CHAPTER 6 – The Twin Nobody Knew Existed
The room fell completely silent.
Ethan grabbed the photograph with trembling hands.
The baby in Jonathan's arms wore a silver bracelet engraved with two initials.
E.C.
"Ethan Carter?" Victoria whispered.
Jonathan slowly shook his head.
"No."
He pointed at the second initial.
"It doesn't stand for Ethan."
"It stands for..."
"Evan."
The investigator nodded.
"You had twins."
Jonathan staggered backward as though the air had been ripped from his lungs.
"My wife gave birth to twin boys..."
"But the hospital told me one of them died."
The investigator's expression hardened.
"That report was falsified."
Someone had stolen one child the night they were born.
For twenty-six years...
The brothers had lived separate lives.
One inherited the Carter name.
The other...
Disappeared without a trace.
Then a young officer rushed into the ballroom.
"Sir!"
"We've intercepted a live broadcast."
Everyone turned toward the giant television.
The screen flickered.
A man appeared.
He looked exactly like Ethan.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same voice.
Only one difference...
A long scar crossed his left cheek.
He smiled directly into the camera.
"Hello, brother."
Ethan couldn't breathe.
The stranger laughed softly.
"You've spent your entire life protecting a company."
"I spent mine learning how to destroy it."
Jonathan whispered,
"Evan..."
The man nodded.
"Yes, Father."
"But don't worry."
"I'm not coming for your money."
He leaned closer to the camera.
"I'm coming for your family."
The screen suddenly changed.
A live security feed appeared.
Jonathan's private estate.
Masked men were already inside.
An elderly woman sat tied to a chair.
Jonathan screamed.
"No!"
Ethan's face turned to ice.
"Who is she?"
Jonathan's voice broke.
"Your mother..."
"We told the world she died twenty-five years ago."
The mysterious man smiled one last time.
"You have exactly twenty-four hours."
"Come alone..."
"...or you'll bury her for real this time."
The screen went black.
For the first time in his life...
Ethan wasn't fighting for a company.
He was fighting to save the mother he'd believed was dead.
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And somewhere in the darkness...
His identical twin brother was already waiting.
