Chapter 17 - The Last BrotherPeter Collins stepped into the hallway.
Older than the photographs.
But alive.
Very alive.
He looked at me.
“You have your father's eyes.”
I backed away.
Daniel stood in front of me.
Peter smiled.
“Still protecting her.”
Daniel's voice was cold.
“You killed my uncle.”
“I killed many people.”
My mother began crying.
Peter looked at her.
“You should have stayed away.”
She shook her head.
“I am done running.”
Peter laughed.
“That is what Thomas said.”
I stepped forward.
“Why did you kill him?”
“Because he chose you over the family.”
“He chose his daughter.”
“Exactly.”
Peter looked at Daniel.
“Your father was weak.”
Daniel's fists tightened.
“You used my mother.”
“I used everyone.”
“What do you want?”
Peter looked at me.
“The shares.”
“You already have nothing.”
“I have leverage.”
He pointed toward the front window.
A black sedan sat outside.
Two men were standing beside it.
“Who are they?”
“My insurance.”
My blood ran cold.
Peter continued.
“Sign over the controlling shares.”
“No.”
“Then your mother dies.”
My mother gasped.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Leave her out of this.”
Peter laughed.
“You still don't understand how your family works.”
He pulled a folder from his coat.
Inside were photographs of my mother.
My father.
Me.
Taken years ago.
“Your life has been managed since birth.”
I stared at the photographs.
One showed me at five.
Another at ten.
Another at sixteen.
Someone had been watching me.
All my life.
“Who?”
Peter smiled.
“Samuel wasn't the only one.”
I felt sick.
“Who else?”
Peter looked at Daniel.
“Your husband.”
Daniel froze.
“No.”
“His first job was to watch you.”
I turned slowly toward Daniel.
He stared at Peter.
“That's a lie.”
“Is it?”
Peter pulled out a document.
Daniel's signature.
The date was six years ago.
Before our wedding.
Before we met.
I looked at Daniel.
“What is this?”
He grabbed it.
His face changed.
“I don't remember signing this.”
Peter smiled.
“You signed plenty of things.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Peter's voice became softer.
“You were drunk.”
“I don't remember.”
“You agreed to help Margaret monitor Emily.”
My heart shattered.
Daniel looked at me.
“Emily…”
I stepped back.
“Did you?”
“I swear I didn't know.”
Peter laughed.
“That's the problem with you Collins boys.”
He looked at Daniel.
“You obey first.”
I felt tears in my eyes.
“I trusted you.”
“I didn't know.”
“You kept saying that.”
Daniel's face crumpled.
Then my mother shouted:
“Emily, run!”
Peter turned.
My mother threw a vase.
The glass struck his arm.
Daniel tackled him.
The room exploded into chaos.
I grabbed my mother.
We ran upstairs.
Behind us, furniture crashed.
Someone shouted.
A gunshot rang through the house.
We froze.
Then silence.
Daniel appeared at the top of the stairs.
Blood covered his shirt.
I screamed.
He collapsed.
I ran toward him.
Then he opened his eyes.
“It isn't mine.”
He pointed downward.
Peter's blood was on his shirt.
“He's gone.”
My mother looked outside.
The black sedan had disappeared.
On the floor was the folder.
I picked it up.
There was one page I hadn't seen before.
A handwritten note.
Peter is not the final enemy.
May you like
And beneath it:
The real heir is already inside the family.
