Chapter 11 - The Brother Who VanishedThe name on the DNA report was Andrew Carter.
My brother.
A person I had never heard of.
I looked at Mom.
"Explain."
She couldn't.
Bennett smiled.
"Your father had another child."
"Where is he?"
"Dead."
My knees weakened.
"What?"
"Andrew disappeared when he was nineteen."
Bennett sat down.
"Officially, he died in an accident."
Mom whispered:
"That's what we were told."
I stared at the DNA report.
"Then how is my baby his?"
Bennett's smile widened.
"Because Andrew did not die."
Mom looked at him.
"You..."
"Andrew was hidden."
"Why?"
"Because your father knew the network would use him."
Ryan stepped forward.
"Where is he?"
Bennett looked at me.
"Close."
A door opened behind us.
Two men entered.
One of them was carrying a stretcher.
A body lay beneath a white sheet.
My heart hammered.
Bennett stood.
"Meet your brother."
The sheet moved.
A hand appeared.
Scarred.
Thin.
I walked forward.
The man's face was bruised and unconscious.
But the resemblance was undeniable.
He looked like Dad.
And like me.
"He's alive."
"Yes."
"Why is he here?"
"Because he has information."
Bennett leaned closer.
"Your mother thought the network was after the trust."
He shook his head.
"They're after something much larger."
"What?"
"The Carter legacy system."
He explained.
Decades ago, my grandfather had created a private financial structure holding assets in multiple countries.
The network had spent years trying to seize it.
But there was one requirement.
A direct biological descendant had to authorize the transfer.
Andrew was the original designated heir.
Until he disappeared.
Then the trust shifted to me.
And eventually to my child.
I understood.
"They need my baby because Andrew is alive."
"Exactly."
"They need his DNA to activate the trust."
Bennett nodded.
"And yours."
"Why mine?"
"Because you're the only legal bridge."
Mom suddenly stepped forward.
"Where is Richard?"
Bennett smiled.
"Safe."
"Bring him here."
"No."
"Then I will never cooperate."
Bennett looked at me.
"Your father made a deal."
"What deal?"
He said quietly:
"One life for one heir."
I froze.
"My father offered Andrew."
Mom's face turned white.
"No."
Bennett nodded.
"Richard agreed to hand over Andrew to protect you."
I stared at the man on the stretcher.
"My father would never..."
Mom interrupted.
"He would."
I looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because I've seen him make that choice before."
"What choice?"
Mom's voice broke.
"Eighteen years ago."
She looked at me.
"Your father chose you over Evelyn."
I finally understood why Evelyn had disappeared.
My father had sacrificed his first wife to protect his daughter.
And the person he sacrificed her to...
was Victor Hale.
Then Andrew opened his eyes.
Everyone froze.
He looked directly at me.
And whispered:
"Emma."
I knelt beside him.
"Andrew?"
He nodded weakly.
Then grabbed my wrist.
"Don't trust..."
His eyes moved toward Bennett.
"...the man who brought me here."
Bennett's expression changed.
Andrew's grip tightened.
May you like
"He isn't..."
Then the gunfire started.
