HELEN

I am going to meet my brother today.
Who's also the current head of YBC, John Yale.

He told me to meet with him at his new house since he sold his old one.
His previous mansion was surrounded by lush gardens and water fountains, complete with three swimming pools and a golf course.
I hate to think of how much grander would the new one be.

Don't get me wrong, I am not jealous of my brother. When my father and his brother, who were the Yale brothers had retired from the company, they had already decided to give it to John.

I wasn't even considered for the job. I could have headed it if I had asked, but I chose to be a pastry chef instead. Back then, I wasn't interested in the company.

Although, the fact that my brother not only didn't know how to head the company, he also grew jealous of DSC on a personal level.

We went to the same high-school as the current heads of DSC, and I'd say that it wasn't a pretty picture.

The fact that they involved themselves in wrestling matches was pathetic. It's even more pathetic when John lost every single time. I'd be the one to fix his bleeding wounds.

Of course, none of the Heads have such an attitude towards him anymore, In fact, they are so busy with their work to remember trivial things like this.
John, on the other hand, remembers everything.

"I will get them back for all of it," He used to say then.
He says it even now, after almost 30 years.

When I reach the address of his new home, I am confused. Instead of a large mansion with sweeping lawns, I see an apartment.

I cross-check with the security. The address my brother gave is indeed right.

I call him, unable to believe that he lived in an apartment.

"Yes, the address is correct. Didn't you know that the studio apartment is the latest trend?" John scoffs over the phone.

I make my way inside, carrying a box of cupcakes and find him standing at the door of his apartment.

"Welcome, Helen. This is my new place," My brother says with a hint of pride in his voice.
He gestures around the simple apartment, which is nothing compared to his grand mansion.

I stare at him, as though he's mad.

"Why did you sell your mansion?" I question. "You could have bought a studio apartment too, you have the money."

My brother's smile falters.

"You know nothing, Helen. You know nothing of the latest trends in lifestyle choices." He says, his voice haughty.

"I know that you sold your beach mansion so that you could kill Ben Sanders." I point out, but he cuts me off.

"And Ben Sanders is dead. That's money put to a good cause." He says, nodding his head pompously.

I remember the day when he came to Betty's, right after his men had murdered Ben. He'd looked like a mad man, jubilant that he had finished off the next successor of DSC.

"You could have killed the current heads if you hate them that much. They are about to retire anyway. " I'd said.

"I want them to suffer in the loss of their dear children. I want them to mourn for their whole lives!" He had said, his face twisted with vengeance.

Over the years, I feel like he's growing even more stupid. He divorced his wife when she didn't agree with his schemes.
He didn't talk to me for three years when I had pointed out a flaw in his marketing strategy.

My stupid brother doesn't accept his mistakes. That's why he's still journeying on the road to idiocy.

"So?" I question him now. "Why did you sell your mansion?"

He starts pacing around the room, his face all sweaty. Another thing is that he is horrible at hiding his emotions.

"Did you do it to murder Leah Sanders?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything.
Which means that he did.

"Oh, you're such a fool, John. Leah never even wanted to take over the company." I say, exasperated.

John stops in his tracks. "She didn't want to take over the company?" He repeats.

"No, she didn't. She is just an innocent girl." I tell him, and guilt suddenly hits me.

I remember all the hard times that I had given Leah at Betty's, forcing her to not talk during work, making her the cashier, yelling at her for trivial reasons.

I'd made her believe that she knew nothing about baking, that she could never be a pastry chef, even if she wanted to.

When I think of it now, I feel like I have been as petty as my brother. Personal feelings from high school seem to have affected me too.

"Well, it doesn't matter," John says. "She's still alive."

"So why haven't you gotten your money back yet?" I ask.

"They scammed me! The chief of the mafia gang was killed by his own son! The son ran away with the money, and no one knows where he is!" John yells, pulling hair out of his already bald head.

I feel pity at the sight of my brother. He is a man whose business is running into losses, his house sold off in useless revenge plans, his mind filled with greed and jealousy.

"And it's not just Leah! The Sanders have another heir, Josh! I need to kill him too." John goes on yelling.

He pulls out a sheet of paper.

"I still have my farm, but it's on the outskirts so I can't live there. I have five basic apartments which I am currently renting out, but if I sell them...That gives me sufficient money to kill them both!"

I look at the paper where he's made a long list. None of it makes sense.

"Wait, so you don't care if you are bankrupt, but you are desperate to kill the future heirs?" I question.

"Yes! It's the only way..."John says, but he seems to be reconsidering.

"No, it isn't. Focus on your company, John. Beating them in the business is the only right way." I start to tell him.

John stares at the wall, looking defeated.

I lean back on my couch, as I think about how much more wealth he still has left. No amount of cookies I bake could earn what he has in a year.

Unless he made me a business partner... Now that seemed interesting.

I am about to start daydreaming into a blissful future when I hear the door of the apartment being opened.

"John..." I start, but he seems to be in his own world.

Two boys jump into the room, pointing their guns at me and John.

"So, you agree. You are the one who killed Ben Sanders." The older boy says. "It wasn't a freak road accident."

"Who are you?" John shouts. "Security! Security!" He begins to yell frantically.

"It's no use, Mr Yale." Says the younger boy. "The security doesn't help criminals like you."

He looks familiar for some reason.

John's eyes move around. I guess he's trying to figure out if they have bugged the room.

The older boy sees this and laughs. "No, Mr John, not the room. Instead, we bugged your sister's cupcakes..."

I turn onto them. "How?" I ask.

"Tess." Says the younger one.

"Wait..." John says, his eyes widening. "You are Josh Sanders?" He points at the younger boy.

"Yeah, he is. And I'm Ben's best friend, Cedric." The older one says.

John gasps audibly.

Suddenly, being his business partner doesn't seem like a good idea.

We hear the police sirens wailing, and John turns as white as a sheet. He pushes Cedric off and runs onto the hallway.
"I'M FREE!!!" He yells as he leaves.

A few minutes later, the police walk into the apartment, bringing in a very flustered John.

Cedric and Josh exchange satisfactory smirks.

I guess my brother is done for good.