The Woman In The Photograph
1727 Words
Chapter 15
The Woman in the Photograph
Nadia couldn't speak.
The woman standing in the road was impossible.
Her mother.
Alive.
After all the years of believing she was gone.
After every photograph.
Every unanswered question.
Every lie.
She was standing there.
Only a few meters away.
Nadia pressed both hands against the window.
“Mom?”
Her father didn't move.
Layla stared at the woman in shock.
Adrian's expression had gone completely still.
Nadia turned toward her father.
“You said she was gone.”
Her father's voice was barely audible.
“I thought she was.”
“That isn't what you told me.”
“I know.”
“You told me she left.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Nadia shook her head.
“No more.”
She opened the car door.
Her father grabbed her wrist.
“Nadia, wait.”
She pulled away.
“No.”
The woman in the road looked directly at her.
“Nadia.”
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
Nadia stepped forward.
“Mom?”
Her mother nodded.
Tears filled Nadia's eyes.
For a moment, she was seven years old again.
A kitchen.
Warm lights.
Her mother's hands fixing her hair.
A quiet voice telling her that everything would be okay.
Then the memories disappeared.
Nadia stopped several feet away.
“Why did you leave me?”
Her mother looked down.
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
“I never wanted to.”
“Then why?”
Her mother looked at Nadia's father.
“Because he told me you would be safer without me.”
Nadia turned sharply.
“Dad?”
Her father stepped out of the car.
“I made the wrong choice.”
Her mother looked at him.
“You made many wrong choices.”
He lowered his eyes.
Nadia stared between them.
“You both knew.”
Neither answered.
“You both knew I was being watched.”
Her mother nodded.
“Yes.”
“You knew about Westbridge.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Elena.”
Her mother's eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
“And you knew Adrian was protecting me.”
She looked at Adrian.
“Yes.”
Nadia's chest tightened.
“Then why didn't anyone tell me?”
Her mother stepped closer.
“Because the truth could have gotten you killed.”
Nadia shook her head.
“You keep saying that.”
Her voice cracked.
“But nobody ever asked me if I wanted to know.”
Her mother stopped.
“You're right.”
The words surprised Nadia.
Her mother continued.
“You deserved the truth.”
She reached into her coat.
Nadia immediately stepped back.
Adrian moved closer.
Her mother slowly pulled out a small envelope.
She held it toward Nadia.
“Your aunt left this for you.”
Nadia stared at it.
“Elena?”
Her mother nodded.
“She knew she might not survive.”
Nadia took the envelope.
Her fingers trembled.
The front had her name written on it.
Nadia.
Nothing else.
She opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Nadia stared.
It showed her at seven years old.
She was sitting beside Elena.
Around her neck was the silver necklace.
But there was something else.
Elena's hand was resting on Nadia's shoulder.
And behind them stood Nadia's father.
Her mother.
Adrian.
And another person.
Nadia looked closer.
The fourth person wasn't Daniel Vale.
It wasn't Mr. Elias.
It wasn't Ethan.
Her breath caught.
“Who is that?”
Her mother looked at the photograph.
Her face changed.
“That photograph was never supposed to exist.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Who is it?”
Her mother looked at him.
“Someone who was supposed to be dead.”
Nadia's heart raced.
“Who?”
Her mother didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at Nadia.
“Where is the necklace?”
Nadia touched her pocket.
“I have it.”
Her mother's eyes widened.
“No.”
“What?”
“That isn't the necklace Elena gave you.”
Nadia froze.
Her father looked at the pendant.
“It's a copy.”
Nadia stared at him.
“Then where is the real one?”
Her mother whispered,
“With the person who has been looking for you.”
A cold silence settled over them.
Layla stepped closer.
“You mean the person behind all of this?”
Her mother nodded.
“Yes.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Before she could answer, headlights appeared behind them.
Another car.
Then another.
Her father looked toward the road.
“We have to go.”
Nadia didn't move.
“No.”
Her mother looked at her.
“Nadia.”
“I need answers.”
“You'll get them.”
“When?”
Her mother looked toward the approaching vehicles.
“After we survive tonight.”
The first car accelerated.
Her father shouted,
“Get in!”
Everyone moved at once.
Nadia climbed into the car.
Her mother got in beside her.
Adrian and Layla followed.
Her father slammed the doors and drove.
The vehicles behind them followed.
Nadia looked through the rear window.
Three black cars.
“They're following us.”
Her father nodded.
“I know.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the old apartment.”
Nadia's mother shook her head.
“No.”
Her father glanced at her.
“They'll expect us there.”
“Exactly.”
“Then where?”
Her mother looked at Nadia.
“Somewhere they would never search.”
Nadia frowned.
“Where?”
Her mother reached for her hand.
“The place where Elena hid the original records.”
Nadia stared.
“Where?”
Her mother whispered,
“Your old school.”
Nadia's heart sank.
“Westbridge?”
Her mother nodded.
“But we just left there.”
“We didn't go to the right place.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“The underground room isn't the real archive.”
Everyone went silent.
Nadia remembered the files.
The computer.
The hidden staircase.
“You knew about the room?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I needed to know whether you had found the right entrance.”
Nadia frowned.
“How would you know?”
Her mother looked at the black key.
“Because that key doesn't open the underground room.”
Nadia stared at it.
“What does it open?”
Her mother looked toward Adrian.
“Ask him.”
Nadia turned.
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
“You knew?”
He nodded.
“Some of it.”
Nadia's frustration returned.
“Of course.”
Her mother interrupted.
“Adrian doesn't know everything.”
Nadia looked at her.
“Then tell me.”
Her mother took a breath.
“The real archive is underneath the old science building.”
Layla's eyes widened.
“But that's where the fire happened.”
“Yes.”
“The building was sealed.”
“Yes.”
“How do we get inside?”
Her mother looked at Nadia.
“You already have the key.”
Nadia looked down.
The black key.
She turned it over.
There was something engraved on the back.
She hadn't noticed before.
A tiny number.
17.
Nadia whispered,
“Room 17.”
Her mother nodded.
“Exactly.”
The car suddenly swerved.
Nadia grabbed the seat.
A vehicle had pulled alongside them.
A window rolled down.
Someone inside raised a phone.
A flash.
Then another.
Her mother looked frightened.
“They have proof we're together.”
Her father accelerated.
The black vehicle stayed beside them.
Adrian looked out the window.
“They're trying to force us toward the bridge.”
Her father frowned.
“Why?”
Adrian's expression changed.
“Because there's nowhere to turn.”
Nadia looked ahead.
The road narrowed.
The bridge was only a few hundred meters away.
Her father gripped the steering wheel.
“We're not going that way.”
He suddenly turned.
The car crashed through a narrow gate.
Everyone shouted.
They flew down a smaller road.
The pursuing cars continued past the turn.
For a moment, they were safe.
Then Nadia's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Unknown number.
One message.
YOU FOUND HER.
Another appeared.
NOW ASK HER WHAT SHE DID TO ELENA.
Nadia slowly looked at her mother.
Her mother saw the message.
The color drained from her face.
Nadia's voice became quiet.
“What did you do to Elena?”
Her mother looked away.
“Nadia…”
“No.”
Nadia held up the phone.
“Tell me.”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“I didn't kill Elena.”
Nadia waited.
“But I was the reason she disappeared.”
The car became completely silent.
Adrian looked at her.
Nadia's heart pounded.
“Why?”
Her mother opened her eyes.
“Because Elena asked me to betray her.”
Nadia stared.
“What?”
“She needed someone the group would trust.”
Her mother swallowed.
“And I became that person.”
Nadia couldn't understand.
“You betrayed your own sister?”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Her mother looked at her.
“Not when your daughter's life is being used as a threat.”
Nadia froze.
“They threatened me?”
Her mother nodded.
“They told me that if I didn't cooperate, they would take you.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Who?”
Her mother looked at him.
“Daniel Vale.”
Nadia's father suddenly slammed the brakes.
Everyone lurched forward.
The car stopped.
Her father turned around.
“Daniel Vale is dead.”
Her mother stared at him.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“He isn't.”
Nadia felt the blood leave her face.
“But Ethan said his father was dead.”
Her mother looked at Nadia.
“Ethan was told that.”
“By who?”
Her mother didn't answer.
Then Nadia's phone buzzed again.
A photograph appeared.
Daniel Vale.
Alive.
Standing inside the Westbridge science building.
And beside him—
Mr. Elias.
Nadia stared at the screen.
Her mother whispered,
“They're waiting for us.”
Nadia looked at Adrian.
Then at Layla.
Then at the photograph.
For the first time, she understood.
They weren't running toward the truth.
They were running straight into it.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD