THE LAWYER WHO LOVED HER ENEMY

Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE SECRET BETWEEN US

The house remained silent after the recording ended.

Too silent.

I stared at the television screen.

Black.

Empty.

But my father's voice was still echoing inside my head.

Don't trust the person who tells you the truth.

Because the person who knows the truth... is the person who caused it.

I slowly turned toward Adrian.

He was standing only a few steps away.

His face was unreadable.

For the first time, I noticed how carefully he avoided my eyes.

"Adrian."

He looked at me.

"What?"

"Did you know about Project S.V.?"

He didn't answer.

My heart sank.

"You did."

"No."

"Then why aren't you surprised?"

"I am."

"You don't look surprised."

He looked away.

"Because I've heard the name before."

My stomach tightened.

"When?"

He remained silent.

"Adrian."

He finally looked at me.

"That night."

I felt the room become colder.

"What did you hear?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Then tell me."

He took a breath.

"My father said it."

"Victor?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"I was upstairs."

He closed his eyes.

"I heard him talking to Marcus."

"What did they say?"

"I couldn't hear everything."

"Everything you remember."

He looked at me.

"I heard Marcus say, 'The subject is ready.'"

My heart stopped.

"Subject?"

"Yes."

"And then?"

"Victor asked what would happen if your father refused."

I swallowed.

"What did Marcus say?"

Adrian's voice dropped.

"He said, 'Then we use the girl.'"

I stepped backward.

"Me."

He nodded.

I covered my mouth.

"Why me?"

"I don't know."

"You're hiding something."

"No."

"You keep saying you don't know."

"Because I don't."

I stared at him.

"Then why did my father trust you?"

He looked at me.

"Because he knew I wasn't like them."

"But you knew about the project."

"I heard about it."

"You knew I was involved."

"I didn't know it was you."

I shook my head.

"How can you not know?"

"Because I didn't know who the subject was."

"Until now?"

He nodded.

"Until the necklace."

I touched the silver chain around my neck.

"This belonged to my father."

"Yes."

"He gave it to you."

"Yes."

"And he told you to protect me."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Adrian looked at me.

"Because he knew they would come for you."

I felt tears burning my eyes.

"You should have told me."

"I know."

"Every time I think I finally know something, there's another secret."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that."

He went silent.

I walked away from him.

I needed space.

I needed air.

I opened the front door.

The night was cold.

I stepped outside.

Adrian followed.

"Serena."

"Don't."

He stopped.

"I need to think."

"Okay."

I walked toward the garden.

He remained several feet behind me.

For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

Then I asked:

"Do you ever get tired of protecting me?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you're worth protecting."

I closed my eyes.

"That's not an answer."

"It is for me."

I turned toward him.

"You barely knew me."

"Not when your father gave me the necklace."

"But you know me now."

"Yes."

"And?"

He smiled sadly.

"Now I have another reason."

"What?"

He looked at me.

"I care about you."

My heart stopped.

He continued.

"I know the timing is terrible."

"It is."

"I know you don't want to hear it."

"I didn't say that."

He looked surprised.

I looked away.

"I just don't know what to do with it."

"You don't have to do anything."

"Then why tell me?"

"Because you asked me to stop keeping secrets."

I couldn't help it.

I smiled.

"You really take rules seriously."

"When it comes to you."

My smile disappeared.

My heart was beating too fast.

"Adrian..."

He stepped closer.

I didn't move.

"I won't ask you to love me."

"I know."

"I won't ask you to trust me blindly."

"I know."

"But I won't lie to you again."

I looked at him.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I held out my little finger.

He stared at it.

"What?"

"Promise properly."

He laughed softly.

Then hooked his little finger around mine.

"I promise."

For a moment, we stood there like that.

Two people surrounded by secrets.

Two people who had no idea where this road would take us.

But for the first time, I didn't feel completely alone.

---

The next morning, we returned to the university.

I had barely slept.

The recording from my father kept replaying in my mind.

Project S.V.

The subject.

The girl.

Me.

I entered the classroom.

Everyone was already talking.

Professor Reyes stood at the front.

"Please take your seats."

I sat beside Adrian.

Our usual seats.

For the first time, I didn't move away from him.

Professor Reyes began the lecture.

"Today we're discussing evidentiary procedure."

She wrote several words on the board.

"Evidence is only useful if you can establish its authenticity."

I raised my hand.

She looked at me.

"Yes, Ms. Vale?"

"What happens when evidence is deliberately hidden?"

The room became quiet.

Professor Reyes studied me.

"You search for corroborating evidence."

"And if someone destroys it?"

"You find another way to prove the truth."

I nodded.

"Thank you."

She continued.

But I noticed something.

Her hand was shaking.

---

After class, she approached me.

"Can I speak with you?"

I nodded.

Adrian stood.

"I'm coming."

She looked at him.

"No."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"This is between Serena and me."

Adrian hesitated.

I touched his arm.

"It's okay."

He nodded.

"I'll wait outside."

Professor Reyes led me into her office.

She closed the door.

"You heard the recording."

It wasn't a question.

I stared at her.

"How did you know?"

"Because your father prepared several recordings."

"How many?"

"Three."

"Where are the others?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

Her eyes widened.

"I know you have one."

She sighed.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Your father's old law office."

"Does it still exist?"

"Yes."

"Who owns it?"

She hesitated.

"The firm."

"My father's firm?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

She shook her head.

"It's not safe."

"Neither is my house."

"Serena."

"My mother is missing."

Her expression softened.

"I know."

"I need to find her."

"I understand."

"Then help me."

She looked at me for a long time.

Finally, she opened a drawer.

She pulled out an old key.

"This opens the archive room."

I took it.

"What am I looking for?"

"File 714."

"What's inside?"

She looked away.

"Your father's final case."

---

That evening, Adrian and I went to the law office.

The building was old but still operating.

We entered through the employee entrance.

The security guard recognized Professor Reyes's key.

He allowed us through.

The archive room was in the basement.

Rows of shelves filled the dark room.

I found the number.

714.

I pulled the file.

Dust fell onto my hands.

Inside were documents.

Contracts.

Bank records.

Court papers.

And photographs.

Then I found something strange.

A medical report.

I read the first line.

SUBJECT: S.V.

My heart stopped.

DATE OF BIRTH: [REDACTED]

PROJECT STATUS: ACTIVE

My hands began shaking.

"Adrian."

He came closer.

"What?"

I handed him the document.

He read it.

His face became pale.

"This isn't possible."

"What?"

"Your father was a lawyer."

"I know."

"This is a medical research document."

I stared at it.

"Why would he have this?"

"I don't know."

I opened another page.

There was a signature.

Victor Cross.

Another.

Marcus Reyes.

Another.

Daniel Vale.

And at the bottom—

Elena Vale.

My mother's name.

All four had signed it.

I felt sick.

"My mother signed this."

Adrian looked at me.

"So did your father."

I shook my head.

"They were all involved."

"Maybe not willingly."

I looked at the date.

It was twenty years ago.

Before my father died.

Before I knew any of this.

Before I was old enough to remember.

I continued reading.

The document contained only fragments.

Subject must remain unaware of project purpose.

Family consent required.

Transfer to successor upon completion.

Cross family responsible for security.

My heart pounded.

"Successor."

Adrian looked at the document.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

Then I found another page.

A handwritten note.

My father's handwriting.

I agreed because they promised to save her.

I stopped.

"Save me?"

Adrian looked over my shoulder.

The next sentence continued:

I didn't know what they intended to do.

My eyes filled with tears.

Then:

By the time I discovered the truth, it was too late.

I turned the page.

The final line made my blood run cold.

Serena is not their experiment.

She is their insurance.

I stared at the words.

"What does that mean?"

Adrian shook his head.

"I don't know."

Then we heard a noise.

The archive room door slammed shut.

I turned.

Locked.

"Someone's here."

Adrian tried the handle.

Nothing.

He pulled harder.

Still nothing.

Then the lights went out.

I grabbed his arm.

"Adrian."

"I'm here."

We stood in complete darkness.

Then a voice came through the intercom.

A man's voice.

Calm.

Familiar.

"Hello, Serena."

I froze.

Adrian stiffened.

I recognized the voice.

It was the man from the warehouse.

"Where is my mother?"

A quiet laugh.

"You're asking the wrong question."

"What do you want?"

"To finish what your father started."

"What did he start?"

Silence.

Then:

"Your father wasn't trying to expose the project."

I swallowed.

"What?"

"He was trying to destroy it."

"Why?"

"Because he discovered what you really are."

My heart stopped.

Adrian grabbed my hand.

"What am I?"

The voice answered:

"You're the reason your father died."

I felt my knees weaken.

"No."

"He chose you over everything."

"You're lying."

"Ask your mother."

"Where is she?"

"She knows the truth."

The intercom clicked.

Then the voice returned one final time.

"And when you learn what your mother did..."

A pause.

"...you'll understand why your father hated himself for saving you."

The lights suddenly came back on.

The door unlocked.

Adrian opened it.

No one was there.

Only an envelope lay on the floor.

My name was written on it.

I picked it up.

Inside was a photograph.

A photograph of me as a newborn.

My mother was holding me.

My father stood beside her.

And behind them was a man I didn't recognize.

But Adrian did.

He stared at the photograph.

"Who is that?"

Adrian didn't answer.

"Adrian."

His face was pale.

"I know him."

"Who?"

He slowly looked at me.

"He's the man who was standing in the room that night."

My heart stopped.

"The man who took your father?"

He nodded.

Then he whispered:

"He's my grandfather."