THE WARNING
933 Words
Chapter Six
The photograph stayed on Amelia's mind all night.
Emily Blake.
Adrian's missing sister.
The girl in the photograph had been standing beside Amelia's father six years ago, yet nobody had ever mentioned her.
By morning, Amelia had made up her mind.
She was going to find out what happened.
She arrived at Blake International earlier than usual and went directly to Adrian's office.
The door was open.
He was already working.
"You came early," he said without looking up.
"I couldn't sleep."
That made him look up.
"Because of the photograph?"
"Because of everything."
Adrian closed the folder in front of him.
"Sit."
Amelia sat opposite him.
"You said yesterday that there would be no more secrets."
"I remember."
"Then tell me everything you know about Emily."
Adrian was silent for a moment.
"Emily was seventeen when she disappeared."
Amelia's expression changed.
"Seventeen?"
He nodded.
"She was supposed to meet me that evening. She never arrived."
"What happened afterward?"
"We searched everywhere. Police, hospitals, friends, everywhere."
"Did you find anything?"
"One thing."
"What?"
Adrian looked toward the window.
"Her necklace."
Amelia instinctively touched the necklace around her own neck.
Adrian noticed.
His eyes narrowed.
"Where did you get that?"
"It belonged to my mother."
He stared at it.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Adrian stood and walked closer.
"Can I see it?"
Amelia hesitated before removing the necklace and placing it in his hand.
He examined the small silver pendant.
His expression changed.
"Where did your mother get this?"
"I don't know."
Adrian turned the pendant over.
There was a tiny symbol engraved on the back.
A crescent moon surrounded by three stars.
He looked at Amelia.
"Emily had the same symbol."
Amelia's heart skipped.
"You're saying this belonged to her?"
"I'm saying I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"I know."
He handed the necklace back.
Before Amelia could speak, Victoria rushed into the office.
"Adrian."
He looked at her.
"What happened?"
"Security found something in the parking garage."
"What?"
She glanced at Amelia.
"A note."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Show me."
Victoria handed him a folded piece of paper.
Adrian opened it.
His eyes moved across the words.
Amelia watched him carefully.
"What does it say?"
He handed it to her.
She read:
Stop searching for Emily.
Her stomach tightened.
"How did they get into the garage?"
"We don't know," Victoria said.
Adrian immediately picked up his phone.
"Increase security around Amelia."
She looked at him.
"I'm not a prisoner."
"It's temporary."
"I don't need a bodyguard."
"This isn't about what you need."
"Then what is it about?"
Adrian looked directly at her.
"Keeping you alive."
The room went silent.
Amelia didn't know what to say.
---
Later that afternoon, Amelia returned to her office.
She tried to concentrate on the financial records, but her mind kept returning to the necklace.
She opened an old family album on her phone.
There were dozens of photographs of her mother.
Amelia zoomed into one.
Her mother was wearing the same necklace.
But there was something strange.
The photograph had been taken seven years ago.
Before Emily disappeared.
Amelia stared at the image.
Then she noticed someone standing in the background.
A teenage girl.
The photograph was blurry, but Amelia could make out the silver necklace around the girl's neck.
Her heart began racing.
She zoomed in.
It was Emily.
Why had Emily been with her mother?
Amelia immediately stood.
She needed to ask her father.
She grabbed her bag and headed for the elevator.
As the doors opened, someone stepped inside.
A man in a dark jacket.
Amelia moved aside.
He pressed the button for the same floor.
She glanced at him.
Something about him felt familiar.
The elevator began moving.
Neither of them spoke.
Then his phone rang.
He answered quietly.
"She's leaving now."
Amelia froze.
Her heart began pounding.
The man looked at her.
Their eyes met.
He immediately ended the call.
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened.
Amelia stepped out quickly.
The man followed.
She turned toward the security desk.
"Call Mr. Blake."
Before the security guard could respond, the man ran toward the stairs.
"Stop!"
Security chased after him.
Amelia stood frozen.
A few seconds later, Adrian arrived.
"What happened?"
She pointed toward the stairs.
"That man."
Adrian looked at the security guards.
"Find him."
Then he turned to Amelia.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Did he say anything?"
"No."
Adrian looked toward the stairwell.
His expression was grim.
"Amelia, you need to tell me exactly what happened."
She nodded.
Then she remembered the phone call.
"He said something."
"What?"
"He said, 'She's leaving now.'"
Adrian's expression changed.
"Did he say anything else?"
"No."
He was silent.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
"Yes?"
A security officer spoke on the other end.
Adrian's face became colder.
"What?"
He listened.
Then slowly looked at Amelia.
"They found his phone."
"And him?"
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
He ended the call.
Amelia felt a chill.
"What was on the phone?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Then he said quietly,
"A photograph."
"What photograph?"
"Of you."
Amelia's blood ran cold.
Adrian stepped closer.
"From six years ago."
She stared at him.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
He took out his phone and showed her the image.
Amelia looked at the photograph.
It showed a younger version of herself standing outside a building.
Beside her was Emily.
And behind them stood Amelia's father.
Amelia's hands began to tremble.
She had never seen the photograph before.
But there was no doubt.
The girl beside her was Emily Blake.
And someone had been watching them six years ago.
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