All Chapters of FALLING FOR MY BROTHER'S RIVAL: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Noah’s PovThe dinner table fell into stunned silence following Sophia’s revelation, forks abandoned mid-bite as everyone processed the unsettling reality that Victor, even from behind prison walls, had somehow arranged one final act meant specifically to reach into our lives nearly a year into the future, targeting our infant son with a message none of us could yet understand.“Addressed to Tyler,” Mason repeated slowly, disbelief and renewed anger warring across his expression. “What could he possibly have to say to a baby who wasn’t even born when he committed most of his crimes?”“I don’t know,” Sophia admitted, her hands trembling slightly as she set the phone down on the table. “But I don’t like the idea of anything from him reaching our son, regardless of what legal mechanisms he arranged to guarantee its eventual release.”Renee, who had joined us for dinner that evening, immediately pulled out her own phone, her professional composure settling firmly into place despite the ob

Noah’s PovVanessa’s words hung heavily in the room, and I watched Sophia’s expression shift from cautious openness into visible confusion, the careful ground we had just established suddenly feeling considerably less stable than either of us had anticipated walking into this meeting.“That’s not possible,” Sophia said slowly. “I’ve seen my birth certificate. David Whitmore is listed as my biological father, and he’s already confirmed the connection through his own testing.”“Then someone’s lying,” Vanessa replied, her earlier nervousness hardening into something more defensive. “Because my mother was absolutely certain about what Victor told her. He said he had you tested privately, years ago, and confirmed you were his biological daughter. That’s part of why she never pursued anything, she believed Victor already had an acknowledged daughter he was quietly supporting.”I glanced toward Renee, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, though her expression now carried the same

Noah’s Pov I was still on the ice running through final drills with Mason when Coach Reynolds waved me urgently toward the boards, his expression carrying a gravity that immediately told me something had gone seriously wrong. I skated over quickly, my stomach already tightening with instinctive dread. “Your wife’s on the phone,” he said, extending his own cell toward me. “She says it’s an emergency.” I grabbed the phone immediately, Sophia’s voice trembling audibly through the line the moment I answered. “Noah, Victor escaped. He’s out. A detective just called me.” The world seemed to tilt sharply beneath me, months of hard-won peace collapsing instantly into renewed, visceral terror. “How is that possible? He was in federal custody, consecutive life sentences, maximum security.” “They were transferring him between facilities for some kind of medical evaluation. Something happened during the transport, the detective wasn’t entirely clear on details, but he’s gone, Noah. He’s been

Noah’s PovEthan arrived at our apartment less than an hour later, his usually composed expression replaced by visible anxiety, dark circles beneath his eyes suggesting he hadn’t slept properly in days, long before Victor’s call had ever forced this overdue confrontation into motion.Mason stood immediately upon Ethan’s entrance, his protective instincts fully engaged despite years of friendship built alongside him. “Start talking.”Ethan sank slowly onto the edge of the couch, his hands trembling slightly as he gathered himself before finally speaking. “I was a junior counselor at that camp, the summer Tyler died. I never told any of you because by the time we all reconnected professionally, years later, it felt like ancient history, something that had happened to a completely different version of myself.”“You knew Tyler,” I said, disbelief still coloring my voice despite Ethan’s obvious sincerity. “You were actually there that night.”“I was seventeen. Barely older than the prospec

Sophia’s PovNoah’s face drained of color the instant he showed me the photograph, and my entire body went rigid with fear as I studied the image, myself walking Tyler in his stroller along our own street, completely unaware that someone had been watching closely enough to capture something so intimately mundane and terrifying all at once.“Renee needs to see this immediately,” I said, my voice shaking despite my attempt at composure.Within twenty minutes, Renee arrived alongside two federal agents, examining the photograph carefully while coordinating with her technical team to trace its origin, though everyone in the room understood already that Victor’s network had proven skilled enough at covering digital footprints that quick answers seemed unlikely.“We need to increase security immediately,” Renee said firmly. “Full protective detail, around the clock, until we determine exactly who sent this and how close they actually are.”“This isn’t sustainable,” I said, exhaustion and fe