My Brother

The next day, Victor came back with his brothers.

Men like him always need an audience before becoming brave.

His brothers crowded the courtyard, laughing too loudly.

“Little sister-in-law,” one said, “Victor suffered a lot for you. Now we’re all here. What do you want?”

Victor patted my shoulder like he still owned the right.

“I’ll give you one chance.”

His brothers cheered.

“Show some backbone!”

“Teach her a lesson!”

Victor leaned close.

“We are not divorcing.”

I stared at him.

He grabbed my injured hand.

Years ago, I had fractured that wrist. He knew where it hurt.

He squeezed.

Pain shot up my arm.

Sweat broke across my forehead.

“Property division has problems,” he said. “Either we do it my way, or I crush this hand.”

Theo heard the noise and ran out.

I tried to send him back inside.

Victor scooped him up first.

“Tell them,” Victor said, voice rising, “whose child is this? He is not mine. I wanted my own child. What did I do wrong?”

Theo stared at him.

The child who had adored him.

The child who waited for his cakes.

The child who called him Daddy.

“Mommy,” Theo whispered, tears gathering, “he’s not my daddy?”

Victor’s hand stopped.

For one second, his face looked human again.

Too late.

Marcus arrived.

He took Theo from Victor’s arms and held him against his chest.

“Theo is not Victor’s child,” Marcus said calmly.

Everyone froze.

“He is mine.”

Victor’s brothers stopped laughing.

Marcus rubbed Theo’s back.

“I was too busy to raise him properly, so my sister helped me for a few years. Is that a problem?”

No one answered.

Marcus looked at Victor.

“You used my son to threaten my sister.”

His voice was soft.

That made it worse.

“Take them to the police station.”

Victor shouted.

His brothers cursed.

Marcus’s men moved faster.

By evening, Victor was out on bail.

By morning, the entire New Harbor legal circle was watching the case.

The divorce war had officially begun.