Evidence 3
Picking up my phone, I called Sarah and Theo to share what I'd uncovered.
The phone rang a few times before Sarah answered.
"Hello," I said, trying to keep my tone calm despite the storm brewing inside me.
"Ethan! How have you been? We haven't heard from you in the last few days," Sarah replied, her voice warm but tinged with curiosity.
"Nothing much, just dealing with some important matters," I said vaguely. "Is Theo with you?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.
"Yeah, he's asleep. Do you want me to wake him up?" she offered.
"Yes, wake him. Also, both of you need to come over after I drop my sister and brother off at school. This is really important. Aron will be here too," I said firmly.
"Okay," Sarah replied. "We'll head over once we're ready. I'll call you before we leave."
"Good. Talk soon," I said and ended the call.
POV: Sarah
I hung up and stared at my phone, a knot of worry forming in my chest. Ethan sounded stressed, and whatever he wanted to talk about felt urgent.
The thought of him weighed heavily on my mind. Ethan had been my childhood friend for as long as I could remember. Since we were ten years old, I'd harbored a crush on him, though he always seemed so dense, so oblivious. She sighed, brushing the thought aside.
Getting up from bed, I made my way to Theo's room to wake him. The door was slightly ajar, and as I peeked inside, my stomach churned. Clothes were strewn across the floor, and there was my brother, half-naked, sprawled on the bed with a girl beside him.
Disgusted, I stormed off to the bathroom, grabbed a bucket of water, and returned. Without hesitation, I threw it at him.
"Get up! And you—what the hell are you doing in my house?" I snapped, glaring at the girl.
Theo jolted upright, sputtering as he wiped water from his face. "What was that for, Sis?" he asked, his voice groggy and defensive. Then his gaze darted around the room, realizing the situation. A sheepish expression crossed his face. "I… uh… had a bit too much to drink last night."
"I don't care," I said coldly, cutting him off. I turned to the girl. "And you—out of my house. Now."
The girl, flushed with embarrassment, hurriedly gathered her things while Theo muttered apologies. I slammed the door behind me as I left, letting them sort themselves out.
Inside the room, Theo turned to the girl. "Sorry about her. She's… intense. Let me call you an Uber," he said, trying to smooth things over.
The girl nodded, her face a mix of shame and gratitude. "That would be nice," she murmured.
After she left, Theo got dressed and came downstairs, running a hand through his damp hair. He found me waiting in the kitchen, arms crossed.
"What's so urgent that you had to throw water on me to wake me up?" he grumbled.
I leveled him with a stern look. "Ethan wants us at his house today. He said he has some important news, and Aron will be there too."
Theo raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Alright. Let's go then."
POV: Ethan
After I finished the call, I decided it was time to wake up my little brother and sister. Once they were up, I headed to the kitchen and whipped up some breakfast. It wasn't anything fancy, but it did the job. We sat together at the table, enjoying the meal and chatting casually.
Turning to James, my younger brother, I decided to share some news. "Little bro, I've got something for you. I bought a streaming website that was about to go under. I know you've been talking about wanting to stream, so I figured I'd give you a shot. Aron and I talked it over—I'm planning to give shares of the site to you, Sarah, and Theo. Do you want a share?"
His eyes lit up like I'd just handed him the keys to the world. "For real?!" he asked, barely able to contain his excitement.
"For real," I confirmed with a smile.
James loved gaming, and just a few days ago, he'd mentioned how much he wanted to become a streamer. Giving him a share of the platform felt like the right move—it was a chance to let him chase his dream.
"No fair!" my little sister said suddenly, interrupting with a playful whine. She looked at me with a pout, her big eyes full of mock indignation. Even though she was 14, she still had a way of being impossibly cute.
I sighed, shaking my head with a small laugh. "Fine, fine. I'll buy you a car once you get your license. You can pick any car you want," I said, grinning as I teased her.
Her face lit up, but she quickly tried to hide her excitement behind a smug expression. "You better not forget!" she warned, pointing a finger at me like she was scolding me.
After breakfast, I dropped them off at school. Before they got out of the car, I turned to them. "Listen, if you're going out after school today, make sure you're back by 8 p.m. at the latest. No later, okay?"
They both nodded, promising to be home on time. Watching them walk into the school, I couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride.
After dropping my siblings off at school, I drove back home with the radio playing softly in the background. The music was calming, but my mind was anything but. As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed the familiar cars parked outside. They're here, I thought. It made sense—they all had keys to my house.
I stepped out of my car, took a deep breath, and walked to the front door. As I entered, I saw Theo and Aron sitting in the living room, engaged in what seemed like a lighthearted conversation. Their laughter filled the room, but the tension in my chest didn't ease.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a sudden movement. Before I could react fully, something—or rather, someone—leapt at me.
Instinctively, I turned and grabbed hold of whatever was coming at me. It was Sarah, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug.
I sighed, the weight of the moment pulling me back to memories of the previous timeline. How blind was I? I thought bitterly. Back then, I couldn't see how much she cared, how deeply she loved me. I'd been too consumed by my own mess to notice. But not this time. This time, I'd do right by her.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I returned her hug, letting it linger for a moment longer than usual. When we pulled apart, I placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "We need to talk about something important," I said, my voice steady.
Her playful expression faded, replaced by concern. Theo and Aron, having heard me, stopped their conversation and turned their full attention to me.
"I found out something," I began, pausing to make sure I had their attention. "Aron and I discovered that my parents didn't die in an accident. They were murdered."
The silence that followed was deafening. Theo's jaw clenched, his fists curling tightly as anger flashed across his face. Aron's usual easy-going demeanor was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating look. Sarah, on the other hand, seemed frozen, her eyes wide and distant, as if trying to process the enormity of my words.
I took a deep breath and continued, laying out everything Aron and I had uncovered—every piece of evidence, every connection, every plan I had to reclaim what was rightfully mine. My voice wavered slightly as I spoke about the betrayal, the stolen company shares, and the sabotage that led to my parents' deaths.
When I finished, the room was heavy with emotion. Theo broke the silence first, slamming his hand against the armrest of the couch. "Those bastards," he muttered, his voice low but seething with rage. "They're gonna pay for this."
Aron nodded in agreement, his sharp mind already working through potential strategies
Sarah finally spoke, her voice softer than usual. "Ethan… why didn't you tell us sooner?" Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but there was no anger in her tone—only worry and sadness.
"I didn't want to drag you into this until I was sure," I admitted. "But now, with everything we've uncovered, I need your help. I can't do this alone."
She reached out, taking my hand in hers. "We're with you," she said, her voice steady now. "All of us. You're not alone, Ethan."
Hearing their support, I felt a small weight lift from my shoulders.