Chapter 2 - THE BROTHER IN THE HOUSE
Nathaniel looked toward the ceiling.
The sound had come from the second-floor gallery.
Thomas immediately spoke into his radio.
“Security, west staircase. Now.”
Vanessa moved toward Nathaniel.
He stepped back.
That tiny movement seemed to wound her more than shouting would have.
“Nathaniel, please listen to me.”
He stared at the photograph.
“How long?”
“There isn’t anything between Adrian and me.”
“I have a photograph.”
“It’s not what it looks like.”
Nathaniel laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“You said that fifteen minutes ago when you were holding a four-year-old by the wrist.”
Vanessa’s mouth closed.
I lifted Lily into my arms.
This had gone far beyond anything I understood.
I wanted to leave.
Nathaniel noticed.
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“Please don’t go home yet.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
He looked at the red folder.
“Because your name appears on documents I’ve never authorized, and until I understand why, I want security to make sure you and Lily are safe.”
Safe.
The word frightened me.
Thomas led us into the small library beside the ballroom.
Lily curled into an armchair.
I found crackers in my bag and handed them to her.
She whispered, “Am I in trouble?”
I knelt immediately.
“No.”
“But the lady got mad.”
“You did nothing wrong.”
“I touched the chocolate.”
“You were hungry.”
She looked toward the door.
“Mr. Nathaniel looked sad.”
Children see the things adults disguise.
“Yes.”
“Is he mad at us?”
“No, sweetheart.”
A minute later, raised voices came from the hallway.
Adrian.
“You don’t get to accuse me based on one photograph.”
Nathaniel answered.
“Then explain it.”
The doors opened.
Adrian Cross entered first.
Thirty-six.
Handsome in the effortless Cross-family way.
Dark suit.
No tie.
He had always been friendlier to staff than Nathaniel, though we rarely saw him.
Behind him came Nathaniel and Vanessa.
Nathaniel shut the door.
He held up the photograph.
“When?”
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
“Three months ago.”
“Why?”
Adrian ran a hand across his face.
“She kissed me.”
Vanessa scoffed.
“Oh, please.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You said nothing happened.”
“Nothing did.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“She spent four months trying.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You pathetic liar.”
Adrian ignored her.
“She wanted information about the company.”
Nathaniel became very still.
“What information?”
“Voting rights.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
Adrian continued.
“Your controlling shares. The trust structure. What happens if you die, become incapacitated, or divorce.”
Nathaniel said nothing.
My skin prickled.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“He came onto me.”
Adrian reached into his jacket.
“No.”
He placed his phone on the table.
“I kept the messages.”
Vanessa lunged.
Thomas caught her arm.
“Ma’am.”
“Get your hands off me!”
Nathaniel picked up the phone.
Adrian had already opened the conversation.
Nathaniel scrolled.
His face hardened with each swipe.
Finally, he put the phone down.
“You asked him whether our prenup could be invalidated.”
Vanessa stared at the floor.
“You asked whether marriage would give you access to the voting trust.”
Silence.
“You asked what would happen if I became mentally incompetent.”
Vanessa looked up sharply.
“That was hypothetical.”
Nathaniel stared at her for a long moment.
“Get out.”
Her mouth opened.
“What?”
“Leave my house.”
“Nathaniel.”
“You have ten minutes.”
“You’re ending our engagement because your jealous brother manipulated—”
“I’m ending it because I just watched you humiliate a child, discovered you fabricated employee records, sabotaged Elena’s attempts to find work, and apparently spent months investigating ways to gain control of my company.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
For one moment, she looked genuinely devastated.
“You were never going to trust me.”
Nathaniel’s voice softened.
“I trusted you enough to marry you.”
That silenced her.
Then Thomas’s radio crackled.
“Mr. Bell?”
Thomas lifted it.
“Go.”
“We found something in Ms. Lowell’s suite.”
Vanessa turned sharply.
Nathaniel noticed.
“What?”
The guard answered.
“A second red folder.”
Nobody moved.
Then he added:
“And this one has Mr. Cross’s medical records inside.”
May you like
Nathaniel’s face drained of color.
---
