Chapter 7: The Brother Who Never Died
I couldn’t move.
My brain refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
Ryan stood in my living room.
Alive.
Older.
Different.
But alive.
“No,” I whispered.
He looked at me sadly.
“I knew you would react like this.””
I raised the flashlight.
“Stay away from me.””
His expression changed.
Not anger.
Pain.
“I’m not here to hurt you.””
“You died.””
“I know.””
“I saw your body.””
Ryan looked away.
For a moment, he looked exactly like the brother I remembered.
The same tired eyes.
The same scar above his eyebrow.
The same person who used to sneak into my room when we were kids and scare me awake.
But that person was gone.
Or I thought he was.
“You have five minutes to explain,” I said.
Ryan nodded.
“That’s fair.””
He sat down slowly.
“I didn’t die in that accident.””
I felt sick.
“Then whose funeral did I attend?””
“A body they identified as mine.””
“Whose?””
“I don’t know.””
The answer made me angry.
“You expect me to believe this?””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“I expect you to hate me.””
I didn’t respond.
Because I did.
But underneath the anger was something worse.
Confusion.
“Why?””
Ryan took a deep breath.
“Because I found out about Ethan.””
I clenched my jaw.
“Rebecca’s son.””
“Our son,” he corrected quietly.
I looked away.
“Don’t.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice broke.
“You disappeared. You let me bury you. You let me think my brother was dead.””
Ryan lowered his head.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“By destroying me?””
He didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
“Rebecca knew you were alive?””
“No.””
I studied his face.
“Then why was she scared when she saw your picture?””
“Because she knew someone was looking for her.””
“Who?””
Ryan’s expression hardened.
“Daniel.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying Daniel.””
“Because everyone should have been afraid of him.””
Ryan explained everything.
Years ago, Daniel discovered Ethan wasn’t his biological son.
Instead of leaving, he saw an opportunity.
He threatened Rebecca.
He demanded money.
He threatened to expose her.
But Ryan had made one mistake.
He confronted Daniel.
“He knew I was going to tell you everything,” Ryan said.
“So he killed you?””
Ryan looked down.
“Not exactly.””
The room went quiet.
“He arranged the accident.””
My stomach turned.
“But you survived.””
“Barely.””
“Then why didn’t you come home?””
Ryan looked at me.
“Because Daniel threatened Harper.””
My blood froze.
“What?””
“He told me if I returned, he would hurt everyone connected to me.””
I remembered Harper’s terrified face.
The bathroom door.
The accusation.
Rebecca.
Everything.
“Then why come back now?””
Ryan’s eyes filled with regret.
“Because Daniel crossed a line.””
“What line?””
He looked upstairs.
“Ben.””
I felt cold.
“What does Daniel have to do with Ben?””
Ryan hesitated.
Then he said:
“He wasn’t trying to hurt Ben.””
I stared.
“Then what was he trying to do?””
Ryan reached into his coat pocket.
He pulled out a small device.
A recording.
“I found this outside your house.””
He pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then a voice.
Daniel.
“You have no idea what your little family is built on.””
Another voice answered.
Rebecca.
“I told you I’m not giving you anything.””
Daniel laughed.
“You still don’t understand.””
A pause.
Then:
“Your husband has been closer to the truth than you realize.””
The recording ended.
I looked at Ryan.
“What does that mean?””
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked toward the stairs.
“Because the man you call your father…”
He stopped.
My heart started racing.
“What?””
May you like
Ryan whispered:
“He knew everything.””
