THE PHOTOGRAPH
982 Words
Chapter Five
Amelia couldn't move.
The piece of paper was still in her hand.
You should have listened to your father.
She read the sentence again.
Then again.
"Who could have written this?" she whispered.
Adrian didn't answer.
He was staring at the hallway.
"Someone who knows about your family," he finally said.
Amelia looked at him.
"That's not enough. Whoever did this knew I was here."
"I know."
"And they knew my father warned me."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Which means someone has access to information they shouldn't have."
A distant door slammed.
Amelia flinched.
Adrian immediately stepped toward the hallway.
"Stay here."
She grabbed his sleeve.
"Where are you going?"
"To find out who's inside the building."
"You're not leaving me here alone."
He looked at her hand around his sleeve.
Then at her face.
For a second, neither spoke.
"Fine," he said. "Stay close."
They walked through the corridor together.
The building had become unusually quiet.
Most employees had already gone home.
Adrian called security.
"Check every floor."
A voice answered through the phone.
"Yes, sir."
They reached the main lobby.
The security manager approached them.
"Mr. Blake, we've checked the cameras."
"And?"
"There was someone in the archive."
"Can you identify them?"
The manager shook his head.
"They were wearing a hood."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Show me."
They entered the security room.
The footage played.
A figure entered the archive at 6:42 p.m.
The person stopped in front of the restricted room.
Then they turned slightly.
Amelia stared at the screen.
"I know that person."
Adrian looked at her.
"Who?"
"I don't know his name."
She pointed at the screen.
"But I've seen him at Carter Holdings."
The security manager paused the footage.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Adrian looked at him.
"Send this image to my security team."
"Yes, sir."
Amelia turned toward Adrian.
"I need to call my father."
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because whoever is behind this may be watching him too."
She stared at him.
"What are you suggesting?"
"That we find out who this person is before we make another move."
---
The next morning, Amelia arrived at Carter Holdings.
Her father's secretary greeted her nervously.
"Miss Carter."
"Where's my father?"
"He's in his office."
Amelia walked toward the office.
She knocked.
No answer.
"Dad?"
She opened the door.
Her father wasn't there.
His chair was pushed back.
Several documents were scattered across the desk.
Amelia immediately felt uneasy.
"Dad?"
She searched the room.
Nothing.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
A photograph.
She picked it up.
It was old.
The edges were worn.
There were four people in it.
Her father.
Adrian's father.
A younger Adrian.
And a little girl.
Amelia stared at the girl.
It was the same girl from the photograph she had seen the previous night.
She turned the photograph over.
There was writing on the back.
The night everything changed.
Amelia's heart began racing.
She immediately took a picture of it with her phone.
Then she heard footsteps outside.
She quickly put the photograph in her bag.
The door opened.
Her father stood there.
He froze when he saw her.
"Amelia."
"Where were you?"
"I had a meeting."
"Without telling anyone?"
He looked at the papers on his desk.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came because I need answers."
His expression changed.
"What answers?"
She pulled out her phone and showed him the photograph.
Her father's face went pale.
"Where did you get that?"
"It was on your floor."
He took a step toward her.
"Give it to me."
"No."
"Amelia."
"Who is the girl?"
He looked away.
"Dad."
"She's nobody."
"That's a lie."
He remained silent.
Amelia's voice became softer.
"Who is she?"
Her father finally looked at her.
"Her name was Emily."
"Was?"
He nodded.
"What happened to her?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"Because knowing the truth could put you in danger."
Amelia stared at him.
"She's connected to Adrian, isn't she?"
Her father didn't answer.
That was enough.
---
That evening, Amelia returned to Blake International.
She went straight to Adrian's office.
He looked up when she entered.
"You came back."
"I need to ask you something."
"About the photograph?"
Amelia stopped.
"How did you know?"
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"You found it."
She placed the photograph on his desk.
"Who is Emily?"
Adrian stared at the picture.
For the first time since Amelia had met him, he looked genuinely shaken.
"Where did you get this?"
"My father's office."
Adrian picked up the photograph.
His fingers tightened around its edges.
"She was my sister."
Amelia's breath caught.
"Your sister?"
Adrian nodded.
"What happened to her?"
He looked at the photograph for several seconds.
"She disappeared six years ago."
Amelia's heart sank.
"Disappeared?"
"Everyone thought she had left."
"But you don't."
"No."
"Why?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Because I know she didn't leave voluntarily."
Silence filled the room.
Amelia slowly sat down.
"What does my family have to do with her?"
Adrian's expression became distant.
"That's what I've been trying to find out."
"Then why did you hire me?"
He looked directly into her eyes.
"Because I believed your father knew what happened."
Amelia felt betrayed.
"You used me."
"I needed answers."
"You could have told me."
"I couldn't."
"Why?"
Adrian stood.
"Because six years ago, I made a promise."
"What promise?"
He looked toward the window.
"That I would find my sister."
Amelia stared at him.
"And you think my father knows where she is?"
"I think your father knows more than he's admitting."
Amelia stood.
"Then we're going to find out."
Adrian looked at her.
"Together?"
She nodded.
"But from now on, no more secrets."
He studied her face.
Then slowly nodded.
"No more secrets."
Neither of them knew that someone was standing outside the office.
Listening.
And holding a second photograph.
One that showed Emily standing beside Amelia.
Taken only weeks before she disappeared.
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