PART 9 — THE BETRAYAL BESIDE HIM
PART 9 — THE BETRAYAL BESIDE HIM
Marcus stared at the report.
The name on the screen didn’t move.
It didn’t change.
It didn’t disappear.
ETHAN BROOKS.
His best friend.
His business partner.
The man who stood beside him when Marcus buried Elena.
The man who held Lily when she was born.
The man who promised:
“Whatever happens, I’m here.”
For ten years, Marcus never questioned him.
Not once.
“Mr. Vale?”
His assistant’s voice pulled him back.
“Are you okay?”
Marcus closed the report.
His face became unreadable.
Years in business had taught him one thing:
Never reveal what you know before you understand why.
Especially when the person across from you might be the enemy.
“I need the full access history.”
His assistant nodded.
“Already requested.”
“And nobody knows about this.”
She hesitated.
“Not even Ethan?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Especially not Ethan.”
The rest of the day became a performance.
Marcus attended meetings.
Answered calls.
Signed documents.
He smiled.
He shook hands.
He acted like everything was normal.
But inside…
He was rebuilding the entire history of his life.
Every decision.
Every conversation.
Every moment Ethan had been there.
Looking for something he missed.
And then he remembered.
A small detail.
Something meaningless at the time.
Something he never questioned.
After Elena died…
Ethan had been the first person to suggest Cassandra.
Not directly.
Not obviously.
He had said:
“You can’t stay alone forever, Marcus.”
“You deserve happiness.”
“You need someone who understands your world.”
At the time, Marcus thought it was kindness.
Now…
It felt like a setup.
That evening, Marcus returned home.
Lily was drawing again.
The sight softened him immediately.
No matter how dark everything became…
She was still the reason he kept fighting.
“Daddy!”
She ran toward him.
Marcus caught her.
Held her.
And for a moment…
The world was quiet.
Safe.
Then Lily pulled back.
“Are you sad?”
Marcus smiled gently.
“No.”
She studied his face.
“You’re lying.”
The honesty surprised him.
He laughed quietly.
“Am I that easy to read?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
A small smile appeared.
“Mommy used to say your eyes tell the truth.”
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
Elena.
Even now.
Still helping him.
After Lily went to sleep, Marcus reviewed Ethan’s history.
Private accounts.
Company transfers.
Emails.
Meetings.
Nothing.
Ethan was clean.
Too clean.
And that scared him.
Because innocent people had mistakes.
Nobody was perfect.
Except people who spent years hiding.
At midnight, Marcus received a message.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
Stop digging.
His expression changed.
Another message arrived.
You already lost Elena. Don’t lose Lily.
Marcus stood immediately.
The threat was no longer hidden.
They were watching him.
They knew.
The next morning, Marcus made a move.
A dangerous one.
He called Ethan.
“Coffee?”
A pause.
“Of course.”
Ethan sounded normal.
Friendly.
The same Ethan he had always known.
“I’ll meet you.”
They met at a quiet private club.
The same place they used to celebrate business victories.
The same place where they once talked about the future.
Ethan smiled.
“You look tired.”
Marcus smiled back.
“Long week.”
Ethan nodded.
“Family?”
The question was casual.
Too casual.
Marcus noticed.
“Maybe.”
They sat.
For several minutes, they talked about nothing.
Weather.
Business.
Old memories.
Then Marcus placed a folder on the table.
Ethan looked at it.
“What’s that?”
“Something I found.”
Ethan didn’t touch it.
“What?”
“Information about Lily.”
A tiny change.
Barely visible.
But there.
Ethan’s face tightened for half a second.
Marcus saw it.
“You knew about Cassandra.”
Silence.
Ethan looked away.
Then laughed.
A small laugh.
“What are you talking about?”
Marcus leaned forward.
“Don’t.”
Ethan stopped.
“I saw the records.”
“What records?”
“The access history.”
Another pause.
Then:
“Ethan.”
The warning in Marcus’s voice was clear.
The old friend looked at him.
And something changed.
The friendly mask disappeared.
Not completely.
Just enough.
“You were always smarter than people thought.”
Marcus felt cold.
“What does that mean?”
“It means Elena was right about you.”
Marcus froze.
“About me?”
Ethan sighed.
“She knew you would eventually find out.”
Marcus stared.
“You were involved.”
Ethan didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
The pain was different this time.
Cassandra hurt him.
But Ethan…
Ethan betrayed him.
There was history there.
Trust.
Brotherhood.
A lifetime of memories.
“How long?”
Marcus’s voice cracked.
“How long were you lying?”
Ethan looked down.
“Longer than you know.”
Marcus stood.
“You helped Cassandra.”
“No.”
The answer came quickly.
“I helped the company.”
Marcus stared.
“What?”
Ethan looked frustrated.
“You think everything is about you, Marcus.”
The sentence shocked him.
“You think you’re the hero.”
A bitter smile.
“But you don’t know what your father built.”
“You don’t know what Elena discovered.”
“You don’t know what Lily is.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“Lily is my daughter.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“And that’s exactly why you’re dangerous.”
Before Marcus could respond, Ethan continued.
“Your father wasn’t trying to hurt her.”
“He was trying to protect the company.”
Marcus felt disgust.
“By experimenting on children?”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand enough.”
“No, you don’t.”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Lily has something that people have spent years searching for.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
Instead, he said:
“Ask Elena.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“She’s dead.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Are you sure?”
The words hit like a weapon.
Marcus stopped.
“What did you say?”
Ethan immediately looked away.
Realizing he had said too much.
Marcus grabbed the table.
“Ethan.”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
Ethan didn’t.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not guilt.
Not panic.
Fear.
He stood.
“I have to go.”
Marcus grabbed his arm.
“Who is it?”
Ethan looked at him.
And whispered:
“The people who killed Elena.”
Then he walked away.
Leaving Marcus alone.
With one impossible question.
A question that could destroy everything.
Was Elena really gone?
May you like
Or had he been grieving a lie for five years?
TO BE CONTINUED…
