Chapter 4 - THE BROTHER RAVI THOUGHT HE COULD TRUST
Ravi had one brother.
Arjun Greedy.
Forty-four.
Chief financial officer of the legitimate companies.
The man who ran the foundation’s accounting.
Ravi stared at the photograph for a long time.
“No.”
I recognized the word.
Not denial based on facts.
Denial based on love.
I said quietly:
“You told me not to trust desperation.”
He looked at me.
“Don’t trust loyalty blindly either.”
His face hardened.
Then softened.
“You’re right.”
That surprised me.
We did not confront Arjun.
Not yet.
First, evidence.
The flash drive from box 417 contained encrypted financial files.
My father had protected them with a password.
We tried birthdays.
Anniversaries.
Nothing.
Then Sadi said:
“Try rabbit.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
She smiled self-consciously.
“Dad used to call my teeth bunny teeth.”
My heart hurt.
We tried:
RABBIT.
No.
Then:
BUNNY.
No.
Sadi frowned.
“He called me Little Hare.”
I froze.
Harper.
Hare.
Dad loved terrible word jokes.
Password:
LITTLEHARE
Unlocked.
Files opened.
Transaction logs.
Foundation invoices.
Shipping manifests.
Money moved from fake pediatric treatment accounts into shell companies.
Paragon Ventures.
Voss Family Holdings.
Then to a company controlled by Arjun.
Ravi went completely still.
Millions.
Years.
His own brother had used Ravi’s charity as cover.
Then another file:
Audio.
My father speaking.
“Arjun, I know.”
Arjun’s voice answered.
“You think Ravi will believe you?”
Dad:
“I have proof.”
Arjun laughed.
“Ravi believes blood before paper.”
Ravi closed his eyes.
That line hurt because it had probably been true.
Then Dad said:
“If you touch my family—”
Arjun interrupted:
“I don’t need to.”
Pause.
“Patrick handles accidents.”
I stopped breathing.
There it was.
Not absolute proof of murder.
Close.
Then Arjun’s voice changed.
“Give me the ledger.”
Dad refused.
The recording ended.
Ravi stood.
I immediately said:
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
He stared.
I continued:
“We give it to investigators.”
“This is my brother.”
“Exactly why you should not handle it yourself.”
Silence.
Then he nodded.
“Fine.”
Progress.
We copied everything.
Independent counsel.
Federal investigators.
No secret revenge.
Then another file appeared.
Label:
DIANE
My name.
I clicked.
Dad’s voice.
“Sweetheart, if you ever meet Ravi Greedy…”
I stopped.
Ravi looked at me.
Dad continued:
“…do not believe the rumors before you decide for yourself.”
Ravi’s expression changed.
Then:
“He owes me nothing.”
Pause.
“But I owe him my life.”
I stared.
That was the opposite of what Ravi had said.
“What?”
Ravi whispered:
“Your father saved mine.”
Dad’s recording continued.
“Years ago, Ravi pulled me out of a warehouse fire.”
Different rescue.
Different debt.
Then:
“If I die, do not let him turn guilt into ownership.”
I looked directly at Ravi.
His eyes dropped.
Good.
Dad knew powerful men too well.
Then the final sentence:
“And never let Sadi know who her biological father is until she is old enough to choose whether she wants the truth.”
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Sadi looked at me.
“What does that mean?”
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