She Came at 5 A.M. to Steal the Family Estate—But the Man She Planned to Betray Was Listening Behind the Door

Dominic reached Catherine's house in eleven minutes.

Julian was in the study, kneeling beside the fireplace with the blue archive box open in front of him.

"Don't move," Dominic said.

Julian looked up, exhausted.

"I wasn't stealing it."

"You're doing a terrible impression of someone not stealing it."

Natalie entered behind Dominic. "What's in the box?"

Julian looked at her and sighed.

"Letters from Dad."

Their father, Thomas Mercer, had died nine years earlier after a long battle with cancer. Julian pulled out a bundle tied with faded string.

"Mom hid these because Dad admitted he had another child before he married her. I found out years ago. Brooke found out from me."

Dominic stared. "Why does that matter now?"

"Because the child is Sterling Voss."

Nobody spoke.

Julian handed him one letter.

Thomas described a son born when he was nineteen, adopted by another family. Decades later he learned the boy had become an attorney named Sterling Voss.

Catherine knew.

She had refused to bring Voss into the family after discovering he was already trying to leverage the connection for money.

Natalie whispered, "So Sterling is your half-brother."

Dominic read the next letter.

Thomas had privately given Voss two million dollars years ago on the condition that he never make a claim against the Mercer estate.

"Brooke knew this?" Dominic asked.

Julian nodded. "She said we could use Sterling because he hated Catherine. I thought she meant for legal advice. I didn't know what they were doing."

Dominic looked at him for a long time.

"You kept secrets because you were afraid of conflict. And every secret became a weapon in someone else's hands."

Julian's eyes filled. "I know."

Natalie took the letters. "No more secrets."

Dominic nodded.

They turned the box over to investigators.

Three weeks later, prosecutors charged Voss with multiple financial crimes and offenses related to Evan's death. Brooke was charged in the fraud scheme, attempted theft of the Mercer property, conspiracy, and obstruction-related offenses. Additional charges remained under review.

But one question haunted Dominic.

Brooke still had not explained the words she said before her arrest:

You still don't know the worst thing I did.