Chapter 6 - THE BROTHER WHO CAME BACKDavid had never heard the name Samuel.
Yet the moment Adrian said it, something stirred in his memory.
A child's laughter.
A red toy truck.
A bedroom door.
A lullaby.
Fragments.
Broken pieces from a childhood David couldn't fully remember.
“Why don't I remember him?”
Adrian smiled.
“Because your mother made sure you forgot.”
David turned toward Stella.
She was crying.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“You knew about Samuel.”
“I didn't!”
Adrian interrupted.
“Enough.”
He pointed toward the ceiling.
“Your brother is upstairs.”
David ran.
The basement door opened by itself.
They reached the living room.
Someone stood beside the window.
A man.
Tall.
Thin.
His face was hidden in shadow.
David stopped.
“Samuel?”
The man turned.
David saw his face.
It was his.
Not similar.
Identical.
Same eyes.
Same scar above the eyebrow.
Same jaw.
Same expression.
David couldn't move.
Samuel smiled.
“Hello, brother.”
Stella backed away.
“How?”
Samuel touched his chest.
“Do you know what it's like to spend twenty-five years waiting in a place where nobody can hear you?”
David shook his head.
“What place?”
Samuel's smile disappeared.
“Under the house.”
David looked toward Adrian.
“You lied.”
“No.”
Adrian remained calm.
“Your father believed the curse would end by sacrificing Samuel.”
David's voice broke.
“He was a child.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Samuel answered.
“He buried me alive.”
David felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because Adrian told him the debt demanded a life.”
Samuel looked toward Stella.
“But Dad made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He buried the wrong son.”
Silence.
David's heart stopped.
Samuel stepped closer.
“He thought he was sacrificing me.”
“But?”
“But he actually sacrificed himself.”
David stared.
Samuel whispered:
“Your father switched our clothes.”
Adrian's expression remained unreadable.
“He saved you,” Samuel said.
“Why?”
“Because he loved you.”
David's knees weakened.
“All these years...”
Samuel nodded.
“The contract survived.”
“Why did you come back?”
Samuel looked toward Stella.
“To finish it.”
Suddenly every window in the house shattered.
Wind exploded through the rooms.
The furniture began moving.
Cash poured from the walls.
Thousands of bills filled the air.
David grabbed Stella.
Adrian stood motionless.
Samuel raised his hand.
The money stopped falling.
Then every note turned black.
Samuel looked at David.
“There is only one way to end this.”
“How?”
“Someone has to accept the debt willingly.”
David stepped forward.
“I will.”
Stella screamed.
“No!”
Samuel shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Samuel looked directly into his eyes.
“The contract doesn't take the person's life.”
David's blood ran cold.
“What does it take?”
Samuel whispered:
“It takes their future.”
The house groaned.
The walls began to crack.
Then Linda's voice came from upstairs.
“David.”
He froze.
His mother's voice.
Impossible.
“David, don't listen to them.”
Samuel looked up.
“She isn't dead.”
May you like
Adrian smiled.
“She hasn't died yet.”
