The Billionaire

The lost brother

THE BILLIONAIRE

Episode 13 — The Lost Brother

The black car followed them through the rain.

Alexander noticed it in the rearview mirror.

“Marcus,” he said quietly.

“I see it.”

The vehicle had been behind them for almost twenty minutes.

Every time Marcus increased their speed, it followed.

Every time he slowed down, it slowed down too.

Alexander's mother sat silently in the back seat.

She looked exhausted.

But Alexander couldn't stop thinking about what she had just told him.

His brother.

A brother he had never known existed.

“Mom,” he said, turning around, “you need to tell me everything.”

She looked at him.

“I will.”

“Who is he?”

His mother lowered her eyes.

“His name is Ethan.”

Alexander's heart raced.

“Ethan Blackwood?”

She nodded.

“He was born three years before you.”

“Why didn't I know about him?”

“Because your father believed keeping you apart would save your lives.”

Alexander shook his head.

“That doesn't make sense.”

“It will.”

She took a deep breath.

“Ethan was different from you. He was extremely intelligent. Your father believed he would one day inherit the Blackwood empire.”

Alexander stared at her.

“Then why hide him?”

“Because The Circle discovered his existence.”

Marcus glanced at them through the mirror.

“What did they want with him?”

His mother hesitated.

“They wanted to use him.”

Alexander frowned.

“For what?”

“Your brother had access to something your father created.”

“What?”

“A security system.”

Marcus looked interested.

“Financial?”

“No.”

His mother shook her head.

“It was designed to expose The Circle.”

Alexander remembered the files he had found in the underground room.

“So my father built a system capable of destroying them?”

“Yes.”

“Where is it?”

“I don't know.”

Alexander stared at her.

“You keep saying you don't know.”

“Because I don't.”

She looked out the window.

“After the crash, Ethan disappeared.”

Alexander's voice became quiet.

“Was he on the plane?”

His mother nodded.

“Yes.”

“You said there was another person on the plane.”

“That was Ethan.”

Alexander looked down.

For twenty-five years, he had believed his father died alone.

Now he was learning that his brother had vanished with him.

Suddenly, Marcus stepped on the brakes.

The car behind them stopped too.

Marcus turned onto a narrow road leading into the forest.

The black car followed.

“We need to lose them,” Marcus said.

He accelerated.

The road became rough.

Branches hit the sides of the vehicle.

Alexander looked behind them.

The black car was still coming.

“They're not giving up.”

Marcus suddenly turned off the road.

They drove through thick trees until they reached an abandoned warehouse.

Marcus stopped.

“Out.”

They entered the warehouse through a broken door.

Marcus locked it behind them.

“We'll wait here until they pass.”

Alexander looked at his mother.

She was trembling.

Then they heard footsteps outside.

Someone was approaching.

Marcus raised his weapon.

The warehouse door slowly opened.

A man walked inside.

Alexander recognized him.

Daniel Cross.

Alexander immediately stepped forward.

“You.”

Daniel smiled.

“I knew you'd come here eventually.”

Marcus aimed his weapon.

“Stop.”

Daniel raised his hands.

“I didn't come to fight.”

Alexander laughed bitterly.

“You destroyed my family.”

Daniel looked at him.

“No. Your father did that.”

Alexander moved closer.

“Where is my brother?”

Daniel's smile disappeared.

“You're asking the wrong question.”

“Then give me the right one.”

Daniel looked toward Alexander's mother.

“What did she tell you?”

“That Ethan is alive.”

Daniel's expression changed.

For the first time, Alexander saw fear in his eyes.

“You shouldn't have learned that.”

Alexander stepped closer.

“Where is he?”

Daniel looked at Marcus.

Then at Alexander.

“Your brother has been searching for you.”

Alexander froze.

“He knows I'm alive?”

“He has known for years.”

“Where is he?”

Daniel pulled a small device from his pocket.

He placed it on a table.

“Your brother left this for you.”

Alexander approached carefully.

It was a small black electronic drive.

A single letter was engraved on it.

E.

Marcus examined it.

“No explosives.”

Alexander picked it up.

“What's on it?”

Daniel shook his head.

“I don't know.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I don't expect you to believe anything.”

Daniel turned toward the exit.

Alexander grabbed his arm.

“You're not going anywhere.”

Daniel looked at him.

“If you kill me, you'll never find Ethan.”

Alexander released him.

“Then talk.”

Daniel sighed.

“Ethan has been hiding from The Circle for years. They believe he possesses the key to your father's system.”

“What system?”

“The Blackwood Protocol.”

Alexander had heard the name before.

His father had mentioned it once when Alexander was a child.

He had never understood what it meant.

Daniel continued.

“Your father created a system capable of tracing hidden financial transactions across the world.”

Marcus's eyes widened.

“It could expose billions.”

Daniel nodded.

“Exactly.”

Alexander looked at the drive.

“Where is Ethan now?”

“Somewhere you would never think to look.”

“Where?”

Daniel smiled.

“London.”

Alexander stared at him.

“London?”

“Yes.”

“Why would he be there?”

“Because The Circle believes he left Africa years ago.”

Alexander looked confused.

“What does that mean?”

Daniel stepped backward.

“Your brother isn't hiding from them.”

He paused.

“He's hunting them.”

Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the warehouse window.

Daniel dropped to the floor.

Marcus pushed Alexander behind a metal container.

More shots followed.

Someone was outside.

Marcus looked through a broken window.

“Three vehicles.”

Alexander's mother screamed.

Marcus turned toward her.

“Stay down!”

Men in black clothing entered the warehouse.

Marcus returned fire.

Alexander grabbed his mother and moved deeper into the building.

Daniel crawled toward the black drive.

Alexander saw him.

“Don't touch it!”

Daniel stopped.

A masked man appeared behind him.

He raised his weapon.

Daniel looked up.

“Wait.”

The man shot him.

Daniel fell.

“Daniel!”

Alexander stared in shock.

The masked man turned toward Alexander.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, everything became silent.

Then the man lowered his weapon.

He said one word.

“Brother.”

Alexander froze.

The man removed his mask.

Alexander stared at his face.

The resemblance was unmistakable.

Same eyes.

Same jaw.

Same dark hair.

Alexander could barely speak.

“Ethan?”

The man nodded.

His brother.

Alive.

Standing only a few meters away.

Alexander stepped forward.

Ethan raised his hand.

“Don't.”

“Why?”

“Because we don't have time.”

Ethan looked toward their mother.

His expression softened.

“Mother.”

She began crying.

“Ethan.”

For a brief moment, the three of them stood together.

A family separated by twenty-five years of lies.

Then another gunshot echoed through the warehouse.

Ethan grabbed Alexander's arm.

“We have to go.”

They ran toward a back exit.

Marcus followed with Alexander's mother.

They escaped into the forest.

Behind them, the warehouse erupted in flames.

Alexander looked back.

“Who were those people?”

Ethan didn't answer.

“Who is The Circle?”

“People you don't want to meet.”

“Daniel said you were hunting them.”

“I am.”

“Why?”

Ethan stopped walking.

He looked at Alexander.

“Because they killed our father.”

Alexander's expression hardened.

“My father survived the crash.”

Ethan's face became serious.

“No.”

Alexander stared at him.

“What do you mean?”

Ethan looked toward their mother.

“She never told you the rest.”

Alexander turned to his mother.

“What?”

She began to cry.

Ethan spoke quietly.

“Dad survived the crash.”

Alexander's heart jumped.

“I knew it.”

“But he didn't survive The Circle.”

Silence.

Alexander couldn't move.

“When did he die?”

Ethan looked away.

“Six months ago.”

Alexander felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath him.

“Six months?”

Ethan nodded.

“They found him.”

Alexander clenched his fists.

“Who?”

“The man who runs The Circle.”

“Who is he?”

Ethan looked directly into Alexander's eyes.

“You already know him.”

Alexander shook his head.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Ethan reached into his coat and removed a photograph.

He handed it to Alexander.

Alexander looked at it.

His face went pale.

The photograph showed a powerful businessman standing beside his father.

Alexander recognized the man immediately.

He was one of the most respected billionaires in the world.

And Alexander had met him many times.

Ethan whispered:

“His name is Victor Kane.”

Alexander stared at the photograph.

Victor Kane had been his father's closest friend.

For twenty-five years, Alexander had trusted him.

Now he understood.

The greatest enemy of the Blackwood family had been standing in front of him all along.

And the billionaire had unknowingly invited him into his own life.

Ethan looked at Alexander.

“Now you understand why I came for you.”

Alexander tightened his grip on the photograph.

“What do we do?”

Ethan's expression hardened.

“We destroy The Circle.”

Thunder rolled across the sky.

Far away, in a luxurious mansion, Victor Kane sat alone in a dark room.

A phone rang.

He answered.

“They found Ethan.”

Victor remained silent.

Then he smiled.

“And Alexander?”

“He knows everything.”

Victor slowly stood.

“Good.”

He looked at a photograph of the Blackwood family.

“Now the real game begins.”