UNTIL I FIND YOU AGAIN

Chapter 10 — The Lie

Nobody moved.

Victoria stood in the doorway with the gun in her hand.

Elena was beside her.

Adrian stood between them and Amara.

Daniel remained near the desk, his eyes fixed on the screen.

Samuel's frozen face stared back at them.

"He was the murderer."

Victoria's words hung in the room.

Amara shook her head.

"No."

Victoria looked at her.

"You don't know what your father did."

"You don't know him."

"I knew him better than you ever could."

"Then tell me."

Victoria's expression changed.

For the first time, the confidence disappeared from her face.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

She lowered the gun.

"Your father killed a man."

Amara's heart pounded.

"Who?"

Victoria looked at Adrian.

"His name was Richard Cole."

Adrian froze.

"My uncle?"

Victoria nodded.

"Your father's closest friend."

Adrian shook his head.

"Uncle Richard died in a car accident."

"No."

Victoria's voice was cold.

"He was murdered."

Daniel stepped forward.

"By Samuel?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Victoria looked at Amara.

"Because Richard discovered what Samuel was doing."

Amara frowned.

"What was he doing?"

Victoria's eyes hardened.

"He was selling information."

"To who?"

"The fourth family."

Adrian's face tightened.

"Who are they?"

Victoria smiled bitterly.

"You still haven't figured it out."

"No."

"You will."

She looked toward Elena.

"Your sister knows."

Everyone turned toward Elena.

Elena's eyes were filled with tears.

"Victoria..."

"Tell them."

Elena shook her head.

"I can't."

Victoria raised the gun again.

"You can."

Elena swallowed.

"She's lying."

Victoria's expression hardened.

"Am I?"

Elena looked at Amara.

"Your father wasn't a murderer."

Victoria laughed.

"Of course you'd say that."

Elena's voice trembled.

"Samuel tried to stop them."

"Stop who?"

"The organization."

Amara stepped forward.

"What organization?"

Elena looked at her.

"The Black Circle."

Daniel's face changed.

Adrian noticed.

"You've heard of it."

Daniel nodded slowly.

"My father used to mention it."

"What is it?"

"A network."

"Doing what?"

Daniel looked at Victoria.

"Moving money."

Victoria laughed.

"Money?"

Daniel continued.

"People."

Amara's stomach twisted.

"The facility."

Daniel nodded.

"It wasn't just a hospital."

"It was a holding center."

Victoria interrupted.

"Your father helped build it."

Amara stared at her.

"Why?"

"Because he believed he could control the organization."

"And could he?"

"No."

Victoria looked toward the window.

"They controlled him."

Adrian stepped closer.

"Then why did my father hide all of this?"

Victoria looked at him.

"Because he was trying to protect you."

Adrian stopped.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"From what?"

"From becoming like him."

Silence.

Victoria lowered her weapon.

"Your father knew Richard was going to expose everything."

"So he killed him?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because Richard threatened to go to the police."

Daniel frowned.

"Then why wasn't Samuel arrested?"

Victoria smiled.

"Because Richard wasn't the only person who knew."

"Who else?"

Victoria looked at Amara.

"Your mother."

Amara's heart stopped.

"My mother?"

"She knew everything."

"No."

"She helped Samuel hide the evidence."

Amara shook her head.

"My mother would never—"

"She did."

"You're lying."

Victoria stepped closer.

"Then ask yourself why your mother suddenly moved you away after Richard died."

Amara went silent.

She remembered.

The sudden move.

The new school.

The locked rooms.

Her mother's constant fear.

The warnings.

Don't ask questions.

Don't go into your father's office.

Don't speak about what you saw.

Amara's breathing became uneven.

"I saw something."

Adrian looked at her.

"What?"

"When I was ten."

"What?"

"A man."

She closed her eyes.

"I saw my father arguing with someone."

"Who?"

"I couldn't see his face."

"What happened?"

"He fell."

Amara opened her eyes.

"I remember blood."

Daniel's face went pale.

Victoria whispered:

"Exactly."

Adrian looked at her.

"What did Amara see?"

"Richard's murder."

Amara covered her mouth.

"No."

"You were there."

"I was a child."

"I know."

"You said I saw him."

Victoria nodded.

"And your father saw you."

Amara's eyes filled with tears.

"He knew?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't he kill me?"

Victoria's expression became strangely sad.

"Because you were his daughter."

Amara stared at her.

"Then why did I lose my memory?"

Victoria didn't answer.

Amara looked at Elena.

"Why?"

Elena closed her eyes.

"I did it."

Everyone froze.

Amara stared at her.

"What?"

Elena's voice broke.

"I made you forget."

"How?"

"Your father asked me to."

"You were a child."

"I know."

"How could you?"

Elena looked at her.

"I was scared."

Victoria's expression remained unreadable.

"Samuel had a doctor erase parts of your memory."

Amara stumbled backward.

Adrian caught her.

"Why?"

Victoria answered.

"Because the Black Circle was looking for the witness."

"And that witness was me."

"Yes."

Amara stared at her.

"But if I couldn't remember, they couldn't use me."

Victoria nodded.

"Exactly."

Adrian looked at Victoria.

"Then why did you try to kill her?"

Victoria's eyes narrowed.

"I didn't."

"You ordered the crash."

"No."

"You were in the recording."

"I was trying to stop it."

Adrian stared at her.

"Stop what?"

"The person who ordered the crash."

"Who?"

Victoria looked toward Daniel.

"Ask him."

Daniel's face went pale.

"Don't."

Adrian turned.

"What does she mean?"

Daniel shook his head.

"Victoria is manipulating you."

"Then tell me the truth."

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

Daniel stepped backward.

"I swear—"

A gunshot exploded.

Everyone screamed.

The window shattered.

Victoria dropped to the floor.

Elena fell beside her.

Adrian grabbed Amara and pulled her behind the desk.

Daniel dove behind the sofa.

Another bullet struck the wall.

"Sniper!" Daniel shouted.

Adrian looked toward the window.

"Where?"

"Across the street!"

Victoria crawled toward Elena.

"Get her out!"

Adrian looked at her.

"What?"

"GET HER OUT!"

Another bullet struck the ceiling.

Adrian grabbed Elena.

"Move!"

He pulled her toward the hallway.

Amara followed.

Daniel stayed behind.

"Daniel!"

"I'll cover you!"

"You don't have a gun!"

"I'll figure it out!"

Adrian dragged Amara and Elena down the corridor.

Victoria followed.

They reached the back door.

Adrian kicked it open.

"Go!"

They ran into the garden.

A bullet struck the ground beside Amara.

She screamed.

Adrian pulled her close.

"Keep moving!"

They reached the trees.

Then Victoria stopped.

Adrian turned.

"What are you doing?"

She looked behind them.

"I can't go."

"Why?"

"Because they want me."

Adrian stared at her.

"Who?"

Victoria looked at Amara.

"The people who killed your mother."

Amara froze.

"What?"

Victoria's eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't kill your mother."

She took a shaky breath.

"But I know who did."

"Who?"

Victoria looked toward the darkness.

Then whispered:

"Your father."

Amara's face went blank.

"No."

Victoria nodded.

"He killed her."

Before Amara could respond, Victoria was suddenly pulled backward.

A hand covered her mouth.

Someone dragged her into the darkness.

"Victoria!"

Adrian ran forward.

Too late.

She was gone.

Only her gun remained on the ground.

Amara stared into the darkness.

Then she heard a voice.

A man's voice.

Very close.

"Amara."

She turned.

Nobody was there.

The voice whispered again.

"You shouldn't have remembered."

Adrian grabbed her.

"Run!"

They ran.

Behind them, a figure watched from between the trees.

He slowly lifted a phone.

"She's remembered everything."

A voice answered through the phone.

"Then bring her to me."

The man smiled.

"Alive?"

A pause.

"No."

"Then what?"

The voice became cold.

"Bring me her memory."

The call ended.

The man looked toward the road where Amara had disappeared.

Then he smiled.

Because he knew something Adrian didn't.

Amara hadn't remembered everything.

Not yet.

And the final memory was the one that would destroy them all.