Chapter 5 - The Brother Who Refused to Stay Dead
Dominic did not go alone.
He simply made Adrian believe he had.
Russell and two trusted men approached the abandoned chapel through woods behind the property.
Marcus remained at the estate coordinating communications.
Dominic drove himself.
Before leaving, he called Rebecca.
No answer.
Then Elena.
No answer.
The photograph had been taken outside Rebecca’s protected residence.
Someone knew where they were.
Dominic’s anger became cold.
Useful.
He arrived at the chapel at 1:12 a.m.
The doors were open.
One candle burned near the altar.
Adrian stood beside it.
For the first time in nine years, the brothers faced each other without a screen between them.
Adrian smiled.
“Little brother.”
Dominic stopped ten feet away.
“You look terrible for a dead man.”
Adrian laughed.
“You haven’t changed.”
“You wouldn’t know.”
“I’ve watched.”
Dominic glanced around.
“Where are Elena and Lily?”
“Safe.”
“Rebecca?”
“Also safe.”
“If that changes—”
“You’ll do what?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Kill me?”
Dominic said nothing.
Adrian’s smile faded.
“That’s what Father taught us.”
“Father taught you.”
“He taught both of us.”
“I stopped listening.”
“And look what happened.”
Adrian spread his arms.
“You turned our family into accountants.”
“I kept it alive.”
“You stole it.”
“You died.”
“I disappeared.”
“Without telling your own brother.”
Adrian’s eyes hardened.
“You would have followed me.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I knew exactly who you were.”
“No.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“You knew who you needed me to be so you could justify abandoning me.”
The words landed.
Adrian’s face changed.
Just enough.
Dominic saw the wound beneath the arrogance.
“You always thought you were better than me.”
“I thought differently.”
“Mother preferred you.”
“That wasn’t my fault.”
“Father trusted you.”
“Father used both of us.”
Adrian stared.
For a moment, they were not two powerful men.
They were boys again.
Competing.
Resenting.
Trying to survive the same father.
Then Adrian’s face hardened.
“You inherited everything.”
“Because everyone thought you were dead.”
“And you never questioned how convenient that was?”
Dominic looked at him.
“What are you saying?”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“The fire wasn’t my idea.”
Dominic waited.
“Whose?”
“Father’s.”
Their father had been dead for twelve years.
Adrian claimed Vincent Vale had prepared contingencies before his death.
Enemies were closing in.
Federal investigations had begun.
One son would remain visible.
The other would disappear and preserve hidden assets.
Adrian had been selected to vanish.
Dominic had never been told.
“Why?” Dominic asked.
“Because Father trusted you to rebuild what remained.”
“And you?”
“To restore what was hidden when the time came.”
“You expect me to believe he planned a nine-year succession game?”
“No.”
Adrian smiled bitterly.
“I think he expected me back within two years.”
“What happened?”
“You.”
Dominic said nothing.
“You changed everything. Closed operations. Cut alliances. Replaced people loyal to the old structure.”
“They were criminals who would have destroyed us.”
“They were our people.”
“They were parasites.”
Adrian’s temper flashed.
“That wasn’t your decision!”
“It became my decision when you were buried.”
Silence.
Adrian breathed slowly.
Then he said, “Tomorrow morning, you lose everything.”
“You forged evidence.”
“I corrected history.”
“You fabricated crimes.”
“I created leverage.”
“You framed Russell.”
“He was convenient.”
“And Elena?”
“An inconvenience.”
Dominic’s hands tightened.
Adrian noticed.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“Your weakness.”
“Protecting innocent people is weakness?”
“In our world?”
Adrian laughed.
“Yes.”
A faint red light blinked inside Dominic’s coat button.
Recording.
Adrian had no idea.
Dominic needed more.
“Why use Marcus?”
“Because you trusted him.”
“Did he know everything?”
“Eventually.”
“And when he refused?”
“I adjusted.”
“By threatening Lily.”
Adrian shrugged.
“Children make adults predictable.”
Dominic’s eyes went still.
“You photographed her school.”
“I photographed many things.”
“You ordered Elena imprisoned.”
“I ordered Marcus to contain the problem.”
“And the fake transfers?”
“Mine.”
“Signatures?”
“Mine.”
“Witnesses?”
“Paid.”
“Federal evidence?”
“Delivered.”
That was enough.
More than enough.
Dominic heard something outside.
A branch snapping.
Adrian heard it too.
His eyes narrowed.
“You didn’t come alone.”
Dominic did not respond.
Adrian reached beneath his coat.
Dominic moved first.
Not toward a weapon.
Toward Adrian.
He struck his brother’s wrist aside.
The pistol fell.
Adrian shoved him.
They crashed against a pew.
Russell entered from the side door with his gun raised.
“Don’t move!”
Adrian froze.
Then laughed.
“Russell Dane. The loyal dog.”
Russell kicked the weapon away.
Dominic straightened.
“Where are Elena and Lily?”
Adrian smiled.
“You really still think this meeting was about me?”
Dominic’s face changed.
Adrian looked toward his coat.
Dominic grabbed his phone.
On the screen was a live security feed.
Rebecca’s residence.
Front door open.
Living room empty.
Dominic stared.
Adrian said, “I told you they were safe.”
“Where?”
“I didn’t say safe with you.”
Dominic grabbed him by the jacket.
“Where are they?”
Adrian leaned close.
“You should ask Marcus.”
Dominic froze.
“No.”
Adrian smiled.
“You thought Marcus changed sides?”
Dominic released him.
Russell said, “He gave us the recordings.”
“Did he?”
Adrian laughed.
“Or did he give you exactly what you needed to leave your house?”
Dominic called Marcus.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Security at the estate did not answer either.
Dominic ran toward the chapel doors.
His phone buzzed before he reached them.
A video message.
He opened it.
Marcus stood inside Dominic’s foyer.
Elena and Lily were behind him.
Elena looked frightened.
Lily was crying.
Marcus faced the camera.
“I’m sorry, Dominic.”
May you like
Then he looked toward someone standing just outside the frame.
And said, “He took the bait.”
