Married by deception

THE PLACE WHERE IT BEGAN

Elena barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the photographs.

Her younger self.

Damian beside her.

The unknown man in the background.

And those words written across the back of the picture.

She was never supposed to know.

By morning, Elena had made up her mind.

She needed answers.

She walked downstairs just after eight and found Damian already in the dining room.

He was sitting at the head of the table, reading something on his tablet while drinking coffee.

He looked completely calm.

Almost annoyingly calm.

Elena pulled out the chair opposite him.

"You said you'd take me somewhere."

Damian looked up.

"I remember."

"Good."

He placed the tablet down.

"You didn't sleep."

"Neither did you."

"I slept."

"You look like you spent the entire night arguing with someone."

"I was working."

"Of course."

Damian studied her for a moment.

"Are you ready?"

"No."

His eyebrow lifted.

"But I'm going anyway."

He stood.

"Finish your breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

"You should eat."

"Damian."

He sighed.

"Fine."

He walked toward the door.

Elena followed him.

The drive lasted almost forty minutes.

As the city slowly disappeared behind them, Elena became more curious.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

She rolled her eyes.

"You're impossible."

"I've heard that before."

Eventually, the car turned onto a quiet road surrounded by trees.

Elena looked outside.

"Where are we?"

Damian didn't answer.

The car stopped in front of an old building.

Elena stared.

It looked abandoned.

The paint on the walls had faded, and several windows were boarded up.

"What is this place?"

Damian stepped out.

"Come."

Elena followed.

They walked toward the building.

"Why would you bring me here?"

"This is where the charity event was held six years ago."

She stopped.

Her eyes moved across the building.

"This?"

"Yes."

"But the event was at the Sterling Foundation."

"The foundation owned the property at the time."

Elena looked around.

"I don't remember this."

"I know."

Damian pushed open the old door.

Inside, the building looked nothing like the glamorous venue she remembered.

The ballroom had been stripped of its decorations.

Dust covered the floors.

Old curtains hung from the windows.

Elena walked slowly inside.

"This was the ballroom?"

"Yes."

She looked around.

Something about the room felt familiar.

Not enough to remember.

Just enough to make her uncomfortable.

Damian watched her carefully.

"Anything?"

She shook her head.

"No."

He nodded.

They walked farther into the building.

Elena stopped near a set of glass doors.

Beyond them was a garden.

Her breathing changed.

"I remember this."

Damian looked at her.

"What?"

"This garden."

He didn't say anything.

She stepped outside.

The garden was overgrown now, but she could still recognize the stone pathway.

She closed her eyes.

A flash of memory came.

Music.

Laughter.

Someone calling her name.

Then—

A man's voice.

*You shouldn't be here.*

Elena opened her eyes.

"Damian."

He was standing several feet away.

"What did you remember?"

"Someone spoke to me."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Male or female?"

"Male."

Damian's expression became serious.

"What did he say?"

Elena pressed a hand against her forehead.

"You shouldn't be here."

Damian went completely still.

"What?"

"That's what he said."

He looked toward the far end of the garden.

"Did you see him?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I think so."

Damian walked toward the garden gate.

Elena followed.

"Where are you going?"

"There was a room here."

"What room?"

"An office."

He stopped in front of a narrow hallway.

"The night I saw you, you came out of this corridor."

Elena looked at the hallway.

A strange feeling ran through her.

She walked toward it.

Damian followed closely behind.

At the end was an old office.

The door was partially open.

Elena pushed it.

Inside, the room was almost empty.

A desk.

Two chairs.

A broken cabinet.

Nothing else.

She looked around.

"This is where I was?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Then why did you follow me?"

Damian looked at her.

"You looked frightened."

Elena swallowed.

"I don't remember being frightened."

"You don't remember everything."

She turned toward him.

"Neither do you."

"No."

"Then we're both missing pieces."

"Apparently."

She walked toward the desk.

There was an old drawer.

She pulled it open.

Empty.

Then she noticed something scratched into the wood.

Three initials.

**E.S.**

Elena stared.

"My initials."

Damian came closer.

"I've never seen that."

She touched the carving lightly.

"Someone knew I was here."

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

She turned around.

"You're really starting to hate those three words, aren't you?"

"What three words?"

"I don't know."

A faint smile appeared on Damian's face.

"Perhaps."

For a moment, the tension disappeared.

Then Elena noticed something on the floor.

A small metal object.

She bent down.

It was an old key.

Damian took it from her.

"This wasn't here before."

"How do you know?"

"Because I searched this room years ago."

Elena looked at him.

"You came back?"

"Several times."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted answers."

"And you never found them?"

"No."

He examined the key.

There was a small number engraved on it.

**17.**

Elena frowned.

"Seventeen."

Damian looked toward the hallway.

"There used to be another building on this property."

"Another building?"

"Warehouse seventeen."

Elena stared at him.

"What's there now?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

His eyes narrowed.

"Why would I lie?"

"Because you suddenly look like you know exactly what that key opens."

Damian was silent.

Elena crossed her arms.

"You promised me everything."

"I promised to tell you what I remember."

"Then remember faster."

He almost smiled.

"You really don't know when to stop."

"No."

He looked at the key again.

"This key belonged to my grandfather."

Elena's expression changed.

"How do you know?"

"I recognize it."

"What does it open?"

"I'm not sure."

"Then let's find out."

Damian shook his head.

"Not today."

"Why?"

"Because we don't know what's waiting there."

Elena stared at him.

"Someone has been threatening me, following me, and leaving photographs in your bedroom."

"I know."

"And now we've found a key connected to the night we first met."

"I know."

"So why wouldn't we investigate?"

"Because I don't want you walking into something dangerous."

"I'm already in it."

Damian looked at her.

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand."

He stepped closer.

"Elena, there are things about my family that even I don't know."

She went quiet.

"My grandfather had enemies," he continued. "Some of them disappeared. Some left the country. Some remained close to the family."

"And you think one of them is behind this?"

"I think it's possible."

"Why me?"

Damian's expression darkened.

"I don't know."

She stared at him.

"You're doing it again."

"I genuinely don't know."

He handed her the key.

"Keep this."

She looked at it.

"Why?"

"Because if someone wanted us to find it, they may expect me to have it."

She closed her fingers around it.

"What are you planning?"

"To find out what it opens."

"When?"

"Tonight."

She looked up.

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"Without security?"

"With security."

She smiled slightly.

"Good."

They turned to leave.

But Elena stopped.

She looked back at the empty office.

Something was bothering her.

"Damian."

He turned.

"What?"

"I think I've been here before."

His eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't just remember the garden."

She looked around the room.

"I remember this desk."

Damian walked back toward her.

"What about it?"

"I remember hiding underneath it."

He froze.

Elena closed her eyes.

Another memory flashed.

She was younger.

Sixteen.

Crouched beneath the desk.

Her hands were shaking.

Someone was arguing outside.

A woman's voice.

Then a man's voice.

And finally, Damian's voice.

You need to leave.

Elena opened her eyes.

"You were here."

Damian's face went pale.

"What did you say?"

"You were here."

He stared at her.

"That's impossible."

"No."

Elena shook her head.

"I remember your voice."

Damian stepped closer.

"What did I say?"

"You told me to leave."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

His breathing became heavier.

Elena looked at him.

"What happened that night?"

Damian stared at her.

Then he finally answered.

"I don't remember saying that."

She swallowed.

"But I do."

Neither of them moved.

Outside, the wind moved through the trees.

Then Elena's phone vibrated.

She looked down.

Unknown number.

One new message.

**You found the key.**

Her heart dropped.

Another message appeared.

**Now go to Warehouse 17.**

Elena looked at Damian.

He had already seen the message.

His expression was completely unreadable.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Damian reached for her hand.

"We're leaving."

"To Warehouse 17?"

"Yes."

She tightened her grip around the key.

"Together?"

His eyes met hers.

"Together."

They walked out of the abandoned building.

Neither of them noticed the figure standing behind one of the distant trees.

Watching.

Waiting.

And holding a phone with a photograph of Elena and Damian displayed on the screen.