Chapter 12 - The Third CarterThe Brother Nobody Knew ExistedAlexander's mind went blank.
“Three?”
Kane looked at him.
“Your father loved secrets.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You're lying.”
Kane smiled.
“Am I?”
He tossed an old photograph onto the floor.
Three children.
Alexander recognized himself.
Daniel stood beside him.
The third boy had dark hair.
Alexander had never seen him before.
The photograph was dated thirty-four years earlier.
On the back:
ALEXANDER. DANIEL. NICHOLAS.
Daniel whispered:
“Nicholas…”
Kane looked at him.
“Yes.”
Alexander stared at the photograph.
“What happened to him?”
Kane said nothing.
Richard answered.
“He disappeared.”
Alexander looked at Richard.
“Why?”
“Because William chose you.”
Kane's eyes hardened.
“Your father chose Alexander to inherit everything.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“And Nicholas?”
“Was abandoned.”
Kane looked at Sofie.
“He learned what abandonment does to a person.”
Alexander realized something.
“You're Nicholas.”
Kane smiled.
“Finally.”
The room seemed to shrink.
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Nicholas laughed.
“You really thought I was dead?”
Alexander stared.
“You killed Dad.”
Nicholas's expression changed.
“No.”
“I watched the records.”
“He lied to you.”
“You ordered the attacks.”
“I ordered Richard to recover the ledger.”
“You tried to kill Elena.”
“I tried to scare her.”
“You killed the witnesses.”
Nicholas stared at him.
Then quietly said:
“Yes.”
Alexander's grip tightened.
Nicholas looked at Sofie.
“But I never intended to kill the child.”
Elena screamed.
“You tried to take her!”
“I needed the heir.”
Alexander understood.
Nicholas wanted the authorization.
The entire corporation could be transferred with a child's authorization.
The Orchid Trust could release the $100 million.
But only Sofie could activate it.
Nicholas had spent years arranging everything to force Alexander into opening the safe.
The challenge.
The transfer.
The board coup.
Everything.
Even the fake attack.
Alexander looked at Richard.
“You were his puppet.”
Richard laughed.
“You're still protecting your family?”
Alexander stepped closer.
“No.”
He looked at Daniel.
“I'm protecting hers.”
Sofie was staring at Nicholas.
Then she said:
“You are sad.”
Nicholas froze.
“What?”
“You look sad.”
Richard laughed.
Nicholas didn't.
Sofie walked closer.
Elena tried to stop her.
Alexander shook his head.
Let her.
Sofie looked at Nicholas's red watch.
“Why do you hide it?”
Nicholas's expression changed.
“I don't.”
“Yes.”
She pointed.
“There's a picture under it.”
Nicholas instinctively covered his wrist.
Alexander noticed.
“What picture?”
Nicholas stepped back.
Daniel moved forward.
“Nicholas.”
Nicholas pulled a small photo from inside the watch.
Alexander could barely see it.
Three boys.
Their mother.
William.
And a fourth person.
A woman Alexander didn't recognize.
Nicholas looked at the image.
“She was the only person who loved me.”
“Who?”
Nicholas's voice broke.
“Our mother.”
Alexander stared.
“My mother died when I was five.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Nicholas laughed bitterly.
“She wasn't your mother.”
Alexander froze.
Daniel looked confused.
Nicholas continued.
“She was mine.”
A silence.
Then the lights returned.
The system spoke.
ORCHID AUTHORIZATION COMPLETE.
Everyone turned.
Sofie had placed her hand on the panel.
A new message appeared.
TRUST BENEFICIARY UPDATED.
Alexander stepped forward.
“To whom?”
The screen displayed:
ELENA MORALES.
Elena stared.
“What?”
William had changed the trust.
The $100 million wasn't for Sofie.
It was for Elena.
Because William knew she had been forced into poverty after witnessing the truth.
And now the money belonged to her.
Nicholas stared at the screen.
Then smiled.
“This isn't over.”
A helicopter exploded outside the tower.
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The building shook.
And the entire Carter Tower went dark.
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