Silent Scars

CHAPTER 7

MARCUS HASTINGS

Marcus listened to Leonardo's words, his expression locked in a frown. He could feel the shock running through him, but he buried it deep, refusing to let it show. He'd perfected that skill over the years,staying calm when everyone else lost their heads. But this...this was different.

A sister?

It felt like the ground had shifted beneath him, like the foundation of everything he knew had cracked open.

Why didn't she tell us?

He thought, his mind racing.

Their mother had left them without a word, and now they found out she'd remarried, had their sister, and never once mentioned it? He felt a surge of anger,sharp and hot at the betrayal.

How could she have kept this from us?

And what kind of man had she married? Had he treated their sister well, or was there more darkness lurking beneath this revelation?

He forced himself to take a deep breath, pushing the anger down. It wouldn't help now. He needed to focus, to think clearly. His mind immediately went to the practical side of things.

We don't know this girl. We couldn't even confirm if she is truly their sister, despite what the DNA test said. It could still be a scheme, a trap set by our enemies to tear them apart from the inside. I couldn't let myself get soft, not when the stakes are this high.

He looked at Leonardo, searching his brother's face for any hint of uncertainty. He could see it, the worry, the reluctance. Leonardo was trying to be cautious, but Marcus knew that his older brother's protective instincts were already kicking in.

Marcus's gaze shifted to Luca, who seemed deep in thought, and then to Kendric, who looked like he was about to burst with questions.

The kid's going to get himself hurt.

Marcus thought grimly. Kendric's trusting nature was both his greatest strength and his biggest weakness. He'd be the first to open his arms, and if this girl wasn't who she seemed, he'd be the one left broken.

Marcus folded his arms across his chest, his voice hard when he finally spoke.

"I will give her a chance."

He said, his eyes meeting Leonardo's.

"But I won't trust her blindly. We need answers, real answers. Until then, I'm keeping my guard up."

The room fell silent after that, each of them sinking into their own thoughts.

Marcus knew this was only the beginning, and whatever lay ahead would test them all in ways they hadn't been tested before. He just hoped they were ready for it.

LUCA HASTINGS

Luca leaned back in his chair, still reeling from the news.

A sister.

He'd grown up as the youngest of the three older brothers until Kendric was born, and now, there was someone else, someone who had lived a completely different life, hidden away without any of them knowing. He could feel the room's tension thickening, but his mind was already wandering, piecing together fragments of a picture he couldn't fully see yet.