Chapter 12 - Victor’s Daughter
Sophia laughed.
A broken, disbelieving sound.
“No.”
Michael told the story.
Six years after Ethan’s birth, Rachel discovered Victor stealing from Brooks Global.
She confronted him privately.
Victor threatened to expose Ethan’s paternity and destroy Thomas.
Then came a period Rachel never discussed publicly.
Michael’s description remained careful.
Rachel later discovered she was pregnant.
Victor believed the child was his.
Rachel feared what he would do if he controlled another Brooks heir.
Michael and his wife, Laura, had recently lost a newborn daughter.
Rachel trusted them.
Sophia was quietly placed with them.
Records were altered.
Thomas never knew.
Victor suspected.
But never proved it.
Years later, Rachel prepared to expose him.
Victor’s crimes.
Gabriel’s stolen ownership.
Sophia’s identity.
Everything.
Then the crash happened.
Sophia sat motionless.
“So Victor killed her because of me?”
Michael shook his head.
“Not only you.”
“Then why?”
“Rachel had discovered Victor wasn’t stealing Brooks money for himself.”
Ethan frowned.
“For whom?”
Michael looked at him.
“Thomas.”
Ethan’s stomach dropped.
Thomas Brooks—the father who raised him—had secretly authorized the transfers.
Not theft.
Payments.
To Gabriel Mercer.
“Why?”
“To keep Gabriel away.”
Thomas knew Ethan was not biologically his.
He knew Gabriel lived.
And he paid Gabriel millions to surrender his claim to Ethan and Brooks Global.
Ethan whispered:
“Gabriel accepted?”
“For years.”
That hurt more than expected.
His biological father had sold distance.
Then Rachel discovered the arrangement.
She wanted it ended.
Victor feared exposure because he had facilitated the payments.
But Michael insisted Victor did not arrange Rachel’s crash.
“Then who did?”
Michael looked toward the box.
“There was one person who stood to lose more.”
Nathan’s phone buzzed.
A breaking-news alert.
Brooks Global shares were crashing.
A leaked report accused Ethan of fraud, impersonating a hospital employee, and manipulating a nurse who secretly controlled company stock.
Sophia stared.
Someone had weaponized everything.
Nathan checked the source.
“The leak came from inside Brooks Global.”
“Victor?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Nathan turned his screen.
CEO EMERGENCY CHALLENGE FILED BY ORIGINAL FOUNDER.
Gabriel Mercer.
Ethan’s biological father had emerged publicly.
He claimed Brooks Global had been built using intellectual property stolen from him.
He wanted control.
Sophia whispered:
“So this was never about finding Ethan.”
Michael looked devastated.
“No.”
Gabriel had been waiting for Victor and Ethan to expose each other.
Room 417.
The janitor disguise.
Sophia’s trust.
Rachel’s evidence.
Every secret had destabilized Brooks Global exactly when Gabriel needed it.
Then Ethan’s phone rang.
Gabriel.
“You wanted the truth,” Gabriel said.
“You have it.”
Ethan’s voice turned cold.
“You used me.”
“No.”
“I gave you the opportunity to discover what Thomas stole.”
“You sold me to him.”
Silence.
Then Gabriel said:
“Tomorrow, the board decides who owns Brooks Global.”
Ethan looked at Sophia.
“And if I refuse to fight you?”
Gabriel laughed softly.
“You misunderstand.”
May you like
“This isn’t a fight between father and son.”
“It’s a choice between which one of us goes to prison.”
