Chapter 133 Brother by Blood
Chapter 133 Brother by Blood
Daniel POV
I stepped out of my bathroom into the room, drying my wet hair with a towel wrapped around my neck.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, saw my father's caller ID, and swiped it open.
"Daniel, stop whatever you're doing," my father's voice came through, low and urgent.
"The client just walked into my office. I need that document folder right now."
"I just stepped out of my bathroom, Dad," I said, holding the phone against my ear.
"I really need you to bring it out. Go check the living room shelves immediately."
"Fine."
I pulled the bedroom door open, drying my hair with a towel, and nearly stepped straight onto Mary.
She was pressed flat against the doorframe, her head tilted toward the gap with her eyes wide. The second she saw me, her footing slipped.
THUD.
She hit the floor on her stomach, spilling clothes out of her laundry basket across the boards. Her face flushed a deep, instant red as she stared up at my chest.
I stopped in the doorway, tightening the towel around my neck, my eyes narrowing as I looked down at her.
"Were you planning to lean against my door all morning," I asked, taking a step toward her, "or did you forget how to stand?"
Mary scrambled backward on her knees, her hands fluttering wildly over the dropped shirts. "I—Mr. Daniel! I swear! I was just getting the laundry!"
"Leave the clothes," I said, pointing a thumb down the hallway. "Pack your stuff and get out of this house before I come back upstairs."
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I yanked it out, swiped the screen open, and pressed it to my ear as Mary scrambled up and sprinted down the hall.
"Daniel, stop whatever you're doing," my father's voice came through, low, sharp, and hurried. "The client just walked into my office. I need that document folder right now."
"I'm going downstairs now, Dad," I said, taking the steps two at a time.
"Check the living room shelves immediately."
I hit the bottom floor, shoved past the dining chairs, and tore through the papers on the side table. I checked behind every book on the shelves, pulling empty folders out and tossing them aside.
"It’s not down here."
"Then check my nightstand," my father cut in, his voice tightening. "The top drawer."
I turned on my heel, ran back upstairs, and pushed into his bedroom. I pulled the heavy mahogany drawer open, tossing planners and watch boxes out of the way until my fingers hooked around a thick blue file.
"Got it," I muttered into the phone.
As I pulled the file out, my hand knocked a small silver frame off its base, sending it sliding face-up across the wood.
I reached to set it upright, but my hand froze mid-air.
The photograph inside was torn roughly down the middle—just a single, incomplete half showing part of a woman's shoulder and dark hair.
My throat went dry. My grip on the phone loosened.
“This torn half is the only picture I have left of her.”
Liam’s voice hit my memory like a physical punch.
I popped the back off the silver frame with my thumb, snatched the incomplete paper half out, and jammed it deep into my back pocket. I dropped the phone onto the bed and ran out of the room.
I hit the front door at a sprint, my sneakers slapping hard against the pavement as I tore down the street toward Liam’s house.
It can't be. There's no way.
As I rounded the sharp corner onto his street, three figures stepped out into the light. Marcus planted himself right in the middle of the sidewalk, arms crossed, a smirk spreading across his face.
"Look who's running around like a lunatic," Marcus laughed, stepping into my path.
"Get out of my way, Marcus," I growled, taking two quick steps forward and shoving him back by the shoulders.
"Rushing to see Elena?" Marcus sneered, grabbing my arm to hold his ground. "She’s too busy with—"
I lunged forward, grabbed his jacket collar with both hands, and slammed him back against the brick wall of the corner store.
His smirk vanished instantly. His hands flew up to grab my wrists, his eyes wide.
"Say her name again," I whispered, tightening my grip until his heels lifted off the ground, "and see what happens."
I released him, throwing him sideways into his friends, and sprinted off without looking back.
I reached Liam's house and kicked the front door open. Elena flinched by the kitchen counter, nearly dropping her glass. "Daniel?
What—"
"Where is he?" I asked, cutting her off as I took the stairs three at a time.
I slammed open Liam's bedroom door, marched straight to his desk, and yanked the top drawer out.
Lying face-down near a stack of notebooks was Liam’s half of the torn photo.
My fingers trembled as I grabbed it. I pulled the other half from my back pocket, dropped both incomplete pieces flat on the desk, and slid the torn paper edges together.
Snap.
The jagged paper edges locked together seamlessly. The background aligned, revealing the full picture of the woman holding the little boy.
My blood ran ice cold. My hands dropped to the edge of the desk for support.
The woman in the picture was my stepmother, Olivia.
Olivia is Liam’s mother.
"What are you doing in my room?"
I turned fast, my shoulder hitting the desk lamp. Liam stood at the door, a towel over his shoulder, his eyes locked on me.
I snatched both pieces of paper off the desk and jammed them behind my back.
Liam took three long strides into the room, stopping inches away from me, his jaw set. "What do you have behind your back?"
"Back off, Liam," I said, stepping back until my spine hit the edge of the desk.
"What did you take?" He lunged forward, his hand snapping out to grab my wrist.
I raised both hands and slammed them straight into his chest.
The force knocked him back three steps until his leg hit his bed frame. He straightened up instantly, his eyes flashing, and marched right back into my space.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he shouted.
"Stop!" I screamed, backing up until my head hit the window glass.
He took another step, reaching out to grab me again.
"Stay away from me!" I threw my shoulder forward and shoved his arms down with all my strength. "Just stay the hell away from me!"