Chapter 7: The Sister Who Stole My Life
“Get away from the windows!””
Marcus slammed the bedroom door as the security alarm continued screaming through the rehabilitation facility.
My mother clutched my wrist.
Vanessa stood frozen beside the bed, staring at the photograph of the two newborn babies.
And I couldn't stop looking at Marcus's phone.
Camille was still standing outside.
She wore a black coat and held a phone against her ear.
Her expression was calm.
Almost cheerful.
Like she was waiting for a dinner reservation instead of preparing to confront the brother she had married.
“Brother,” she repeated through the video feed.
“You should have stayed home.””
I felt something inside me break.
“Marcus, how did she find us?””
He locked the door.
“Someone followed us from the old house.””
“Who?””
He looked toward my mother.
Then he answered.
“Leonard.””
I stared at him.
“Leonard is working with Camille?””
“Not exactly.””
Marcus pulled the curtains closed.
“Your attorney has been playing both sides for eleven years. He gave Camille enough information to keep her satisfied, but he also helped your father hide the truth.””
My mother shook her head.
“Leonard promised me he would protect the children.””
Marcus looked at her.
“He tried, Evelyn.””
“He knew what happened to Andre!””
“He was afraid!””
My mother slapped the blanket.
“Everyone was afraid! And while all of you were protecting yourselves, my children were growing up without knowing each other!””
Her voice cracked.
I moved beside her.
“Mom, we need to leave.””
She nodded.
Then she looked at Marcus.
“Is the west staircase still open?””
Marcus frowned.
“You remember that?””
“I remember everything.””
He unlocked the bedroom door slightly and looked into the hallway.
“Come on.””
We moved quickly.
Vanessa helped my mother out of bed.
I took her other arm.
She was weaker than I remembered, and her hospital slippers dragged against the polished floor.
When we reached the staircase, a nurse appeared.
“Mrs. Hayes?””
My mother stopped.
The nurse looked at Marcus.
Then at me.
“Your visitors need to leave.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
The nurse pulled a small security badge from her pocket.
“I said you need to leave.””
Her other hand moved toward her waist.
Marcus reacted immediately.
He pulled my mother behind him.
“Down the stairs!””
The nurse reached for something inside her jacket.
Vanessa shoved a nearby trolley into her path.
Medical supplies scattered across the floor.
The nurse stumbled.
We ran.
At the bottom of the stairs, Marcus pushed open an emergency exit.
Cold air hit my face.
A dark blue van was waiting behind the building.
A driver jumped out.
“Get in!””
Marcus helped my mother into the back.
Vanessa followed.
I was about to climb in when a voice called from behind us.
“Darius!””
I turned.
Leonard stood near the emergency exit.
His suit was disheveled.
His glasses were crooked.
He held a thick envelope.
“Wait!””
Marcus shouted.
“Don't listen to him!””
Leonard stepped forward.
“I have the original records!””
I looked at the envelope.
“What records?””
“The adoption papers. The original birth certificates. And the document that proves Camille knew who you were before your wedding.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Why should I believe you?””
Leonard's eyes filled.
“Because I was the one who arranged the adoption.””
The words hit me like a physical blow.
My mother made a quiet sound behind me.
“Leonard…”
He looked at her.
“I'm sorry, Evelyn.””
Marcus grabbed my shoulder.
“We have to go.””
Leonard pushed the envelope toward me.
“Take it! Your father wanted you to have it when the time came.””
I accepted it.
Then I noticed a second document sticking out of the envelope.
A handwritten note.
My father's handwriting.
I unfolded it.
Darius, the truth about Camille is only half the secret. The person who arranged your adoption is still alive.
I looked up.
“Who?””
Leonard opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, a loud bang came from the building.
Everyone turned.
A figure appeared in the emergency doorway.
Camille.
She was holding a phone in one hand.
Two men stood behind her.
“Leonard,” she said calmly.
He went pale.
“You weren't supposed to come here.””
Camille smiled.
“Neither was Darius.””
Then she looked directly at me.
“Are you enjoying the family reunion?””
I stepped toward her.
“Why did you marry me?””
Her smile disappeared.
For the first time, I saw genuine anger in her eyes.
“Because you had something I needed.””
“What?””
“Everything.””
She took one step forward.
“Your father's company. The land. The trust.
The money. The inheritance that should have belonged to me.””
I shook my head.
“You could have taken it without marrying me.””
“No, Darius. You don't understand.””
She pointed toward the van.
“Your mother made sure the estate could only be transferred if both children were alive and legally recognized.””
I stared at her.
“What does that have to do with our marriage?””
Camille laughed.
“Everything. Once we married, I could access your inheritance through marital property arrangements. I just needed you to sign the final transfer.””
I remembered the documents she had placed in front of me months earlier.
The ones she had called routine business restructuring.
My stomach tightened.
“You were going to steal everything.””
“I was going to take what was mine.””
“Your own brother?””
She looked at me with disgust.
“You were never supposed to know you had a sister.””
Vanessa stepped out of the van.
“You're sick, Camille.””
Camille turned toward her.
“And you're still alive because I allowed it.””
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“You killed Andre.””
For a moment, Camille said nothing.
Then she smiled.
“Did I?””
Vanessa's expression changed.
Camille looked toward me.
“Ask Marcus what happened that night.””
I turned.
Marcus was standing beside the driver's door.
His face had gone white.
“Marcus?””
He looked down.
“Darius…”
“Tell me.””
Marcus swallowed.
“Your father and Andre fought at the warehouse. Andre was going to expose the financial transfers.””
“And?””
Marcus's eyes filled.
“I was there.””
I stepped toward him.
“You killed him?””
“No.””
“Then what happened?””
Marcus looked at Camille.
“She gave him the wrong address for the meeting. Your father arrived first. Andre was already waiting.””
Camille laughed softly.
“Keep going, Marcus.””
He closed his eyes.
“Your father pulled a gun. They fought. Andre fell. I thought he was dead.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
My mother began crying.
I stared at Marcus.
“You watched?””
“I was twenty-six, Darius. I was terrified.””
“You left him there?””
Marcus nodded.
“And your father told me to burn the car.””
I felt sick.
“You helped him fake his death?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you stay with me?””
Marcus looked directly at me.
“Because I was trying to make sure you didn't become the next person they buried.””
Camille raised her phone.
“Enough.””
She pressed something on the screen.
A second vehicle pulled into the parking lot.
A black sedan.
The rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried a silver walking cane.
My mother stopped breathing.
Marcus whispered something I couldn't understand.
I stared at the man.
He looked older than the photographs.
His hair was almost entirely gray.
But the scar above his left eyebrow was unmistakable.
Andre Cole.
The man everyone had declared dead.
He looked at Camille.
Then at me.
And smiled.
“Hello, son.””
Nobody moved.
Vanessa stood beside the van, trembling.
My mother covered her mouth.
Marcus lowered his head.
And Camille looked like she had just won a game she had been playing for eleven years.
Andre approached slowly.
His cane tapped against the pavement.
“It's been a long time, Darius.””
I stared at him.
“Are you my father?””
He glanced at Evelyn.
Then at Camille.
“Biologically, yes.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Then why did you let me believe you were dead?””
Andre's expression remained calm.
“Because I had to find out which one of them was loyal to me.””
I looked at Marcus.
Then at Camille.
“You used my entire life as an experiment?””
Andre shook his head.
“No. Your life was an investment.””
My mother made a choking sound.
“Don't listen to him, Darius.””
Andre ignored her.
He stopped directly in front of me.
“Your father made a mistake when he raised you to believe love was more important than power.””
I clenched my fists.
“He was my father.””
Andre's smile disappeared.
“He stole my family.””
Then he turned toward Camille.
“Did you bring the documents?””
She nodded.
Andre extended his hand.
Camille placed a small black folder in it.
He opened it.
Inside was a transfer agreement.
My name appeared on the first page.
Beside it was a line marked:
*VOLUNTARY ASSIGNMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP.*
Andre looked at me.
“Sign this, and everything ends tonight.””
I stared at the document.
Then I looked at Camille.
She was smiling again.
I understood something.
They hadn't brought armed men to kill me.
Not yet.
They needed my signature first.
But the final page contained another name.
A name I hadn't expected.
*BENEFICIARY: EVELYN HAYES.*
My mother looked at it.
Her face went white.
Then she whispered:
“Darius, don't sign. That's the document I signed before they took your sister.””
I turned toward her.
“What document?””
She began crying.
“The one that gave Andre permission to choose which child would inherit the estate.””
Andre's smile widened.
“Exactly.””
May you like
He tapped the final page.
“And tonight, my son, I'm choosing.””
