m of celebration filled the open-plan space behind him. His team, his people, were celebrating the successful launch of 'Nexus', a project that would redefine data security and make them all very

g world, the one person who saw him,

hand found his lower b

corrected her,

id, her eyes searching his. "This

was missing, a hollow spot left by a family that was never really a family. A demanding, emotionally absent father and a

e usually ignored unknown callers, but something made him answer.

d leaves scraping on pavement. It was a voice he h

party faded to a dull roar. Chloe watched him, he

was a rattling cough, wet and deep. "I'm in the city. I

ts he had to cover for. But the sound of that cough, the broken weakness in his brother's voice, bypassed all his defenses. The old

. Pancreatic cancer." Ethan' s voice cracked. "I don't have anyone

s of silence, it all dissolved into a single, stark image: his brother, dying alone in a dirty m

hloe was right there. "W

id, his voice strained.

ardened almost imper

dying,

. She knew about the money Ethan had stolen, the lies he'd told their parents, the

from Ethan yet, not in his mind. The slight edge in Chloe's voice felt like th

eet. He was thin, his skin had a yellow-gray tint, and he seemed to shrink into his threadbare coat. But as Liam got him a glass of water, Chloe saw it: a qu

concrete floor. Water and glass sprayed everywhere. "Oh god, I'm so sorry," Ethan rasped, coughing again for effect. "I'm s

y, already crouching to pick up the l

t room, Liam found Chloe standing by the bedroom w

er. He's dying." The words felt heavy and

college tuition money? The one who broke your mother's heart over and o

stress of the night finally cracking his composure. "What am I supposed to do,

they were choices! And

there two hours ago. It was a tragic moment, the instant a hairline fracture appeared in the foundation of t

e of the night, he got up for a glass of water and passed the open door of the guest room.

the shakes... he's eating out of my hand. His girlfriend is a problem, though. She's smart. But don't worry, I can handle her.

of it. The sickness, the reconciliation. It was a sham. A cold, calculated plan. He fe

weakness. From that same spot, Ethan had asserted a terrible kind of power over him, using Liam's own decency a

his thoughts. He wanted to tell her she was right. He wanted to throw Ethan out. But the shame was a physical weight, pinning him down. He had been so easily fooled, so desperate for a family that he had ignored every red flag. Admitting it felt like admitting a fundament