Chapter 4 - The Empty House
When I left Gary’s house, I thought I was going to confront my cousin. I was wrong. I was walking into a trap.
The drive home felt longer than usual.
Liam followed me in his car.
Sarah came too.
She refused to stay behind.
Gary and Debbie remained at the house.
For the first time in years, I didn't care whether they followed us.
I cared about one thing.
Why Evan was in my house.
My property was heavily secured, but the system showed no forced entry.
That meant he had either been let in.
Or he had access.
I parked.
The front door was locked.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
Liam noticed it too.
“There's a light upstairs.”
“I left one on.”
“Which room?”
“My study.”
We went inside.
I disabled the alarm.
Nothing moved.
The house was silent.
The hallway camera displayed no activity.
Sarah whispered,
“Maybe the system is wrong.”
“No.”
I walked toward the stairs.
At the top, my office door stood slightly open.
I had closed it before Thanksgiving.
I pushed it wider.
Evan was sitting behind my desk.
He looked completely calm.
“You're late.”
Sarah gasped.
“What are you doing here?”
Evan smiled.
“Waiting.”
I stopped in the doorway.
“How did you get in?”
He shrugged.
“Family.”
Liam moved beside me.
Evan looked at him.
“You brought him.”
“He already knows.”
Evan sighed.
“Then there's no reason to pretend.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“Pretend what?”
Evan looked at her.
“About Dad.”
She froze.
“What about Dad?”
Evan leaned back in my chair.
“You really don't know?”
“No.”
He laughed.
“You never do.”
I stepped into the room.
“Get out of my chair.”
He smiled.
“There she is.”
The casual tone made me angry.
“You have five seconds.”
He stood.
Then placed a USB drive on my desk.
“You should watch this.”
I didn't touch it.
“What is it?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That Dad wasn't the one moving the money.”
Sarah's face changed.
“Then who was?”
Evan looked directly at her.
“Mom.”
The room went silent.
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
Evan smiled sadly.
“You always thought Mom was the harmless one.”
I stepped closer.
“Explain.”
He pointed at the USB.
“Everything started three years ago.”
I picked it up.
“What happened three years ago?”
“You remember when Dad said he had to refinance the house?”
“Yes.”
“He lied.”
Sarah looked stunned.
“He said it was for the business.”
“It wasn't.”
“Then where did the money go?”
Evan looked at me.
“To someone outside the family.”
My heart tightened.
“Who?”
He smiled.
“That is what you're going to find out.”
Liam took the USB from me.
“I'll examine it.”
Evan shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed at me.
“She should watch it first.”
“Why?”
“Because there's something on there she won't believe.”
“What?”
He looked at me.
“A recording.”
I felt cold.
“Of what?”
“Of your father.”
My fingers tightened around the USB.
“Dad died five years ago.”
“I know.”
Sarah whispered,
“What kind of recording?”
Evan looked at the three of us.
“One that was made two days before he died.”
Liam's face went still.
“That's impossible.”
Evan smiled.
“That's what I thought too.”
He walked toward the door.
I stopped him.
“You're not leaving.”
He turned.
“You won't stop me.”
“Try.”
He smiled.
“You still think this is about money.”
“What is it about?”
He looked back at me.
“You.”
Then he walked out.
I ran after him.
By the time I reached the driveway, his car was gone.
My phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
Don't watch the recording with Liam present.
I stared at it.
Then another message arrived.
Your father knew exactly what Nexus would become.
I looked toward the house.
May you like
For the first time, the company I had built from nothing felt less like something I had created.
And more like something I had inherited.
