Chapter 3 - Michael Trent Is Not Dean’s Brother
Priscilla finally spoke.
“Michael isn’t his biological brother.”
Dean’s expression hardened.
“That’s what you told me.”
Margaret demanded the full story.
Three months earlier, Priscilla said she had been contacted by Michael Trent, a man claiming Dean’s late father, Robert, had supported him privately for years.
Michael produced letters.
Photographs.
Bank transfers.
He said Robert was his father.
Dean confronted Priscilla after discovering the hotel receipt.
She admitted meeting Michael secretly.
Why secretly?
Because Michael threatened to expose Robert’s alleged affair unless the family paid him.
Dean believed the story enough to panic.
He had grown up worshipping his father.
Robert had died five years earlier.
Dean did not want Margaret learning about an affair while recovering from surgery.
So he made the worst possible decision.
He said nothing.
Margaret stared at him.
“You let someone use my card to pay a blackmailer because you were protecting me?”
Dean looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Priscilla corrected him.
“I paid for the hotel before we knew he was blackmailing anyone.”
Margaret asked why.
Priscilla said Michael claimed he had nowhere safe to stay.
The explanations were already splitting apart.
Then Margaret asked to see Robert’s letters.
Priscilla opened her handbag.
Inside was a red envelope.
Dean looked surprised.
“I thought you destroyed those.”
May you like
Priscilla whispered:
“I lied.”
