shadows of betrayal

Chapter 5

Shadows of Betrayal

How could Dan come up with this dangerous idea of coming to his brother's house with a gun?

The anger at which he spoke made me believe he could actually pull the trigger.

The gun in his hand gleamed under the single lamp that was on. Ethan stood in front of me, his body tense like a shield. The penthouse was dark except for that one light casting long shadows.

“Sit down,” Dan ordered. His voice was calm but his eyes burned with rage.

We sat on the couch slowly. My hands shook in my lap while I stared straight into Dan’s eye with so much fear.

Dan walked closer. The gun pointed at Ethan’s chest. “Good. Now let’s talk about the truth. Since you two have been playing love, how about I let you both know what is hidden to you? I’ll share what I know.”

He looked at me. “You think Ethan is good right? He’s been sleeping with Elena for months. I'm sure you don't know that.”

My heart dropped. “What?” I said weakly.

Ethan’s head snapped up. “That’s a lie! Do not believe him!”

Dan laughed coldly. “Elena told me every detail. She tried to get into your bed for years with late nights, short dresses, and private meetings. You almost gave in many times. And all of a sudden, you introduced Judith as your wife to the public and you pushed her away.

She is heartbroken and she made a deal with Marcus Kane to destroy our father’s empire with leaked documents and fake scandals. She wants you ruined and Judith gone.”

“I'm not really concerned about your well being, you know, right?”

Dan said without any remorse.

I could only imagine how two brothers born of the same mother on the same day just happen to turn against each other all of a sudden.

Ethan’s face turned red. “You’re making this up!”

“I’m not,” Dan said. He showed a message on his phone. “Elena sent this yesterday. If you choose Judith she will burn everything. She helped me with old photos. She wants control of the company. I've come to discover.”

I felt sick. Elena had smiled at me but was plotting against us. The photos from six years ago still burned in my mind. I was drugged that night. They used me. Now this.

Ethan stood fast. “You bastard!”

Dan raised the gun. “Stay back. Judith, Ethan paid Elena extra to keep quiet about their almost-affair. He was weak.”

“Give me the gun!” Ethan said as he tried to reach Dan.

He grabbed Dan’s wrist. They struggled hard. The gun waved between them. I screamed and jumped up trying to think of what I could do.

“Stop both of you!”

Ethan twisted the gun. His finger slipped. A loud shot rang out.

It felt like a movie.

Pain exploded in my side. I fell to the ground. Blood soaked my dress too suddenly. The room spun.

“Judith!” Ethan dropped the gun and rushed to me.

Dan froze. “I didn’t mean this.”

Ethan pressed on my wound. “Call an ambulance now!”

Dan dialed with shaking hands and turned on the lights. Blood showed on the white floor.

I felt cold from within. My eyes grew heavy. Lily’s face flashed in my mind. I could not leave her. She was the only innocent thing in this mess of lies and betrayal.

Sirens came in earlier than expected. Paramedics rushed in and lifted me on a stretcher. Ethan held my hand.

“Stay with me Judith, please don't leave.” he whispered with tears filled in his eyes.

The ride was a blur of lights and pain. Doctors rushed me to the intensive care unit. I heard Ethan shout my name.

Hours later I woke up in a private room. Painkillers made me dizzy.

A bandage covered my side. The bullet missed key organs but I lost blood.

Ethan sat by the bed. “I’m sorry. This is my fault.”

I turned my head. “Dan?”

“Police took him. He says it was an accident.” Ethan’s voice broke. “I should have protected you. I tried to take the gun. I never meant to hurt you.”

News spread fast. “Gunshot at billionaire’s penthouse” was on every channel.

Reporters gathered outside.

Ethan stayed but his phone rang. Partners and lawyers called. The scandal grew.

Across town Elena watched the news in her luxury apartment. She smiled.

She had wanted Ethan for years. She wore tight clothes, touched his arm, stayed late. She almost had him until Judith came into his life. She vowed revenge.

With Marcus Kane’s help she planned to destroy the empire with fake reports and scandals.

The gunshot gave her a chance.

Elena's POV:

My voice was calm and steady as I gave the order. “Find Judith’s room. Ensure you handle the job perfectly.”

“It will cost extra,” the voice on the other end replied.

“I will pay for it,” I said without hesitation. “Make sure she does not wake up.”

I ended the call and poured myself a glass of wine, the deep red liquid spinning in the crystal glass. A slow smile passed across my lips as I imagined Ethan broken, completely devastated. He would need someone to lean on. He would need me. And once Judith was gone, I would finally take the company. Her death would end that pathetic marriage once and for all.

Later that night, I sat in the dim light of my room, sipping the last of my wine, picturing exactly how it was unfolding. My cleaner —the one in the blue uniform—pushed her cart down the quiet hospital hall. She worked for me. No one would ever suspect her. A syringe filled with poison rested in her pocket.

She stopped outside Judith’s room. The guard had stepped away for coffee, just as planned. She sneaked inside quietly. Judith lay there, sleeping peacefully, hooked up to the drip.

I could almost see it in my mind. The cleaner moves to the fourth stand, pulling out the syringe, and injecting the poison. It would look like a simple medical complication. Nothing suspicious.

Her hand reached for the drip line.