The Choice
1325 Words
The Choice
“You need to come with me.”
I stared at Richard, still trying to understand why he was standing in my room at this hour. “Where?”
“Just come with me, Ariana.”
I pulled my wrist away from him. “Why?”
He glanced toward the balcony, and that small movement made me look there too. Damien was gone. The garden was empty.
“You were talking to someone,” Richard said.
I swallowed. “So you did see him.”
“I didn't say that.”
“You didn't have to.”
Richard rubbed his face and looked tired all of a sudden. “You need to stay away from that man.”
“Why?”
“Because he's dangerous.”
“That is what everybody keeps saying. Nobody tells me why.”
He looked at me for a few seconds. “Your father knows what is best.”
I shook my head. “My father has been telling me that since I was a child. I'm not a child anymore.”
Before he could answer, footsteps sounded outside my room.
We both stopped.
Someone knocked.
“Ariana?”
It was my mother's voice.
I moved toward the door, but Richard caught my arm.
“Don't open it.”
I stared at him. “Why?”
He didn't answer.
My phone vibrated.
I looked down. Unknown number.
Don't open the door.
My heart began to beat faster.
Another message appeared.
That's not your mother.
I looked at Richard.
“Who is texting you?” he asked.
“No one.”
He held out his hand. “Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“Ariana, give it to me.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to know who you're talking to.”
I held the phone against my chest. “It's none of your business.”
The person outside knocked again.
“Ariana, open the door.”
This time, the voice sounded different. I couldn't explain it, but something about it felt wrong.
Richard reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gun.
I stared at him. “You have a gun?”
“Stay behind me.”
“Richard, what is happening?”
The door handle moved.
He raised the gun.
The door opened slowly.
Damien walked in.
I nearly screamed.
Richard pointed the gun at him. “You have some nerve coming here.”
Damien looked at the gun, then at me. “Are you alright?”
“I don't know,” I said honestly.
Richard's expression hardened. “Get out.”
Damien ignored him. “Did you find the photograph?”
My stomach dropped.
“How do you know about the photograph?”
He looked at me. “Because I was waiting for you to find it.”
Richard stepped forward. “Damien.”
“No,” I said. “Let him talk.”
Richard looked at me.
I turned to Damien. “Who was the third man?”
He was quiet.
“The man standing beside my father and Richard.”
Damien glanced at Richard. “He won't tell you.”
“I already know that.”
“That man was connected to your family.”
“How?”
Damien hesitated. “He was involved in what happened that night.”
“What happened?”
Richard lowered the gun slightly. “You don't need to know.”
I looked at him. “Stop saying that.”
“Ariana...”
“No. I'm serious. I'm tired of being told I'm too young, too innocent or whatever excuse you people have. Somebody is watching me. Someone broke into this house. I found a photograph hidden under my bed. I think I've earned an explanation.”
Nobody spoke.
Damien finally said, “There was another person there that night.”
“Who?”
“Your mother's sister.”
I frowned. “My mother doesn't have a sister.”
Richard looked away.
I noticed.
I turned to him slowly. “She does?”
He remained silent.
“Richard?”
“She had a sister.”
My mouth went dry. “What was her name?”
“Elena.”
The name felt strange. Familiar somehow, but I couldn't place it.
“What happened to her?”
“She disappeared,” Damien said.
“When?”
“1998.”
I looked at Richard. “And you knew?”
“Yes.”
“My father knew?”
“Yes.”
I could barely believe what I was hearing. “And my mother?”
Richard's silence answered me.
“She knew too?”
“Yes.”
I stepped back.
“So everyone knew except me.”
“It wasn't that simple,” Richard said.
“Then make it simple.”
He sighed. “Elena got involved in something dangerous. Your father tried to help her.”
“And?”
“They failed.”
“Failed how?”
Richard looked at Damien.
Damien answered for him. “Elena disappeared.”
“Did she die?”
Neither man answered.
My chest tightened. “Did she die?”
“We don't know,” Richard said.
“You don't know?”
“We never found her.”
I stared at him.
All these years, my family had been living with a secret about a woman I'd never even known existed.
My phone vibrated again.
I looked down.
Don't trust anyone in that room.
I quickly locked the screen.
Damien noticed. “What did you get?”
“Nothing.”
He studied my face.
Richard stepped closer. “Ariana, give me your phone.”
“No.”
“You need to understand that whoever is sending these messages may be trying to turn you against your family.”
“Maybe. But maybe they're telling me the truth.”
Richard's expression changed.
Before he could respond, his phone rang.
He answered immediately.
“Hello?”
His face went pale.
“What do you mean?”
He listened.
“Are you sure?”
Another pause.
“Don't let anyone leave the house.”
He ended the call.
I watched him. “What happened?”
He looked at me.
“They found another car outside.”
My stomach twisted. “The black SUV?”
“No. This one was near the back gate.”
“Who was inside?”
“Nobody.”
“Then why are you scared?”
He didn't answer.
Damien moved toward the balcony.
I turned to him. “You're leaving?”
“I have to.”
“Wait.”
He stopped.
“You said my mother knows what happened. Where is she?”
His expression changed.
“She isn't safe here.”
“What does that mean?”
“Ask her about Elena.”
“My mother isn't here.”
“I know.”
“How?”
He looked at Richard.
Richard looked away.
I suddenly felt cold.
“Where did my mother go?”
Richard finally spoke. “She left about ten minutes ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“She didn't want you to know.”
“Where did she go?”
He hesitated.
Damien answered quietly, “To find Elena.”
I stared at him.
“That doesn't make sense. You said she disappeared twenty-eight years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then how can my mother find her?”
Damien didn't answer.
He stepped onto the balcony.
I followed him. “Damien, wait.”
He looked back.
“Who is Elena?”
His face was serious.
“Someone your family has spent twenty-eight years trying to forget.”
Then he climbed over the railing and disappeared into the darkness.
I stood there, completely frozen.
Richard came up behind me.
“Ariana.”
I turned around.
“Tell me the truth.”
He looked at me for a long time.
“I wish I could.”
That answer scared me more than a lie would have.
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