Austin sat alone in his study, the USB drive clutched tightly in his hand like it might vanish if he let go. His jaw clenched, temples pounding as the clock ticked louder than it ever had.
Across from him, the screen glowed, waiting.
Elias had offered to stay. Austin sent him away.
Clair had begged to help. He couldn't let her see what was on it.
Not yet.
He slid the drive into the port.
A folder popped up instantly.
CONFIDENTIAL: RICHARD MONTGOMERY
His father's name in cold black letters.
He clicked it.
A series of files loaded, audio logs, surveillance footage, payment records. And at the bottom, a single video file.
Final Meeting: March 12, 2010
His breath caught. That was the night his father died.
His fingers hovered over the mouse.
He clicked play.
The video opened to a private warehouse. He recognized it, one of their old meeting spots used before Austin took over.
Richard Montgomery stood at the center, calm, proud, and every bit the man Austin remembered. But it wasn't age or power that filled the screen. It was betrayal.
Because standing across from him was Elias.
Younger, slimmer, but clearly him.
Austin leaned forward, heart racing.
"I don't want to do this, Richard," Elias said in the video.
"You already did," Richard answered coldly.
"You forced my hand. You backed me into a corner."
"You were never meant to lead," Richard growled. "And Austin... he's not like us. He still has a soul."
Elias's face twisted. "And that's exactly why he'll fail."
Then came the sound, quiet at first, then sharp.
Gunshot.
Austin flinched.
Richard collapsed.
And Elias turned, walked out, no remorse in his face.
The video ended.
Austin sat frozen.
His own brother had murdered their father.
Clair found him an hour later. The lights in the study were still off. The USB drive was snapped in half on the floor.
"Austin?" she whispered.
He didn't respond.
She crossed the room, knelt beside his chair. Her hand brushed his.
He flinched like he'd been burned.
She didn't pull back.
"I know that look," she said softly.
He finally turned his eyes to her.
"I built everything on a lie," he whispered. "My father didn't die in a rival hit. He was executed. By Elias."
Clair's breath caught. "What?"
"I watched it. I saw the bullet leave his gun. I saw my father fall."
She sat beside him on the rug, needing to be close. Her fingers laced through his.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I don't know," Austin confessed. His voice cracked. "Part of me wants to kill him. But another part... he's still my brother."
"Blood doesn't erase betrayal," Clair said.
He looked at her then, really looked. "You always know what to say to me."
She gave him a sad smile. "Because you let me in."
They sat in silence for a while, the room thick with emotion.
Then Austin leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn't rough. It wasn't possessive.
It was desperate, raw, aching.
She kissed him back just as fiercely.
When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers.
"Clair," he said hoarsely, "you're the only thing keeping me human."
"You don't have to carry it all alone anymore," she whispered.
The next morning, Austin stood at the top of the grand staircase, watching Elias sip coffee in the sunlit dining room like nothing had changed.
He descended slowly, the weight of truth in each step.
Elias looked up, smiled. "You're up early."
"I saw the video," Austin said quietly.
Elias froze.
"You were supposed to protect him," Austin said. "He was our father."
Elias stood, calm unraveling. "He was a tyrant. You just didn't see it. He was grooming you to become his puppet."
"You had no right to make that choice for me."
Elias stepped forward. "You became stronger without him. Everything you've built, you owe to that freedom."
"I owe you nothing," Austin growled.
Elias's tone turned cold. "So what happens now? You gonna shoot me in front of the staff? Paint a target on your own back?"
"No," Austin said. "I'm not like you."
Elias stared.
"You're off the board," Austin said. "Effective immediately. Your assets are frozen. Your security clearance is gone. You're finished."
"You don't have the votes."
Austin held up a file. "I don't need them. You made a deal with Verna. She confessed. The Board's already been notified."
Elias's face turned red.
"Don't do this, Austin."
"You already did," Austin said. "You ended this family the night you pulled that trigger. I'm just cleaning up the pieces."
Elias stepped back, fists shaking, " I'm sorry, I know I was wrong".
But he said nothing more.
And then he walked outside, going out to catch his breath.
Clair was in the nursery room Austin had built two floors up, gently arranging tiny blue and cream onesies she had bought secretly, though she hadn't told Austin why yet.
She heard the door creak and turned.
Austin stood there, face drawn, but eyes clearer.
"Is it done?" she asked.
He nodded.
"I didn't kill him. But he's out of my heart, Forever, he will only be here till it's over and because we share a common enemy".
She walked over and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"That's what your father would've wanted," she said softly. "Justice. Not vengeance."
"How do you know that?"
"Because he raised you."
Austin pressed a kiss to her temple. "You're too good for me."
She smiled. "Maybe. But you're mine now."
He chuckled for the first time in hours. A real, deep laugh.
Then he glanced at the onesies folded on the crib.
"What's all this?"
Clair paused.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small envelope.
He took it.
Opened it.
Inside was a sonogram.
Austin stared at it for a long moment.
His hand shook slightly.
"You're actually and pregnant and it's not a fails test?" he whispered.
She nodded. "About twelve weeks, you thought the strip would have been wrong?" She asked looking at him funny
His arms wrapped around her in a second, crushing her to his chest." It was just a little doubt, everything just seemed so unsure back then, when did you go to the hospital?" He asked
"Early yesterday that's when I got these, although It shows two sacs but one is empty, so it could just be a monitor problem, but I will be going back again." She said smiling.
"A son?" he asked.
"We don't know yet."
"It doesn't matter," he said. "It's ours. That's all that matters."
Tears brimmed in her eyes. "I was going to tell you earlier. But then everything with Isadora and Verna and your father..."
Austin pulled her face up gently.
"You are my beginning and my end, Clair. You and this baby. Nothing else compares."
They kissed again, this time softer, sweeter.
And when he knelt in front of her and kissed her stomach, she felt something settle in her heart.
A home.
Not made of bricks or power.
But of love.