
Broken windows.
Rusting machines.
Dark hallways.
The kind of building everyone forgot existed.
I entered alone.
At least, that's what whoever was watching wanted to believe.
Marco was not inside.
But he was close.
Close enough.
I walked through the empty factory until I heard footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Familiar.
Then he stepped out from the shadows.
And the world stopped.
Ewan.
Older.
Thinner.
A scar running along his jaw.
But alive.
My brother looked at me.
Neither of us moved.
For six years, I had imagined this moment.
Every version ended differently.
But in every version, I hugged him first.
This time, I didn't.
Because I didn't know if I was seeing my brother.
Or another person who had lied to me.
"Ewan.""
His eyes filled instantly.
"Lucian.""
His voice broke.
I hated that hearing his voice still felt like home.
I hated that part of me wanted to forget everything and pull him into my arms.
Instead, I asked:
"Why?""
One word.
But it carried six years of pain.
Ewan looked down.
"I tried to come back.""
"When?""
"Many times.""
"Then why didn't you?""
He looked at me.
"Because every time I got close, someone moved against me.""
"Who?""
His expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not the kind people pretend.
The kind that comes from knowing exactly what someone is capable of.
"Before I tell you, you need to understand something.""
"What?""
He stepped closer.
"The person who arranged the fire...""
I waited.
"...wasn't trying to kill me.""
My eyebrows pulled together.
"What are you saying?""
Ewan looked toward the factory entrance.
Then back at me.
"They were trying to make me disappear because I found out what our family really was.""
I felt a chill.
"Our family?""
He nodded.
"Lucian, everything Father taught us about loyalty...""
He swallowed.
"It was built on a lie.""
Before I could respond, a loud sound echoed through the factory.
A gunshot.
The window behind Ewan shattered.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me down.
Someone was shooting at us.
I heard footsteps.
Multiple people.
Ewan looked at me.
And in the darkness, he whispered the words that changed everything.
"They found us.""
A second shot rang out.
Then a voice echoed through the factory.
A voice I recognized.
A voice that made my blood turn cold.
"Lucian.""
I looked toward the entrance.
May you like
Elias Moretti stepped into the light.
And beside him stood Celeste Vandermark.
