“Why?”
“My father thought it would be easier on me if people thought there was someone else in charge of the corporation.” David looked cynical. “And it’s true. People don’t bother me as much. I don’t have gold diggers and other leeches chasing me down so much. People think I’m the playboy son, nothing important—and that’s how I like it.”
“You knew?” I turned to Jakob. “You knew there was no Mattias and you didn’t tell me?”
“What could I say?” He pursed his lips, his blue eyes unreadable as he stared at me.
“I don’t even know what to say.” I shook my head, my entire body shaking from the shock. “You deliberately let me believe you were Mattias.”
“You’re the one who assumed I was Mattias. I never said I was.” He shook his head and walked toward me. “You asked me if I was David’s brother and I said yes. I never said my name was Mattias. I never lied to you, Bianca. I tried to tell you that there were things you didn’t know.”
“Don’t be mad at him,” David cut Jakob off. “You can’t believe that a stupid little girl like you can manipulate us? We’re Bradleys, Bianca. You can’t just show up and act like Nancy Drew and not set off our warning signals.”
“Is that why you both threatened Larry?” I looked back and forth at them. “Is that why he’s in hiding? Did he set off your warning bells as well? Were you scared he was going to come clean about everything? And what did you do to Steve? Was that all part of the act as well? Where is he now? Laughing in some hotel room and counting all of the money you paid him?”
“What?” David frowned, his expression changing, and he looked at Jakob. “What’s she talking about? What threats did you send to Larry?”
“I didn’t send anything to Larry.” Jakob blinked and scratched his forehead, his expression changing.
“Larry was on our side.” David frowned. “Larry’s the one behind all of the paperwork. If there’s anyone who wouldn’t want any information to be revealed, it’s Larry. I’d have no reason to threaten him.”
“What about Steve?” Jakob stepped toward his brother. “Why did you tell Steve to go rogue?”
“What are you talking about?” David frowned. “I didn’t even know Steve was going until after you both left. I didn’t tell him to go rogue.”
“It was your idea for me to kidnap Bianca and take her to the island. You’re the one who told me that she was a gold digger like her mother and that she was trying to use you to get her hands on the Bradley money!”
“I just wanted you to warn her away. Give her a little scare.” David pursed his lips. “I didn’t tell Steve to do anything.”
“Who were you speaking to?” I looked at David and poked him in the chest hard. “The last time I saw you before I caught you fucking that whore, who were you on the phone with?”
“What?” He frowned.
“When you were talking about me on the phone with someone, you said that something was too dangerous, but they could go ahead. Who were you talking to? I always thought it was Mattias. Was it Jakob, then? Or was it Larry? Is that why Larry’s disappeared? Is he scared of you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bianca.” David shook his head. “I don’t remember that conversation. There were many times I pretended to be talking to Mattias because I wanted you to believe that he existed. And I’m telling you once again, I don’t know what’s happened to Larry.”
I looked into David’s eyes and could see he was just as confused as I was. He wasn’t the one who had been threatening Larry. But if not him and not Jakob, then who?
“Why did you send me those letters?” I asked softly. “And why did you leave us letters on the island as well? What did they mean?”
“What letters?” David frowned, and I could tell he didn’t know about them either.
“Jakob?” I turned to him. “Are you the one who left the letters?”
“No.” He clenched his fists. “It wasn’t you and Steve?” He grabbed David’s shirt tight.
“No,” David squeaked out. “I didn’t send any letters and I didn’t send Steve to the island and tell him to listen to me, instead of whatever he had planned with you. I just wanted to scare you, Bianca. I just wanted you to back off. Jakob was taking care of that for me. I don’t know anything else.”
“What do you know about my mother’s death? What do you know about my father’s share in the company? Why did you want me to back off?”