Liam Was Left Crying Over a Chocolate Mess — Then Daniel Found His Older Son Holding the Evidence on the Couch
Chapter 7 — The Trophy Marcus Cut in Half
Daniel finally called his brother.
He stared at the number for almost ten minutes first.
Then pressed call.
Marcus answered after three rings.
Neither spoke.
Finally Marcus said:
“Hello, Danny.”
Nobody had called Daniel that in years.
“I watched the video.”
Marcus exhaled.
“Okay.”
“You told them.”
“I told everybody who asked.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I didn’t know.”
“You didn’t want to know.”
The words hurt because they were partly true.
Daniel had already decided what happened.
Every explanation from Marcus sounded like an excuse.
“Why did you take the scholarship?” Daniel asked.
Marcus went quiet.
“Mom begged me to.”
The scholarship covered culinary school.
Helen told Marcus that refusing it would not give Daniel anything.
It would only throw away an opportunity.
Marcus promised he would later help Daniel apply to the same program.
Daniel rejected every offer.
“You were furious,” Marcus said.
“I was fifteen.”
“I was seventeen.”
Silence again.
Then Marcus said:
“Do you still think I kept the trophy?”
Daniel frowned.
“Didn’t you?”
Marcus laughed softly.
“I cut it in half.”
Daniel thought he was joking.
He wasn’t.
Two months after the competition, Marcus removed the small gold plaque from the wooden base.
He sawed the base into two pieces.
Helen became furious.
Marcus kept one half.
He gave the other to Helen and asked her to give it to Daniel when Daniel stopped being angry.
Daniel stood.
“She never did.”
Marcus went quiet.
“Then where is it?”
