Chapter 3 - The Morning After
Ethan did not sleep.
Neither did Claire.
By four in the morning, the Carter residence had become a silent battlefield.
Ethan sat in his private study surrounded by documents.
His phone kept ringing.
His assistant called three times.
His colleague called twice.
Then his managing partner called.
Ethan refused to answer.
At 4:17 a.m., an email arrived.
He opened it.
The message contained only one sentence.
We need to speak before market open.
No signature.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Then another email appeared.
Then another.
His name was suddenly attached to meetings he had not scheduled.
Claire stood in the doorway.
"What's happening?"
Ethan looked up.
"Nothing."
"You look terrified."
"I'm tired."
"You were not tired last night."
He stood.
"Don't start."
Claire remained calm.
"I didn't start anything."
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"Your brother did."
Claire looked at him.
"You don't know who my brother is."
"I know exactly who he is."
"No."
She stepped forward.
"You know the version I allowed you to see."
Ethan's expression hardened.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you never asked."
He stared at her.
For years he had assumed Claire's silence meant weakness.
Now he was beginning to wonder whether it had meant restraint.
His phone rang again.
This time, the screen displayed his father's name.
Ethan answered.
"What?"
His father's voice was low.
"Come downstairs."
"Why?"
"Now."
Ethan entered the dining room.
His father was standing beside the table.
The black envelope remained there.
His mother sat silently.
Vanessa was unusually quiet.
Ethan's father pointed at the document.
"Tell me exactly what this is."
Ethan swallowed.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I am not."
His father picked up the document.
"I called three people."
Ethan's face tightened.
"And?"
"They all told me the same thing."
"What?"
His father looked at him.
"Daniel Brooks is not a mechanic."
Silence.
Ethan laughed nervously.
"Of course he isn't. He runs an auto shop."
"That shop is one of his properties."
Ethan's expression changed.
His father continued.
"The company behind it is privately held."
"How big?"
His father did not answer immediately.
"Big enough that I stopped asking."
Ethan sat down.
Margaret whispered,
"What did our son get himself into?"
Nobody answered.
May you like
Claire remained standing near the doorway.
For once, nobody was laughing.
