Chapter 4
1993 Words
CHAPTER FOUR
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US
The next morning, I changed seats.
I arrived at Room 304 earlier than usual.
Earlier than everyone.
Earlier than Adrian.
I placed my bag on the farthest seat near the window and opened my book.
It was deliberate.
I wanted distance.
I needed distance.
Because every time I looked at the chair beside me, I remembered the rain.
I remembered Adrian's face.
I was thirteen.
I didn't know what my father was doing.
I hope someday you'll understand that being born a Cross doesn't mean I chose what they did.
I didn't know what to believe anymore.
And that frightened me more than anything.
For fifteen years, my anger had been simple.
My father was innocent.
The Cross family was responsible.
I would become a lawyer.
I would uncover the truth.
That was all.
But now there was Adrian.
And Adrian didn't fit into the story I had created.
He wasn't the monster I had imagined.
He wasn't cruel.
He wasn't heartless.
He had never treated me badly.
In fact, he had been the opposite.
He helped me.
He listened.
He challenged me.
He noticed when I was nervous.
He remembered how I took my coffee.
He stayed beside me when I was struggling.
And now I knew that his family might have destroyed mine.
How was I supposed to reconcile those two things?
The classroom door opened.
Students began entering.
I kept my eyes on my book.
Then I heard his voice.
"Morning."
I didn't look up.
"Morning."
Silence.
I could feel him staring at me.
He walked toward our usual seats.
Then stopped.
His eyes moved toward the empty chair beside him.
Then toward me.
"You moved."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I wanted a different seat."
He knew I was lying.
I knew he knew.
But he didn't challenge me.
Instead, he sat down alone.
That hurt more than I expected.
I hated that.
---
Professor Reyes began the lecture.
I took notes.
Adrian didn't speak to me.
I didn't speak to him.
For the first time since we met, we spent an entire class without arguing.
Without whispering.
Without laughing.
Without even looking at each other.
It should have been easier.
It wasn't.
By the end of class, I had barely written anything useful.
"Serena."
I looked up.
Professor Reyes stood beside my desk.
"Are you listening?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Then tell me the principle I just discussed."
I froze.
The room became quiet.
I looked at my notes.
Nothing.
I couldn't remember.
"Sorry, Professor."
She studied me.
"See me after class."
"Yes, Professor."
As the other students left, I gathered my things.
Professor Reyes waited.
"You found something last night."
It wasn't a question.
I looked at her.
"The file."
She nodded.
"You shouldn't have opened it."
"I know."
"Your curiosity is understandable."
"My father was in that file."
"I know."
"And you knew him."
"Yes."
"Then tell me the truth."
She walked toward the window.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Finally, she spoke.
"Your father was investigating Cross Holdings."
My heart tightened.
"Why?"
"He believed there was financial misconduct inside the company."
"Fraud?"
"More complicated than that."
"What kind?"
"Money laundering. False accounts. Hidden transactions."
I stared at her.
"Then why was my father accused?"
"Because someone turned the investigation against him."
"Who?"
She looked at me.
"That's what your father was trying to discover."
I felt my throat tighten.
"So he was framed."
"Yes."
The word was quiet.
But it changed everything.
I had spent fifteen years believing.
Now I had confirmation.
"Who framed him?"
Professor Reyes looked away.
"I don't know."
"But you knew."
"I suspected."
"Who?"
She hesitated.
Then—
"Victor Cross."
My heart pounded.
"Adrian's father."
"Yes."
I closed my eyes.
The answer I had feared was finally spoken aloud.
"Then why is Adrian involved?"
"He isn't."
I looked at her.
"What?"
"Adrian was a child."
"But he was there."
"Being present doesn't make him responsible."
I said nothing.
Professor Reyes came closer.
"Serena, listen to me carefully."
I looked at her.
"If you choose to investigate this, do not do it because you hate the Cross family."
"Why?"
"Because hatred makes people careless."
She placed a hand on my shoulder.
"And you cannot afford to be careless."
---
When I left the classroom, Adrian was waiting outside.
I stopped.
"You were waiting?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because you disappeared after class yesterday."
"I went home."
"You didn't answer my messages."
I looked at him.
"You texted me?"
He nodded.
I checked my phone.
Three messages.
Are you okay?
Did you get home safely?
Serena?
I locked my phone.
"I'm fine."
He studied me.
"No, you're not."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay."
I expected him to argue.
He didn't.
He simply nodded.
Then he stepped aside.
I started walking.
"Serena."
I stopped.
"Yes?"
"I didn't lie to you because I wanted to hurt you."
I turned around.
He looked exhausted.
"I lied because I was scared."
"Of what?"
"The truth."
I stared at him.
"What truth?"
He looked away.
"I don't know yet."
I frowned.
"How can you not know?"
"Because my father never told me everything."
"You could ask him."
"I did."
"And?"
"He told me to forget it."
Something about his voice made me pause.
"Why?"
"Because every time I ask about your father, he gets angry."
I swallowed.
"Then maybe he's hiding something."
"I know."
Our eyes met.
For a moment, the distance between us disappeared.
Then I remembered the photograph.
I looked away.
"I can't trust you."
His face fell.
"I understand."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
He nodded slowly.
"But I'm going to find out what happened."
I looked at him.
"Why?"
His answer came without hesitation.
"Because I don't want my father's mistakes to become mine."
Then he walked away.
I stood there watching him.
And for the first time, I wondered if maybe...
we wanted the same thing.
The truth.
---
That afternoon, I went to the university archives.
I had no intention of involving Adrian.
I wanted answers on my own.
I requested every public document related to the 2011 Cross Holdings investigation.
The archivist brought me several boxes.
I spent hours searching.
Court records.
Company filings.
News articles.
Witness statements.
Nothing.
Everything important was missing.
Then I found a name.
Attorney Gabriel Reyes.
Professor Reyes's husband.
I remembered her mentioning him once.
He had been a prosecutor.
I searched the archives again.
A document appeared.
CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATION — 2011
My heart jumped.
I opened it.
Most of the pages had been blacked out.
But one paragraph remained visible.
«Attorney Daniel Vale reported irregular financial transfers involving a senior executive of Cross Holdings.»
I continued reading.
Another line.
«Following the report, Attorney Vale was accused of unauthorized access to company records.»
My breathing became shallow.
Another page.
«Primary witness: M. Reyes.»
I froze.
Reyes.
Professor Reyes.
She had been a witness.
I continued.
Then I found something that made my blood run cold.
Secondary witness: Adrian Cross.
I stared at the name.
He had been thirteen.
Why would a thirteen-year-old boy be listed as a witness?
I turned the page.
It was blank.
The next page was missing.
I searched through the box.
Nothing.
Someone had removed it.
I sat back.
There had to be a reason.
---
That evening, I went home.
My mother was in the kitchen.
She looked up when I entered.
"You're home late."
"I was studying."
She smiled faintly.
"Law school?"
"Yes."
I placed my bag on the table.
She looked at me.
Then her smile disappeared.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Serena."
I sighed.
"Mom..."
She waited.
"Did Dad know the Cross family?"
Her face changed.
It was subtle.
But I saw it.
The spoon in her hand stopped moving.
"Why are you asking?"
"Just answer me."
She turned away.
"Your father knew many people."
"Victor Cross?"
Silence.
I knew then.
She knew.
"Mom."
She put the spoon down.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"I found records."
She closed her eyes.
"Serena, please."
"Was Dad investigating Cross Holdings?"
"Stop."
"Was he?"
"Yes."
The answer came with a whisper.
My heart broke.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were twelve."
"I'm not twelve anymore."
"I know."
She looked at me.
"And that's exactly what I'm afraid of."
I stepped closer.
"What happened?"
She shook her head.
"Your father believed he had found something."
"What?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"He never told me everything."
"Then who does?"
She stared at me.
For a long moment.
Then she said:
"Victor Cross."
I swallowed.
"He's still alive."
"Yes."
"Then I can ask him."
"No."
Her voice was firm.
"Why?"
"Because you don't know what kind of man he is."
"I know enough."
"No, Serena."
She grabbed my hand.
"You don't."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Promise me you won't go after that family."
I stared at her.
"I can't promise that."
"Please."
"I need the truth."
"Sometimes the truth destroys more than lies."
I pulled my hand away.
"Maybe."
I looked at her.
"But I'm tired of living with a lie."
I walked toward my room.
Behind me, my mother whispered:
"Your father said the same thing."
I stopped.
Slowly, I turned.
"What?"
She was crying now.
"Before everything happened."
I walked back.
"What did Dad say?"
She wiped her tears.
"He told me..."
Her voice broke.
"If anything happens to me, tell Serena never to trust a Cross."
My heart stopped.
---
Across the city, Adrian Cross sat inside his father's study.
Victor Cross stood behind his enormous desk.
"You asked me about Daniel Vale again."
Adrian looked at him.
"Yes."
"I told you to leave the past alone."
"I can't."
Victor's expression hardened.
"You don't understand what you're involving yourself in."
"Then explain it to me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you're my son."
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"That's not an answer."
"It is."
"No."
Adrian stepped closer.
"It's an excuse."
Victor stared at him.
"You were thirteen."
"I remember."
"You didn't understand what was happening."
"I remember enough."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"You need to forget."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Did you frame him?"
Silence.
"Did you?"
Victor looked away.
Adrian's heart sank.
He didn't need an answer.
But he asked anyway.
"Did you destroy Daniel Vale?"
Victor finally looked at him.
"You have no idea what your father has done for this family."
Adrian's face hardened.
"So that's a yes."
"It was necessary."
Adrian stared at him.
"Necessary?"
"To protect the company."
"From what?"
Victor said nothing.
Adrian stepped backward.
"You ruined an innocent man's life."
"Watch your words."
"Did he know about the accounts?"
Victor's silence was enough.
Adrian's voice dropped.
"And Serena?"
Victor looked at him sharply.
"Stay away from that girl."
Adrian froze.
"You know her?"
"I know her family."
"Why?"
Victor's expression became cold.
"Because if she discovers what really happened..."
He paused.
"...she won't just hate me."
Adrian waited.
"She'll hate you too."
Adrian's heart pounded.
"Why?"
Victor looked directly into his son's eyes.
"Because you were there the night her father died."
Silence.
Adrian stopped breathing.
"I..."
He remembered.
A dark room.
His father's voice.
Daniel Vale shouting.
A file being handed over.
His mother crying.
And a young girl standing at the end of the hallway.
Twelve years old.
Her eyes full of tears.
He remembered her.
He remembered Serena.
Adrian's face went pale.
Victor spoke quietly.
"Now you understand why I told you to stay away."
Adrian stared at his father.
Then whispered the one question that had haunted him for fifteen years.
"What did you do to her father?"
Victor didn't answer.
And somewhere across the city, Serena was asking the same question.
Neither of them knew that the answer would soon force them to choose between the families they were born into...
and the truth they had both sworn to find.
Because the past wasn't dead.
It had simply been waiting.
And now—
it was coming back for them.
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