CHAPTER 2 – THE BROTHER WHO NEVER LOOKED AWAY
CHAPTER 2 – THE BROTHER WHO NEVER LOOKED AWAY
"Yes, Simone's sister," Cameron answered, his voice cold enough to make Jennifer stop typing.
"And clear my schedule for the next forty-eight hours."
"Everything?"
"Everything."
The line went dead.
Across town, Simone sat alone in the guest bedroom of the Rivers mansion.
She hadn't unpacked.
She hadn't cried.
She simply stared at the tiny pair of pink baby socks folded beside her suitcase.
Seven months pregnant.
Five years of marriage.
And somehow she had never felt more alone.
The front door slammed downstairs.
Derek was home.
His footsteps echoed through the marble hallway before stopping outside the bedroom.
He knocked once.
"Simone."
Silence.
"I know you're upset."
Still nothing.
He pushed the door open anyway.
She didn't even turn around.
"I said I know you're upset."
She finally spoke.
"No."
Her voice was frighteningly calm.
"You know I'm inconvenient."
Derek rubbed his temples.
"Can we not do this tonight?"
She slowly faced him.
Her scalp was still red where Tiffany had ripped out strands of her hair.
There were faint bruises beginning to bloom on her arm.
"Our daughter almost hit a metal seat because your mistress attacked me."
"You watched."
"You said nothing."
"And you're asking me not to do this?"
Derek looked away.
"It wasn't the right place."
Simone laughed.
It wasn't laughter.
It was the sound someone makes after discovering hope has finally died.
"The right place?"
She stepped closer.
"When exactly is the right place to defend your wife?"
"When she's bleeding?"
"When your daughter is born without a heartbeat?"
"When I'm buried?"
Derek's jaw tightened.
"You always exaggerate."
Those three words destroyed the last fragile thread holding their marriage together.
Simone reached into the nightstand.
She removed her wedding ring.
The diamond sparkled beneath the bedroom light.
Five years.
Thousands of promises.
One tiny circle of gold.
She placed it gently on the dresser.
"I'm done begging."
Without another word, she walked past him.
For the first time since they'd married...
Derek didn't stop her.
Across the city...
Cameron Rivers stepped into the offices of Thompson & Brooks Family Law.
Every employee instantly recognized him.
The billionaire rarely appeared anywhere without a week of advance notice.
Yet here he was.
Alone.
No security.
No assistant.
Only a tablet in his hand.
Gabrielle Thompson emerged from her office wearing a charcoal suit and reading glasses.
She froze.
"Cameron Rivers?"
"We need to talk."
Her expression hardened immediately.
"If this is about convincing Simone to stay with your brother—"
"It isn't."
He handed her the tablet.
"Watch."
She did.
The room became perfectly still.
Thirty seconds.
One minute.
Ninety seconds.
Then Tiffany's hand grabbed Simone's hair.
Gabrielle stopped breathing.
Her fingers trembled.
By the time Derek ignored his crying wife...
The tablet nearly slipped from her hands.
She replayed it.
Again.
And again.
Each viewing made her angrier.
Finally she looked up.
"Tell me this isn't edited."
"It isn't."
"Tell me someone called the police."
"No one did."
Her eyes filled with tears she refused to let fall.
"When our parents died," Gabrielle whispered, "I promised my grandmother I'd spend my life protecting Simone."
She looked directly into Cameron's eyes.
"I failed."
"No."
Cameron shook his head.
"You weren't on that plane."
"But I am now."
For several long seconds neither of them spoke.
Then Cameron made a decision that would shake the Rivers family forever.
"I want you to represent Simone."
Gabrielle frowned.
"You realize what that means."
"I do."
"It'll become public."
"I know."
"Your brother could lose half his fortune."
"He deserves to lose more."
Gabrielle searched his face for hesitation.
There wasn't any.
Only absolute certainty.
At the same moment...
Tiffany Blake stood inside the penthouse Derek secretly rented for her overlooking Lake Michigan.
She poured herself another glass of champagne.
Her phone buzzed.
Derek:
"Everything's fine. She won't leave."
Tiffany smiled.
She typed back.
"I told you she'd never have the courage."
A second later...
Another message appeared.
Unknown Number.
There was no name.
Only a video attachment.
She opened it casually.
Five seconds later...
Her smile disappeared.
Ten seconds later...
Her face turned white.
The security footage.
Every second.
Every insult.
Every pull of Simone's hair.
Every word.
Even Derek sitting there.
Watching.
At the end of the clip...
A single sentence appeared across the screen.
YOU SHOULD HAVE CHECKED FOR CAMERAS.
Her champagne glass slipped from her fingers.
It shattered across the marble floor.
Her hands began shaking uncontrollably.
Someone had the evidence.
Someone powerful.
Someone wasn't asking for money.
They were warning her.
Meanwhile...
Simone drove alone through downtown Chicago.
She had no destination.
Only one thought.
She refused to raise her daughter inside a house where silence protected cruelty.
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Normally she ignored unknown calls.
Tonight...
She answered.
"Hello?"
A deep, steady voice replied.
"Simone."
She frowned.
"Who is this?"
"This is Cameron Rivers."
Silence.
"I've seen the video."
Her hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"What... what video?"
"The one showing exactly what happened to you."
Tears filled her eyes.
Someone believed her.
Before she could answer, Cameron spoke again.
"No one will ever put their hands on you again."
His next sentence sent a chill through her entire body.
"I've already begun destroying everyone who stood there and did nothing."
Far across the city...
Derek's phone rang.
He smiled when he saw his brother's name.
"Cameron."
The voice on the other end was terrifyingly calm.
"You have exactly one hour."
"For what?"
"Pack your office."
Derek laughed nervously.
"What are you talking about?"
"At nine o'clock tomorrow morning..."
"You will no longer be an executive at Rivers Industries."
The call ended.
Derek stared at his phone.
For the first time in his life...
May you like
He realized his older brother wasn't coming to save him.
He was coming to bury everything Derek had built.
