Chapter 10 - THE BROTHER WHO WAS ERASED
The workshop lights shattered almost at once.
Gabriel pulled Adrian behind the desk as bullets hit the metal door.
Emma dropped to the floor with Noah.
Victoria screamed.
"Stay down!" Adrian shouted.
Two men forced their way inside.
Gabriel fired once into the ceiling pipe.
The attackers lost sight of them.
Adrian grabbed Noah while Emma crawled toward the rear exit.
They escaped through a loading bay and reached Gabriel's second car.
By the time police arrived, the shooters were gone.
But Emma still had the red case.
"Pike stole a computer and left us the originals."
"Because he thinks the originals are useless without the Walker seal."
"What seal?"
Gabriel removed his shirt sleeve from his wrist.
A small burn scar formed the shape of a W.
"This one."
Gabriel told him the truth.
Victoria had given birth to twins.
Adrian was healthy.
Charles's father believed a sick heir would weaken the family image.
The baby was sent away under another surname and declared dead in private records.
Victoria had been told he died after the transfer.
Years later, Charles discovered the lie.
He found Gabriel as an adult.
"Dad found you?" Adrian asked.
"Yes."
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"Because Grandfather's old partners threatened to expose everything and destroy the company."
"And because she begged Charles to keep me away."
Victoria's face broke.
"I thought you hated me."
"I did."
"Do you still?"
"I don't know what I feel."
Beneath the ledger was a document sealed with wax.
The imprint matched Gabriel's scar.
A handwritten note from Charles said both Walker sons were required to open the final trust archive.
"So he meant for us to do this together."
Gabriel nodded.
Then Emma found a smaller envelope beneath the seal.
It was addressed to her.
She opened it.
Inside was a single sentence from Celeste.
If Adrian still believes you came only because I asked you to, tell him the rest.
Adrian looked at Emma.
Her face went pale.
"What rest?"
May you like
Emma started crying.
"The reason I really took the nanny job."
