When Brotherhood Becomes Betrayal

My sister, Layla Biggs, saw the deadness in my eyes and tried every gentle argument she could think of.

"Edwin, we're not young anymore, and you have Casey to think about now," she said. "Take my advice. Turn a blind eye to things and just get through the days."

Layla was my blood sister. And she had been helping someone else lie to me.

Her husband, Toby Banks, stood beside her, one hand resting on my shoulder, playing peacemaker with just a little too much effort.

"Layla's right, Edwin. You've got a kid to raise. Do you really have what it takes to start all over?" he said. "Vince couldn't help it either. Years ago, his family went bankrupt, and they were buried in debt. With nowhere left to turn, his last assets were about to be auctioned off. Ariel was the one who saved him. He had no way to repay her, so he could only..."

Something in my chest twisted with pain.

Toby and I, along with Vince Weaver, had been inseparable since middle school. We'd sworn to be brothers for life.

And now, even though Toby knew perfectly well that Vince was the one in the wrong, he still wanted me to forgive him.

People's hearts always tilt toward someone.

It hadn't mattered that I once got into a fight defending Toby and ended up with eight stitches in my scalp. None of that counted for anything now.

I shook his hand off my shoulder and said coldly, "Toby, from today on, we're done."

He froze. At that exact moment, the office door was shoved open.

Ariel Winters's face was clouded over. She stared straight at me.

The other two took the hint and slipped out, leaving just the two of us in the office.

Ariel walked up to me and demanded, "Edwin, what the hell are you trying to do, making a scene in here?"

In all the years I'd known her, this was the first time she'd ever been this cold toward me.

I choked back the lump in my throat and shot back, "Ariel, tell me exactly what I ever did to wrong you. Why did you have to tangle yourself up with my best friend, to the point of having his child?"

Ariel caught the sorrow in my eyes and let out a soft sigh. She leaned her head against my chest and softened her voice.

"Edwin, don't worry. He'll never take your place."

My eyes stung. I stubbornly pushed her away.

I wasn't willing to share a wife with another man.

Ariel's brow furrowed slightly, and she spoke again. "Edwin, if this goes to court, I will fight for full custody of our daughter with everything I have. You already know how that would end. Do you really want Casey to suffer through that with you?"

I stared at her, a little dazed.

We'd fallen in love so young, and now, somehow, it had come down to fighting over our child.

Seeing the conflict on my face, Ariel's tone gentled further. "Just settle down and live your life. You and Casey will never want for anything, and out in the world you'll still be part of the Biggs family, still cutting the same fine figure you always have."

I buried the decision I'd already made deep inside and gave a small nod.

From that day on, I put on the mask of my old self again. I kept taking Casey to and from school like nothing had changed.

I stopped questioning Ariel on the nights she didn't come home.

I stopped leaving a light on for her.

I just quietly hired someone to gather evidence.

Then, one day, a familiar figure showed up at our door.

It was Vince Weaver, who I hadn't seen in a long time.

There was a certain awkwardness written across his face.

I used to think Vince had it rough. A few years back, he'd suddenly had a child in his life, one he was raising somewhere outside our circle. I'd sympathized with how hard things must have been for him, and I'd gone out of my way to help.

Nearly all of that child's daily necessities, I was the one who'd bought them.

I'd even brought up Vince's struggles to Ariel more than once, asking her to help him out.

Looking back now, I hadn't needed to say a word. The two of them had already been carrying on behind my back more times than I could count.

Vince stepped closer and said quietly, "Edwin, can we talk?"

I stopped walking and looked at him, my face blank.

"Whatever you have to say, just say it."

He glanced around at the people passing by, then lowered his voice. "Things didn't have to come to this. It was never my intention. Ariel and I... we've been together for years now, and our child is growing up fast. I just want everyone to be able to move on in peace.

"I never meant to wreck your life. It's just that when it comes to feelings, you can't always help yourself."

Listening to his hollow excuses, I sneered. "You don't have to pretend you couldn't help it."

I fixed my eyes on him, and something suddenly occurred to me. "Did you sleep with Ariel the night of my birthday?"