Chapter 5 - The Dead Brother

Alejandro’s younger brother, Rafael Castillo, had supposedly died sixteen months before Elena disappeared.

His private plane went down off the coast of Colombia.

No body had ever been recovered.

Alejandro had mourned him for years.

Now Thomas was claiming Rafael was inside the mansion.

“That’s impossible.”

Thomas shook his head.

“I saw him three nights ago.”

Elena looked at Alejandro.

“I saw him too.”

Alejandro felt suddenly unsteady.

“When?”

“The first night they brought us back here.”

She swallowed.

“He stood beside Vivian.”

Alejandro remembered childhood arguments with Rafael.

Rafael had always believed Alejandro inherited everything because their father favored the older son.

When their father died, Alejandro received controlling interest in Castillo Holdings.

Rafael received hundreds of millions.

It had never been enough.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Elena looked stunned.

“When exactly?”

Alejandro immediately regretted the question.

“You’re right.”

Thomas explained that months earlier he had discovered unusual electrical work beneath the mansion.

He entered the service tunnels.

That was when he saw Elena.

Before he could contact Alejandro, Vivian’s security team detained him.

They kept Thomas locked inside an unused wine-storage room.

He escaped occasionally through maintenance passages.

The memory card contained short recordings.

Thomas had captured conversations through ventilation shafts.

Alejandro inserted the card into a small maintenance tablet mounted on the wall.

One audio file appeared.

He pressed play.

Vivian’s voice filled the corridor.

“The board vote happens in October.”

Then a man answered.

Alejandro’s stomach dropped.

Rafael.

unmistakably Rafael.

“If Alejandro still refuses to sell, we move to phase three.”

Vivian laughed.

“And Elena?”

“She remains useful until the trusts transfer.”

Alejandro paused the recording.

“What trusts?”

Elena stared at the floor.

“My father’s.”

Alejandro knew Elena came from wealth.

But her family’s assets had supposedly been donated after her father’s death.

Elena shook her head.

“My father left me controlling interests in three private infrastructure funds.”

“I never told anyone.”

“Not even you.”

Alejandro stared.

“How much?”

“About eight billion dollars when I disappeared.”

Thomas whispered.

“It’s closer to twelve now.”

Everyone became silent.

The conspiracy was suddenly bigger than imprisonment.

Vivian had not stolen Elena merely to control Alejandro.

She needed Elena alive to access an enormous hidden fortune.

A metallic sound echoed above them.

The steel doors unlocked.

Alejandro stepped forward.

Thomas grabbed his shoulder.

“Don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because that means Rafael wants you upstairs.”

Alejandro looked toward the opening door.

“And?”

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Thomas’s expression hardened.

“He never opens that door unless someone is about to die.”