Another Brother
973 Words
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The man standing beside the black SUV smiled again.
"Hello, little sister."
Izzy blinked.
Then blinked again.
"No."
The word slipped out automatically.
"Nope."
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
She looked at Gabriel.
Then at Thomas.
Then back at the stranger.
"No."
Luca sighed.
"Honestly? That's fair."
"This is getting ridiculous," Marco muttered.
Izzy pointed at the man.
"I just found out I had one brother yesterday."
The stranger nodded.
"Congratulations."
"I can't have another one."
"Unfortunately, biology disagrees."
She looked like she might scream.
Adrian looked equally confused.
Vincent looked horrified.
Thomas looked ready to pass out.
Gabriel looked offended.
"What do you mean, another brother?"
The stranger frowned.
"Oh."
He looked at Gabriel.
"You must be Gabe."
Everyone froze.
"You know him?"
The man smiled.
"I know of him."
Silence.
Then—
"Oh, this is awkward."
Nobody liked how comfortable he seemed.
"Who are you?" Izzy asked.
The man's expression softened.
"My name is Nicholas Moretti."
The last name made her stomach tighten.
"And?"
A smile appeared.
"And I'm your half-brother."
Silence.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
A small laugh escaped him.
"You sound just like Mom."
The world stopped.
Mom.
He said it so naturally.
Like he'd actually known her.
Like she'd been in his life.
Tears unexpectedly burned in Izzy's eyes.
"You knew her."
The smile disappeared.
"Very well."
Silence.
"She was my mother too."
The words hit hard.
Very hard.
Half-brother.
Same mother.
Different father.
A hundred questions exploded in her mind.
Nicholas looked at her carefully.
"I know this is a lot."
"A lot?" Gabriel repeated.
"A little more than a lot."
Nicholas nodded.
"Fair."
He looked back at Izzy.
"I've been looking for you for years."
That seemed to be a recurring theme lately.
"Everyone's been looking for me."
A tiny smile appeared.
"You've been very difficult to find."
She folded her arms.
"I wasn't hiding."
"No."
His expression softened.
"You were protected."
The word made her chest ache.
Protected.
Again.
Always.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
Without hesitation, Nicholas reached into his jacket.
Adrian immediately stepped forward.
"Easy."
Nicholas held up his hands.
"I'm not armed."
Then he slowly pulled out a photograph.
A very old photograph.
He handed it to her.
Her breath caught.
It showed her mother.
Young.
Laughing.
Holding a baby.
The baby looked to be around two years old.
A little boy.
Nicholas.
And standing beside her…
Was Thomas.
"Oh my God."
She turned the photo over.
On the back, in her mother's handwriting, were the words:
My boys.
Her knees nearly gave out.
Thomas covered his mouth.
Gabriel looked stunned.
The photograph shook in her hands.
"Mom kept pictures of you."
Nicholas smiled sadly.
"She kept all of us."
Silence.
"I didn't know she had another child."
Thomas's voice was barely above a whisper.
Nicholas looked at him.
"She didn't tell you."
"No."
A sad smile appeared.
"She didn't tell anyone."
The room went quiet.
Then—
"Why?"
Nicholas looked down.
"Because my father is the head of the Moretti family."
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Vincent closed his eyes.
"Well."
Nobody liked that reaction.
"You…"
Izzy couldn't even finish the sentence.
Nicholas nodded.
"Yep."
"So your father is…"
"The current Don."
Silence.
"You're kidding."
"I wish."
She looked exhausted.
"I can't keep up anymore."
"That's fair."
Luca looked overwhelmed.
"I need a chart."
Marco nodded.
"A family tree."
"With arrows."
"And pictures."
"Maybe color-coded."
Adrian rubbed his forehead.
"Now is not the time."
"I disagree."
Everyone ignored Luca.
Nicholas looked at Izzy.
"I know this is confusing."
"It's a little confusing."
He smiled slightly.
"I was six when Mom left."
Silence.
"I never saw her again."
The smile disappeared.
"But she wrote to me."
Tears filled his eyes.
"Every birthday."
Nobody moved.
"Every Christmas."
A tear slipped down his cheek.
"She never forgot me."
The room went completely still.
Tears filled Izzy's eyes too.
Because her mother had never stopped loving any of them.
Not Nicholas.
Not Gabriel.
Not her.
She had spent her entire life trying to protect all of her children.
No matter the cost.
"Why are you here?" Adrian asked.
Nicholas looked at him.
Then at Izzy.
Then back again.
"Because my father found out about her."
Silence.
"He wants her brought to him."
A chill swept through everyone.
"What does that mean?" Gabriel asked.
Nicholas's expression darkened.
"It means if I hadn't gotten here first…"
He looked directly at Izzy.
"...someone else would have."
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
"I came to warn you."
The room went quiet.
Vincent looked suspicious.
"You betrayed your family."
Nicholas laughed softly.
"Look who's talking."
Fair.
He looked back at Izzy.
"I'm not here to hurt you."
Silence.
"I'm here because you're my sister."
Her heart squeezed painfully.
Another sibling.
Another person she'd never known existed.
Another piece of her family.
"I don't know what to say."
A small smile appeared.
"You don't have to say anything."
Then—
A loud ringtone shattered the silence.
Everyone jumped.
Nicholas looked surprised.
"Oh."
He pulled out his phone.
Everyone stared.
He looked at the screen.
Then winced.
"Oh no."
"What?" Luca asked.
Nicholas looked uncomfortable.
"It's my father."
Silence.
"You're answering that?" Marco asked.
Nicholas looked uncertain.
"I probably should."
"No," everyone said at once.
He sighed.
"Fair."
The phone kept ringing.
Then stopped.
A second later, it rang again.
He looked at the screen.
Then at everyone.
Then back at the phone.
"This seems important."
Against everyone's better judgment…
He answered.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then—
His face lost all color.
"Oh."
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
He slowly lowered the phone.
"What?" Izzy whispered.
Nicholas looked directly at her.
Then he delivered the words that changed everything.
"He's coming."
Silence.
"Who?"
A long pause.
Then—
"Our father."
The world stopped.
Because apparently…
She wasn't done meeting family members yet.
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