Chapter 12 - EvanHis name was Evan.
My twin.
For several seconds neither of us spoke.
He looked at me with an expression that felt strangely familiar.
Not because I recognized him.
Because I recognized myself.
He lowered the gun.
“Did you really think Dad loved you more?”
“Where's Noah?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“You always ask the same question.”
I stepped forward.
He raised the gun again.
“Don't.”
“Where is my son?”
“He's alive.”
“Let me see him.”
“No.”
“Then kill me.”
He laughed.
“There you are.”
“What does that mean?”
“You always were brave when you had nothing left to lose.”
Vanessa whispered:
“Evan, please.”
He looked at her.
“You betrayed us.”
“I was trying to protect Noah.”
“You put him in a cage.”
“He knows where the ledger is.”
Evan shook his head.
“No. Lily made sure no one knew.”
I looked at him.
“Then why are you doing this?”
His smile disappeared.
“Because she ruined everything.”
“You killed her.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
He hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
“You know.”
“I know.”
“Who?”
Evan stared at me.
“Your father.”
My chest tightened.
“What?”
“He ordered Gabriel to scare Lily.”
“Scare?”
“He wanted the ledger.”
“And the accident?”
“Gabriel went too far.”
“And you?”
“I was there.”
I took a step.
“You watched her die.”
His jaw clenched.
“I tried to stop it.”
“You watched.”
“I couldn't save her.”
“You were in the SUV.”
He said nothing.
I understood.
The black SUV.
Marcus.
The night Lily died.
Evan had been there.
But why?
He explained.
Our father had created Evan as a hidden operative.
When we were children, Evan was sent away.
He grew up learning how to infiltrate, manipulate, disappear.
Years later, Gabriel found him.
And used him to impersonate me.
The recordings.
The signatures.
The hidden meetings.
They weren't mine.
They were Evan.
He had been wearing my identity.
I stared at him.
“You ruined my life.”
He laughed bitterly.
“Your life?”
“You had everything.”
“You had everything.”
“You were alive.”
“So was I.”
“You took my wife.”
“No.”
“You killed her.”
“I didn't.”
“Then who?”
Evan looked toward Vanessa.
“Ask her.”
Vanessa began shaking.
I turned.
“What?”
She closed her eyes.
“I gave Gabriel the location.”
“The location of what?”
“Lily's hidden room.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I told him where she kept the evidence.”
“And then?”
“He went there.”
“And?”
“He came back alone.”
I stared.
“You're saying Gabriel killed her.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Then who killed Gabriel?”
She opened her eyes.
“I did.”
Silence.
Evan smiled.
“That part she never told you.”
“You killed him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because after Lily died, Gabriel wanted Noah dead.”
My blood ran cold.
Vanessa continued.
“I couldn't let him.”
A siren sounded outside.
Police.
Evan looked toward the window.
“Looks like our time is up.”
I grabbed him.
He slammed me into the desk.
We fought.
The gun fell.
Vanessa kicked it away.
Evan punched me.
I hit the floor.
He ran.
I chased him into the hallway.
At the stairs, he turned.
For one moment, we stood face to face.
Two identical men.
One life stolen from the other.
Then he said:
“Lily knew something neither of us knows.”
“What?”
“Your mother didn't die naturally.”
I froze.
He jumped through the window.
By the time police reached the room, he was gone.
On the floor was a piece of paper.
May you like
Lily's handwriting.
THE FIRST LIE WAS MY DEATH.
