Chapter 4 - The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
The voice outside the door repeated her name.
"Brielle Edwards."
She couldn't move.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she knew that voice.
Twelve years had passed.
Twelve years since she last heard it in a hospital hallway filled with alarms and running footsteps.
Twelve years since someone grabbed her hand and told her not to trust anyone.
But memories could not change.
A person could.
A face could.
A name could disappear.
But a voice stayed.
Agostino watched her carefully.
"You know who that is."
Brielle didn't answer.
The door handle moved again.
The security lock remained in place.
Whoever stood outside was not trying to force their way in.
They wanted them to know they were there.
They wanted them to wait.
Agostino reached for the weapon beside his bed.
Brielle noticed.
"You shouldn't be moving."
He looked at her.
"Now you care?"
She ignored the comment.
"If you open that door, you may not like what comes next."
Agostino's expression changed.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"You sound like you know exactly who is outside."
Brielle looked toward the door.
"I know who they used to be."
A pause.
"That doesn't mean I know who they are now."
Agostino studied her.
Before he could ask another question, Darwin's voice came through the intercom.
"Mr. Costello."
Agostino pressed the button.
"Talk."
"We checked the cameras."
"And?"
Silence.
That was unusual.
Darwin was never silent.
"Darwin."
"There is something wrong with the footage."
Agostino's eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?"
"It means someone entered the east wing three minutes ago."
"Who?"
Darwin hesitated.
Then:
"The cameras don't show anyone entering."
The room became still.
Brielle looked at Agostino.
Someone had entered a heavily guarded mansion without appearing on security footage.
That was not an accident.
That was a message.
Agostino lowered the weapon slightly.
"Open the door."
Brielle immediately looked at him.
"No."
He turned.
"You don't give me orders."
"Then consider it medical advice."
Even now.
Even with danger outside.
She still spoke to him the same way.
Agostino almost smiled.
Almost.
Then the door handle stopped moving.
The voice outside spoke again.
This time quieter.
"Brielle."
A pause.
"I know you remember."
Her face changed.
Agostino saw it.
And that confirmed everything.
"You do know him."
Brielle whispered:
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
She looked at the door.
"The person who disappeared."
Agostino's expression hardened.
"My brother?"
She nodded slowly.
The answer landed harder than any bullet.
Because Elias Costello was dead.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
The door opened.
Not because Agostino unlocked it.
Because Darwin did.
The entire security team waited in the hallway.
Weapons raised.
But nobody fired.
Because the man standing there was not attacking.
He was simply standing.
Older.
Different.
But unmistakable.
Brielle felt the world around her disappear.
"Elias..."
The man's eyes moved toward her.
For a moment, he looked relieved.
Then terrified.
"Brielle."
Agostino stepped forward.
The guards immediately moved.
Not toward Elias.
Toward Agostino.
Because everyone knew what this meant.
The dead man was standing in front of them.
Agostino stared at his brother.
"You are supposed to be dead."
Elias looked at him.
"I know."
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
Agostino's face became cold.
"Explain."
Elias looked past him.
At Brielle.
Then back.
"Not here."
Agostino laughed once.
A cold, empty sound.
"You disappear for twelve years."
He took a step forward.
"You let me believe you were dead."
Another step.
"And now you walk into my house telling me not to ask questions?"
Elias didn't move.
"Because if I explain everything here, everyone in this house dies."
The hallway went silent.
Darwin looked at Agostino.
Nobody knew what to believe.
Brielle watched Elias carefully.
Because she remembered something.
Elias always looked calm.
Even when he was afraid.
And right now...
He was terrified.
That scared her more than anything.
Agostino noticed it too.
"Who are you afraid of?"
Elias looked at him.
"You."
The answer surprised everyone.
Agostino's eyes narrowed.
"Me?"
"No."
Elias shook his head.
"The person who made you become this."
The words hit harder than expected.
Brielle watched Agostino's face.
For the first time, she saw something behind the anger.
Pain.
A memory.
A wound that had never healed.
"What does that mean?" Agostino asked.
Elias looked at Brielle.
"It means she knows the truth."
Brielle froze.
"No."
Elias stepped closer.
"You were there."
"I was twelve."
"You remember enough."
She looked away.
"No."
"Brielle."
His voice softened.
"You remember the night your family disappeared."
The room became silent.
Agostino looked at her.
"Your family?"
Brielle closed her eyes.
She hated that word.
Because family was complicated.
Family was not always safety.
Sometimes family was the reason you needed to run.
"I told you I didn't know everything."
Agostino stared at her.
"You knew more than you said."
Before she could answer, Elias reached into his coat.
Every guard lifted their weapons.
Agostino immediately raised a hand.
Everyone stopped.
Elias removed a small envelope.
Old.
Worn.
The edges were damaged.
He handed it to Brielle.
"This belongs to you."
She didn't take it.
"What is it?"
"The reason you were hidden."
Her breathing changed.
Agostino looked at the envelope.
"What is inside?"
Elias looked at him.
"The truth about why your brother disappeared."
A pause.
"And why you became the man you are today."
Nobody spoke.
Brielle slowly took the envelope.
Her hands shook.
There was one name written on the front.
Not hers.
Not Elias's.
Not Agostino's.
A name she had never expected to see.
Her father's name.
She looked up.
"Elias..."
He avoided her eyes.
"Open it."
She broke the seal.
Inside was a single photograph.
A photograph taken twelve years ago.
Agostino moved closer.
Then stopped.
Because he recognized the person standing beside Brielle's father.
The person who had arranged Elias's disappearance.
The person who had controlled everything from the beginning.
Brielle looked at Agostino.
Her voice barely came out.
"Agostino..."
He stared at the photograph.
His face lost all emotion.
Because the person in the picture was someone he trusted more than anyone.
Someone who had been beside him for years.
Someone who was still inside the mansion.
Darwin suddenly touched his earpiece.
His face went pale.
"Mr. Costello."
Agostino looked at him.
"What?"
Darwin swallowed.
"The person in that photograph..."
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A pause.
"He just entered the security room."
