Chapter 7: The Brother Who Stayed Silent
I drove home without remembering the drive.
That was the frightening part.
My hands held the steering wheel.
My eyes watched the road.
But my mind was somewhere else.
Stuck between two impossible truths.
Derrick had lied to me before.
Andre had protected me before.
And somehow, both of them were hiding something.
When I pulled into the driveway, the house looked exactly the same.
The same porch light.
The same small flower bed Camille loved.
The same front door where Jada had walked in wearing her graduation gown, expecting to see her father.
A normal house.
A broken family.
I walked inside.
The living room was quiet.
Camille sat on the couch with the baby sleeping beside her.
Andre stood near the window.
Waiting.
He already knew.
“You saw him,” Andre said.
It wasn’t a question.
I closed the door behind me.
“Yes.””
Camille looked up.
“What did he say?””
I didn’t answer immediately.
I looked at Andre.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
His face changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
“Tell you what?””
“That you were there.””
The room went silent.
Andre looked away.
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed quietly.
“That’s everyone’s favorite excuse.””
“Marcus…”
“No.””
My voice became sharper.
“I’m tired of people protecting me by lying to me.””
Camille lowered her eyes.
Andre took a breath.
“Okay.””
He nodded.
“You deserve the truth.””
I sat down.
“Then start talking.””
Andre remained standing.
“The day of Jada’s graduation, I got a call from Derrick.””
My jaw tightened.
“Why?””
“He wanted to meet you.””
“I know.””
“He said he had proof about the company.””
I nodded.
“Keep going.””
Andre looked at Camille.
“She asked me to stop you.””
My eyes moved to my wife.
“What?””
Camille’s face tightened.
“Marcus…”
“You asked Andre to stop me?””
“I asked him to make sure you didn’t walk into a trap.””
Andre nodded.
“She knew Derrick was angry.””
“And she didn’t tell me?””
“She thought you would go anyway.””
I looked down.
Because she was right.
If Camille had told me Derrick had evidence, I would have gone.
Not because I trusted him.
Because I needed answers.
Andre continued.
“I followed you.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew you.””
A sad smile crossed his face.
“You never knew when to walk away.””
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
Andre hesitated.
Then sat across from me.
“You met Derrick at the old warehouse.””
I remembered.
The abandoned building.
The broken windows.
The smell of oil and dust.
“Yes.””
“He wasn’t alone.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who was with him?””
Andre looked at me.
“Someone from the company.””
My breathing slowed.
“Who?””
Andre didn’t answer.
That scared me more than anything.
“Who?””
“Thomas.””
I froze.
Thomas.
My accountant.
The man who handled every financial document.
The man who helped me discover the missing money.
“No.””
Andre nodded.
“Yes.””
I stood.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It does.””
“How?””
Andre reached into his pocket.
Then handed me a small flash drive.
“Because Derrick didn’t steal from you.””
I stared at it.
“What?””
“He was trying to expose Thomas.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at Camille.
She looked shocked too.
“You knew?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Andre continued.
“When you arrived at the warehouse, Derrick tried to explain everything.””
My memories returned.
Derrick standing near the table.
His hands raised.
Me yelling.
The anger.
The betrayal.
“I didn’t listen.””
“No.””
Andre looked down.
“You were furious.””
“What happened next?””
“You left.””
I frowned.
“I left?””
“Yes.””
“But the accident…”
Andre closed his eyes.
“That happened afterward.””
My heart started beating faster.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
He looked at me.
“The accident wasn’t because of Derrick.””
The words felt impossible.
“Then who?””
Andre’s silence answered before his mouth did.
“I don’t know.””
I stared at him.
“You don’t know?””
“I saw the car.””
“You saw the crash.””
“Yes.””
“And you still don’t know?””
Andre rubbed his face.
“Marcus, someone cut your brakes.””
Nobody spoke.
The baby stirred softly.
Camille covered her mouth.
I felt cold.
“That’s impossible.””
“I checked.””
“Why?””
“Because when I got to the scene, I saw something.””
“What?””
Andre looked at me.
“The brake line.””
My hands started shaking.
“Why didn’t you tell the police?””
His eyes dropped.
And for the first time, I saw fear.
Real fear.
“Because I found something else.””
“What?””
Andre reached into his bag.
He pulled out an envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A security camera image.
A person standing near my car.
My heart stopped.
Because I recognized the person immediately.
It was someone I trusted.
Someone who had been standing beside my family for years.
Camille stood up.
“Marcus?””
I couldn’t speak.
Because the person in the photo was holding a phone.
And on the screen was a message.
A message sent to me.
“Come to the warehouse. We need to talk.””
May you like
The sender’s name was visible.
Thomas.