Chapter 5 - THE BROTHER WHO SHOULD BE DEAD
Victor reached the front entrance before anyone else.
Gabriel followed with four men.
Lily remained ten steps behind.
Victor had told her to stay in the library.
She ignored him.
The estate gates opened.
Adrian Blackwood walked through alone.
He carried no visible weapon.
He wore a dark wool coat and black gloves.
The scar along his face was worse in person.
Victor stopped at the top of the stone steps.
For several seconds, the brothers simply stared at one another.
Twelve years stood between them.
Twelve birthdays.
Twelve Christmases.
A funeral.
A grave.
A mother who had died believing one son was buried.
A father who had taken his secrets into the ground.
Victor descended one step.
“Take off the gloves.”
Adrian’s mouth twitched.
“Still suspicious.”
“Take them off.”
Adrian did.
Then he lifted both hands.
Empty.
Victor descended another step.
“I carried your coffin.”
“I know.”
The answer hit Victor like a slap.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“You watched us bury you?”
“No.”
Adrian looked away.
“I couldn’t.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“That almost sounds like regret.”
“It is.”
Victor walked down until only three feet separated them.
“Why are you alive?”
Adrian smiled without humor.
“That’s a strange question.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes.”
Adrian’s gaze moved toward Lily.
“Who is she?”
Victor did not turn.
“None of your concern.”
Adrian studied her anyway.
Then his expression changed.
“Thomas Bennett’s daughter.”
Lily froze.
Victor looked sharply at Adrian.
“How do you know her?”
Adrian’s eyes remained on Lily.
“You have his eyes.”
Lily stepped forward.
“You knew my father?”
“Yes.”
“Did you kill him?”
Victor glanced at her.
Adrian did not seem offended.
“No.”
“Do you know who did?”
“Yes.”
Victor moved instantly.
His hand closed around Adrian’s coat.
Gabriel’s men tensed.
“Name.”
Victor demanded.
Adrian looked down at Victor’s fist.
“Not at the gate.”
“Name him.”
“If I say the name here, Ethan may be dead before sunrise.”
Victor released him.
The threat worked because it was not phrased like a threat.
Adrian was taken inside.
Serena was gone from the library.
Victor stopped in the doorway.
“Where is she?”
Gabriel’s face tightened.
“She was moved to the east sitting room.”
“By whose order?”
“Mine.”
Victor turned slowly.
Gabriel continued.
“I didn’t want her near Adrian.”
Victor stared at him.
“You make no decisions concerning Serena without me again.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Understood.”
Adrian noticed the exchange.
His expression was unreadable.
They gathered around the long library table.
Lily remained despite Victor’s disapproval.
Adrian looked at her again.
“She stays?”
“She stays.”
Victor answered.
Adrian gave a small nod.
“Good.”
Victor’s patience snapped.
“Start talking.”
Adrian removed his coat.
“I didn’t die in that warehouse.”
“I noticed.”
“My father arranged the explosion.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because I found out what he had done.”
“What?”
Adrian looked at Lily.
“To Thomas Bennett.”
Lily went still.
“My father?”
Adrian nodded.
“Thomas kept the real financial records for the Blackwood organization.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Adrian replied.
“You know the version Victor was told.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“What version is that?”
“That Thomas stole a ledger before his death.”
“He did.”
“No.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“Thomas created the ledger.”
Lily stared.
“He was collecting evidence.”
“Against my father?”
“Against several people.”
Adrian said.
“Your father wanted to leave.”
“He had decided to cooperate with federal investigators.”
Lily’s stomach dropped.
Victor looked stunned.
“Thomas was an informant?”
“He was preparing to become one.”
Adrian replied.
“He never got the chance.”
Lily’s throat tightened.
“Who killed him?”
Adrian did not answer immediately.
Victor leaned forward.
“You came here warning Ethan is next.”
“So stop wasting time.”
Adrian looked at his brother.
“Raymond Blackwood.”
Victor frowned.
“There is no Raymond Blackwood.”
Adrian’s eyes were cold.
“There is.”
“You know him by another name.”
Victor waited.
Adrian reached into his coat.
Gabriel immediately raised his weapon.
Adrian stopped.
“Photograph.”
Victor nodded.
Gabriel lowered the gun.
Adrian removed an old picture.
Three young men stood outside a restaurant.
Victor recognized his father immediately.
Salvatore Blackwood.
Beside him stood Uncle Michael.
And beside Michael stood a third man.
Victor stared.
He knew that face too.
“Raymond Hale.”
Lily whispered.
Victor looked at her.
“You know him?”
“Everyone does.”
Raymond Hale was a billionaire developer.
He chaired charities.
He donated hospital wings.
He appeared on magazine covers beside mayors and senators.
His company had built half the luxury towers along Chicago’s riverfront.
Victor looked at Adrian.
“That man is not a Blackwood.”
“Yes.”
Adrian replied.
“He is.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“His name was Raymond Blackwood until he was twenty-two.”
“Our grandfather sent him away after a family dispute.”
“He changed his surname.”
“Built a legitimate empire.”
“And spent forty years making sure nobody remembered where he came from.”
Lily stared at the photograph.
“What does he have to do with Ethan?”
Adrian looked toward Victor.
“Everything.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Explain.”
“Our father’s will created the Blackwood Heritage Trust.”
Victor nodded.
“I control it.”
“Temporarily.”
Victor went still.
Adrian continued.
“The permanent beneficiary is the first legitimate grandchild of Salvatore’s eldest son.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“Ethan.”
“Yes.”
“When Ethan turns twenty-one, every controlling share transfers to him.”
Victor knew that.
“What are you not saying?”
Adrian took a breath.
“If Ethan dies before age five, control does not stay with you.”
Victor stared.
“It transfers to the surviving member of Salvatore’s generation.”
Silence.
Lily understood first.
“Raymond.”
Adrian nodded.
Victor stood.
“That clause doesn’t exist.”
“It does.”
“I read the will.”
“You read the public will.”
Adrian replied.
“There is a sealed codicil.”
Victor’s face became cold.
“Where?”
“Thomas Bennett had a copy.”
Lily’s heart stopped.
“My father?”
“That’s why Raymond needed him dead.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Thomas knew the trust structure.”
“He knew Raymond’s motive.”
“And he knew Raymond had spent years buying influence inside the Blackwood organization.”
Victor’s mind raced.
“Elena.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
“She found out.”
Victor stared.
“How?”
“I told her.”
Victor’s eyes flashed.
“You were meeting my wife behind my back?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I couldn’t contact you.”
“You could have.”
“No.”
Adrian said sharply.
“I couldn’t.”
“Your phones were monitored.”
“Your office was monitored.”
“Half the people around you reported to someone else.”
Victor looked toward Gabriel.
Gabriel stiffened.
Adrian noticed.
“I didn’t say him.”
Victor looked back.
“Then who?”
“Dominic Russo.”
Victor’s expression changed.
Lily recognized the name.
Dominic was Victor’s consigliere.
He had attended Ethan’s baptism.
He had stood beside Victor at Elena’s funeral.
Victor shook his head.
“Dominic has been with my family for thirty years.”
“So has betrayal.”
Adrian replied.
Victor’s phone rang.
He looked at the caller.
Dominic.
The room went silent.
Victor answered.
“Where are you?”
Dominic’s voice came calmly through the phone.
“At the hospital.”
Victor stared at Adrian.
“Why?”
“I came to see Ethan.”
Victor’s blood turned cold.
“Do not enter his room.”
A pause.
“Victor?”
“Step away from my son.”
Dominic’s tone changed.
“What is this?”
Victor looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel was already moving.
“Security is on the way.”
Victor ended the call.
He turned to Adrian.
“If Dominic hurts Ethan—”
“He won’t.”
Adrian said.
“Why?”
“Because Raymond doesn’t want Ethan dead yet.”
Victor stopped.
Lily felt a chill.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian looked at her.
“He needs the boy alive until the trust transfer documents are authenticated.”
Victor’s voice lowered.
“When?”
Adrian checked his watch.
“Tomorrow night.”
Silence.
Victor stared.
“You’re telling me someone is planning to kill my son after tomorrow night.”
“I’m telling you they’ve been planning it since before Elena died.”
The library door opened.
Serena stood there.
Two guards were behind her.
Her face was pale.
She looked at Adrian.
He looked at her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Serena whispered.
“You were supposed to stay dead.”
Adrian’s eyes turned cold.
“And you were supposed to keep Elena alive.”
Victor moved toward Serena.
“What did he just say?”
Serena stepped back.
Adrian rose.
“Tell him.”
Serena’s breathing changed.
“Tell me what?”
Victor demanded.
Adrian looked at his brother.
“Elena’s crash wasn’t supposed to kill her.”
Victor went still.
Adrian continued.
“The plan was to frighten her.”
“Force her to give up what Thomas had hidden.”
“But someone changed the plan.”
Victor stared at Serena.
“Who?”
Serena’s lips trembled.
For the first time, she looked defeated.
“Raymond.”
Victor’s hands curled into fists.
Serena shook her head.
“No.”
“You still don’t understand.”
She whispered.
“Raymond didn’t order Elena’s death.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Then who did?”
Serena looked past him.
Straight at Gabriel.
And said one name.
“Dominic.”
At that exact moment, Gabriel’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face drained white.
Victor turned.
“What?”
Gabriel slowly lowered the phone.
“Dominic reached Ethan’s floor.”
Victor’s heart stopped.
“And?”
May you like
Gabriel looked at him.
“Ethan’s room is empty.”
