The Forgotten Heir

Chapter 11: When Truth Breaks Through

Ryan didn't know how much longer he could keep up his charade. Sneaking away to investigate the Whitmores was exhausting, and his absences were starting to draw attention. His adoptive parents, Mike and Lily, had already noticed his late returns and distracted demeanor.

"Ryan," Mike said one evening as they sat around the dinner table. "You've been quiet lately. And you've been out a lot after school. Something you want to talk about?"

Ryan froze mid-bite, forcing a casual shrug. "Just school stuff. Volleyball practice runs late sometimes."

Lily frowned. "Are you sure? You've been acting different, honey."

Ryan's chest tightened. The guilt of hiding things from them felt heavier by the day. Mike and Lily had always been his rock, his safe place-but the adoption secret made it harder to trust.

"Really, I'm fine," he said, pushing his chair back. "I've got homework to do."

As he left the table, their concerned expressions followed him, but Ryan couldn't bring himself to explain. Not yet.

The Brothers Find Out

At the Whitmore estate, Logan, Ethan, and Theo refused to let Eleanor's cold dismissal stop them. Over the next week, they dug deeper, combing through family documents and records. Finally, their persistence paid off.

In an old storage box tucked away in the estate's attic, they found what they were looking for: an adoption record bearing Ryan's name.

Ethan held the paper, his hands shaking. "He's... our brother," he said, barely able to believe the words.

Logan stared at the document, his mind racing. "Mom lied to us. She hid him."

Theo paced the room, his usual calm gone. "Why? Why would she do this?"

The three brothers were overwhelmed with anger and confusion, but one thing was clear-they had a little brother out there, and they needed to find him.

A Fateful Encounter

Ryan was sitting in a café downtown, his notebook open in front of him, when he heard the door chime. He glanced up, and his heart dropped.

Logan, Ethan, and Theo stood in the entrance, scanning the room. When Logan's eyes landed on Ryan, a look of relief and determination crossed his face.

"There he is," Logan said, striding toward him.

Ryan froze. He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn't move.

"Ryan," Ethan said as they approached, his tone soft but firm. "We need to talk."

Ryan's hands clenched the edge of the table. "I don't have anything to say to you."

"Well, we have plenty to say to you," Theo said, pulling out a chair and sitting across from him. Logan and Ethan followed suit.

"You're our brother," Logan said without preamble.

The words hit Ryan like a truck. He stared at them, his mind spinning. "What are you talking about?"

Ethan placed the adoption record on the table. "We found this. You're a Whitmore."

Ryan's stomach churned. He wanted to deny it, to argue, but the proof was right there in front of him.

"Why do you care?" he said finally, his voice trembling. "Your mom didn't."

The brothers flinched at the accusation, guilt flashing across their faces.

"Whatever Mom did, it wasn't fair to you," Logan said. "But we didn't know. None of us knew."

Theo leaned forward, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "And now that we do, we're not going to ignore it. You're our brother, Ryan. That means something."

Ryan shook his head, his emotions swirling. "I don't need you. I already have a family."

Ethan's voice softened. "We're not trying to take you away from them. We just want to get to know you. To make things right."

"Right?" Ryan laughed bitterly. "How is this right? I've been lied to my whole life, and now I'm just supposed to... what? Join your perfect family?"

Logan reached out, but Ryan pulled back. "You don't understand," Ryan said, his voice cracking. "I don't need more people to lie to me."

Before they could respond, Ryan grabbed his notebook and bolted out the door.

The Brothers' Vow

The brothers sat in stunned silence, Ryan's words echoing in their minds.

"He hates us," Theo said finally.

"No, he's just scared," Ethan replied. "And he has every right to be."

Logan nodded, determination hardening his features. "We've already failed him once by not knowing he existed. We're not failing him again. He's our little brother, whether he likes it or not."

Mike and Lily's Concern

That evening, Ryan returned home to find his adoptive parents waiting for him.

"Where have you been?" Lily asked, her voice edged with worry.

"Just out," Ryan said, brushing past them.

"Ryan, this isn't like you," Mike said, stepping in front of him. "You've been distant, disappearing without telling us. What's going on?"

Ryan hesitated, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. He wanted to tell them everything, but the words wouldn't come.

"Nothing," he said finally. "I'm fine."

Lily's eyes filled with hurt. "We're your parents, Ryan. You can talk to us."

The guilt was overwhelming, but Ryan couldn't bring himself to explain. "I just need some space," he muttered, retreating to his room.

The Brothers' Overprotective Streak

Logan, Ethan, and Theo weren't ready to give up. Over the next few days, they kept tabs on Ryan, watching from a distance as he went about his life.

Logan even parked outside Ryan's school one afternoon, waiting for him to come out. When Ryan spotted him, his face twisted with frustration.

"Are you stalking me now?" Ryan snapped.

"Just making sure you're okay," Logan said, unfazed.

"I don't need you to babysit me," Ryan shot back.

"You might not need it," Logan said, "but you're getting it anyway. You're our brother, and we're not going anywhere."

Ryan glared at him, his emotions warring between anger and a strange, unfamiliar warmth.

Ryan's Inner Turmoil

That night, Ryan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His world felt like it was splitting in two-the family he'd always known and the family he didn't ask for.

Mike and Lily's worried faces haunted him, but so did the Whitmore brothers' insistence. Despite his anger, he couldn't deny the part of him that longed to understand them.

"Why couldn't things just stay the way they were?" he whispered into the dark.

But deep down, he knew the answer: because the truth had a way of changing everything.