I thought I knew my brother.

Until he cut my research funding. Until he chose to believe a stranger over me. Until he looked at me in that courtroom with eyes so cold, I wondered if I was the one who had betrayed him.

Jake used to be my protector, my hero, the one constant I believed would never change. But the moment my roommate Crystal whispered the word "bloodline," I realized some weapons are deadlier than knives—they can destroy everything a person believes about themselves.

Adoption. The word had never been forbidden in our family, until someone turned it into a tool of manipulation.

When I caught Crystal photographing our client files, I knew this wasn't just some college romance gone wrong. When I stood in that courtroom and was forced to say "Jake is adopted," I watched the light die in his eyes.

Silent Betrayal: The Adopted Brother


Three years later, I stood before a group of fascinated tourists on this brilliant Florida morning, watching their faces light up as I explained our sea turtle conservation program.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Florida's first green-certified eco-resort," I announced with pride, gesturing to...

Chapter 8