The Girl They Don't know

Chapter Five

Shadows of the Past

Lila barely slept that night. The message kept replaying in her mind. We know where you are. She had spent years building a quiet life in Riverside, convincing herself that the danger had been left behind with her old name, her family's empire, and the painful memories she had tried so hard to bury. Yet now everything was changing. Someone had found her, and deep down she knew it was only the beginning. The next morning she arrived at the café earlier than usual, hoping work would distract her. Instead, every customer who walked through the door made her heart race. Every unfamiliar face felt like a threat. Around noon, Ethan appeared. He immediately noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes and the way she kept glancing toward the windows. "You look terrible," he said as he sat at the counter. Normally she would have fired back with an insult, but today she didn't have the energy. "Thanks," she muttered. Ethan frowned. "You're worried about something." "I'm fine." "You're a terrible liar." Lila sighed and focused on cleaning the counter. Ethan watched her for a moment before speaking again. "You know, whatever it is, you don't have to handle it alone." The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard. For a second she was tempted to tell him everything. The truth sat on the edge of her tongue, begging to be released. But she couldn't risk it. The more people knew, the more danger they would be in. "I appreciate the concern," she said quietly, "but this is my problem." Ethan leaned forward. "What if I want it to be my problem too?" Lila froze. Their eyes met, and suddenly the noisy café seemed to disappear around them. There was something different in Ethan's expression, something softer than before. Before either of them could say another word, the bell above the door rang. Daniel Reed walked inside. The atmosphere instantly changed. Lila's stomach tightened. Daniel approached slowly, his gaze serious. "We need to talk," he said. "I thought I made myself clear yesterday," Lila replied. "This can't wait." Ethan stood. "She doesn't want to talk to you." Daniel ignored him. "Lila, you're in danger." Her pulse quickened. "What happened?" Daniel lowered his voice. "Someone broke into my hotel room last night." That got her attention. "What?" "My files were searched. Someone was looking for information about you." A cold shiver ran down her spine. Daniel continued. "Whoever is after you knows I'm here. They know I've found you." Fear settled heavily in her chest. She had hoped this was just Victoria trying to bring her back to the Hart family. Now it sounded much worse. "Who are they?" she asked. Daniel shook his head. "I don't know yet, but they're moving fast." Ethan looked between them. "Would someone explain what's going on?" Lila looked away. She couldn't. Not here. Not now. Daniel reached into his coat and handed her a folded document. "Take a look." Her hands trembled as she opened it. Inside was a newspaper clipping from years ago. The headline made her blood run cold. Questions Remain in Hart Family Tragedy. Beneath it was a photograph of the wreckage that had killed her parents. Lila stared at the image. For years she had accepted the official story that the accident was exactly that—an accident. But Daniel pointed to a paragraph near the bottom. "Read that part." Her eyes moved across the page. According to an anonymous source, investigators had initially suspected sabotage before the case was suddenly closed. Lila felt the room spin. Sabotage. Someone may have murdered her parents. She looked up slowly. "Why wasn't this made public?" Daniel's expression darkened. "Because someone powerful made sure it disappeared." The realization hit her like a punch. Everything she thought she knew about her family's past might have been a lie. Ethan could see the fear in her face. Without thinking, he gently placed a hand over hers. "Whatever this is," he said, "we'll figure it out." Lila looked at him. For the first time since Daniel arrived, she felt a small sense of safety. But safety was an illusion. At that exact moment, across the street, a black SUV pulled into a parking space. The driver watched the café through dark tinted windows. He lifted a phone to his ear. "Target confirmed," he said quietly. "She's here." A woman's voice answered from the other end. "Do not lose her." The call ended. The man continued watching the café, his eyes fixed on Lila through the window. Inside, she had no idea she was being observed. She was too busy staring at the article in her hands and wondering how many secrets were still buried in her family's past. One thing was becoming painfully clear. The danger she had spent years running from was no longer behind her. It was here in Riverside. And it was getting closer every day.