UNTIL I FIND YOU AGAIN

Chapter 8 — The Other Daughter

Amara couldn't breathe.

She stared at the screen.

The photograph remained frozen in front of them.

Samuel Bello.

Victoria Cole.

And the little girl.

Her.

Except it wasn't her.

Not exactly.

The girl standing beside Samuel had the same dark eyes.

The same brown skin.

The same small scar above her left eyebrow.

Even the same smile Amara remembered seeing in the mirror as a child.

But Amara had never seen that girl before.

"That's not possible," she whispered.

Adrian stepped closer.

"Amara..."

"Don't."

She backed away from the screen.

"Don't say my name."

Adrian stopped.

Daniel stared at the photograph.

"Victoria said she was your sister."

Amara shook her head.

"I don't have a sister."

The speakers crackled.

Then Victoria's voice returned.

"You've always had one."

Amara looked toward the ceiling.

"Show yourself."

A soft laugh echoed through the facility.

"Still brave."

"Show yourself!"

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because I want Adrian to understand something first."

Adrian stepped forward.

"You wanted us here."

"Of course."

"You knew we'd find the facility."

"I was counting on it."

"Why?"

Silence.

Then Victoria said:

"Because there are some truths that are much easier to believe when you see them yourself."

The screen changed.

A video began playing.

A young Amara appeared.

She looked about ten years old.

She was sitting in a garden.

Beside her sat another little girl.

They were holding hands.

Amara's eyes widened.

"No."

The children laughed.

The other girl leaned toward young Amara.

"Promise me you'll never forget me."

Young Amara smiled.

"I promise."

The video ended.

Amara stumbled backward.

"I don't remember that."

Adrian caught her before she fell.

She immediately pulled away.

"I don't remember her."

Daniel looked at the screen.

"Maybe you were too young."

"No."

Amara shook her head.

"I remember everything from when I was ten."

She pressed her fingers against her temple.

"My mother."

"My school."

"Our house."

"My father's office."

She stopped.

Then her expression changed.

"The garden."

Adrian looked at her.

"What?"

"There was a garden."

She closed her eyes.

"I remember a girl."

Daniel stepped closer.

"Your sister?"

"I don't know."

Amara's breathing became uneven.

"I thought she was imaginary."

Adrian frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was little, I used to talk about a girl."

"Who?"

"I called her Mia."

Adrian stared at her.

"Did your parents say anything?"

"My mother told me I had an imaginary friend."

Amara opened her eyes.

"But I remember holding her hand."

She looked at the screen.

"She was real."

The speakers came alive again.

Victoria's voice was quieter now.

"Her name wasn't Mia."

Amara stared upward.

"What was her name?"

Victoria paused.

"Elena."

Amara's heart stopped.

The name hit something buried deep inside her memory.

Elena.

She had heard it before.

Somewhere.

A long time ago.

"Where is she?"

Victoria laughed softly.

"Closer than you think."

The speakers went silent.

Then every door in the facility unlocked at once.

Daniel looked around.

"What just happened?"

Adrian pulled Amara behind him.

"We leave."

"No."

Amara stepped forward.

"We find her."

"Amara, this is exactly what they want."

"Then let them want it."

Adrian looked at her.

She was no longer frightened.

She was angry.

"All my life, I've been told what happened to me."

Her voice trembled.

"My mother told me my father died."

She looked at the screen.

"They told me I didn't have a sister."

She wiped away a tear.

"And then they told me I died."

Adrian said nothing.

Amara's eyes hardened.

"I'm done believing them."

---

They followed the corridor.

The facility seemed endless.

Room after room.

Some contained medical equipment.

Others contained files.

Patient records.

Photographs.

Boxes.

Daniel opened one.

"Adrian."

He pulled out a folder.

Adrian took it.

The name on the front made his stomach twist.

ELENA BELLO.

Amara grabbed it.

Her hands trembled as she opened it.

Inside was a birth certificate.

Then another document.

Then a photograph.

Two newborn babies.

Side by side.

Amara stared.

"They're twins."

Daniel looked at the document.

"Identical twins."

Adrian looked at Amara.

"You have a twin."

She couldn't speak.

Her eyes remained fixed on the photograph.

Two babies.

One labeled:

AMARA BELLO

The other:

ELENA BELLO

Amara slowly sat down.

"Why didn't I know?"

Daniel continued reading.

"Because one of them was adopted."

"Which one?"

He looked at the document.

"Elena."

Amara's eyes filled with tears.

"By who?"

Daniel turned the page.

His face changed.

"Victoria Cole."

Adrian froze.

"No."

Amara looked at him.

"Your sister adopted my twin."

Adrian couldn't speak.

Daniel continued.

"Officially, Elena was adopted by Victoria when she was six months old."

Amara stared at him.

"Why?"

There was no answer.

Then footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Slow.

Measured.

Someone was approaching.

Adrian stood immediately.

"Stay behind me."

Amara ignored him.

The footsteps became louder.

Then a woman appeared at the end of the corridor.

Long dark hair.

White coat.

Brown skin.

She looked exactly like Amara.

Adrian's mouth fell open.

Daniel whispered:

"Oh my God."

The woman stopped.

She stared at Amara.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then she smiled.

Not Victoria's smile.

Something softer.

Sadder.

Familiar.

"Hello, Amara."

Amara couldn't breathe.

"Elena?"

The woman nodded.

"Finally."

Amara took a step toward her.

"You knew me?"

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"I've always known you."

"Why?"

"Because you're my sister."

Amara's lips trembled.

"Why didn't you find me?"

Elena looked away.

"Because I was told you were dead."

"By who?"

Elena looked toward Adrian.

"Your father."

Amara's expression hardened.

"My father?"

"He told me you died when we were children."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Adrian stepped forward.

"What does Victoria have to do with this?"

Elena's face changed.

"Everything."

She looked at him.

"Victoria didn't adopt me because she wanted a child."

"Then why?"

Elena swallowed.

"Because she needed me."

"For what?"

"To control your father."

Adrian frowned.

"That doesn't make sense."

"It will."

Elena stepped closer.

"When Samuel discovered what Victoria was doing, he tried to take me away from her."

Amara stared at her.

"What was she doing?"

Elena looked at Daniel.

Then back at Amara.

"She was using our family."

"For what?"

Elena hesitated.

Then whispered:

"Money."

Adrian shook his head.

"That's it?"

"No."

Elena's voice became quieter.

"People."

Silence.

"What people?"

"People who needed to disappear."

Adrian's expression changed.

"What?"

Elena nodded.

"Your family's company wasn't just a company."

She looked at Amara.

"It was a front."

"For what?"

"Human trafficking."

Amara's face went pale.

Daniel took a step backward.

"No."

Elena continued.

"People were moved through the company's private facilities."

Adrian stared at her.

"My father knew?"

"He built part of it."

"And Victoria?"

"She took control."

Adrian shook his head.

"No."

Elena looked at him.

"You've spent your entire life believing your father was a good man."

"He was."

"He wasn't."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"You don't know him."

Elena's eyes became cold.

"I knew him better than you did."

She looked at Amara.

"And he knew exactly what he was doing."

Amara felt sick.

Her entire childhood seemed to be collapsing around her.

Then Elena reached into her coat.

She pulled out a small envelope.

"This is why Victoria brought you here."

Amara took it.

"What is it?"

"Your father's last letter."

Amara stared at the envelope.

"How do you have this?"

"Victoria gave it to me."

"Why?"

Elena looked at her sister.

"Because she wants you to know the truth."

Amara opened the envelope.

Inside was a handwritten letter.

She unfolded it.

The handwriting was unmistakable.

Her father's.

Amara,

If you are reading this, then the plan failed.

Her hands began shaking.

I wanted to protect you. I failed.

She continued.

You and Elena were never supposed to be separated.

Tears filled her eyes.

But one of you had to disappear.

Amara stopped.

"What?"

Adrian looked at her.

"What does it say?"

She continued reading.

There is something inside our family that neither of you can know.

Something that could destroy everyone.

Victoria knows where it is.

And she will kill to keep it hidden.

Amara's heart pounded.

The final sentence had been written in darker ink.

Trust no one. Not even the man you love.

Amara looked at Adrian.

He stared back at her.

Neither spoke.

Then the lights went out.

Elena screamed.

A gunshot rang through the corridor.

Adrian grabbed Amara.

Daniel shouted.

"Get down!"

Another shot.

Glass shattered.

When the emergency lights finally flickered on, Elena was gone.

Amara looked around frantically.

"Elena!"

Nothing.

Adrian pulled her closer.

"We need to go."

"No!"

"Amara—"

"She's my sister!"

"I know."

"We can't leave her!"

A sound came from the darkness.

A phone ringing.

Everyone froze.

Adrian slowly reached into his pocket.

It wasn't his.

Amara's phone was ringing.

She looked at the screen.

Unknown number.

She answered.

Victoria's voice whispered:

"Now you know why I couldn't let you die."

Amara's blood ran cold.

"Where is Elena?"

"Safe."

"Let her go."

"Of course."

"Why?"

"Because I don't need her anymore."

Amara's heart stopped.

"What did you do?"

Victoria laughed.

"I needed you to come here."

"Why?"

"Because your father hid something in your memory."

Amara frowned.

"What?"

"The location of something worth billions."

Adrian's eyes widened.

Victoria continued.

"And you're the only person who knows where it is."

Amara shook her head.

"I don't know anything."

"You will."

The call ended.

Adrian stared at her.

"What did she mean?"

Amara slowly looked at him.

"I don't know."

Then she suddenly screamed.

A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes.

Images flashed through her mind.

A garden.

Two little girls.

Her father.

A locked room.

A red box.

And a voice whispering:

"Amara, whatever happens, never tell anyone where I hid it."

She fell into Adrian's arms.

He caught her.

"Amara!"

Her eyes opened.

She stared at him.

And whispered:

"I remember."

Adrian held her tighter.

"Remember what?"

She looked toward the darkness where Elena had disappeared.

"The night my father vanished."

Her voice trembled.

"He didn't die."

A pause.

"He was taken."

And somewhere beneath the facility, a man opened his eyes.

Samuel Bello was alive.