When love came too late

Chapter Eight: The Second Key

The nurse's words kept ringing in Emily's ears.

"Daniel is awake."

After everything that had happened, she should have been relieved. But one thing troubled her.

Daniel had asked for Sophia.

Emily stood outside his hospital room, watching through the glass as Sophia entered and closed the door behind her.

Inside the room, Daniel slowly opened his eyes.

His body was weak, and every breath brought pain.

Sophia stood beside his bed.

"You asked for me," she said quietly.

Daniel looked at her.

"Where is Emily?"

Sophia's expression hardened.

"She's outside."

"Is she safe?"

"For now."

Daniel tried to sit up, but the pain forced him back down.

"Don't move."

Daniel ignored her.

"The men who attacked me... were they sent by you?"

Sophia stared at him.

"You still think everything is my fault."

"Then tell me who they were."

"I don't know."

Daniel studied her face.

"You're lying."

Sophia folded her arms.

"You've been protecting Emily for three years, Daniel. Look where it has brought you."

Daniel's voice became weak.

"I would do it again."

Sophia looked away.

"Even after everything?"

A silence settled between them.

"She knows about the storage building." Sophia said.

Daniel's expression changed.

"What?"

"She went there."

"How?"

"With Grace."

Daniel closed his eyes.

"Emily shouldn't have gone there."

"She found photographs of us."

Daniel looked at her sharply.

"Four years ago."

"Yes."

"She also found the bank records."

Sophia remained silent.

Daniel's voice became colder.

"What were you paying for?"

"You don't want to know."

"I've spent three years trying to uncover the truth."

"And I've spent three years trying to keep that truth buried."

Daniel stared at her.

"Where is my mother?"

Sophia looked away.

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I told you, I don't know."

"Then how did you know about the storage building?"

Sophia took a step toward the door.

"Because I know more about your family than you think."

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

"How much?"

Sophia stopped.

"Enough to know that Emily is in danger."

Daniel's heart sank.

"What have you done?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are they after her?"

Sophia turned around.

"Because she has something they want."

Daniel immediately understood.

"The first key."

Sophia nodded.

"Emily has it."

Daniel's face became tense.

"Then you need to keep her away from this."

Sophia laughed bitterly.

"You're still trying to protect her."

"Yes."

"You can't protect her forever."

Daniel looked at her.

"Where is the second key?"

Sophia's expression changed.

"I don't know."

"You know who has it."

She remained silent.

Daniel's voice became desperate.

"Who?"

Sophia finally whispered, "Your mother."

Daniel froze.

"My mother?"

"Find her, and you'll find the second key."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

Sophia opened the door.

Daniel called after her.

"Sophia."

She stopped.

"If anything happens to Emily..."

Sophia looked back.

"I know."

Then she walked out.

Emily was standing in the corridor.

Sophia looked at her for a moment before walking away.

Emily immediately entered Daniel's room.

"Daniel."

He looked at her.

"Emily..."

She rushed to his bedside and held his hand.

"I thought I lost you."

"I'm sorry."

"You scared me."

Daniel squeezed her hand.

"I couldn't let them hurt you."

Emily wiped her tears.

"I need you to tell me the truth."

Daniel looked away.

"What did you find?"

Emily placed the first silver key on the bed.

"I went to the storage building."

Daniel's eyes widened.

"You what?"

"Grace came with me."

"Emily, I told you to stay away from that place."

"I needed answers."

"What happened?"

Emily took a breath.

"We found photographs of you and Sophia from four years ago. We also found bank records showing that Sophia transferred money to an unknown account after you disappeared."

Daniel stared at her.

"There's more."

"What?"

"One of the men who attacked you was waiting for us there."

Daniel became tense.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. He told me something before someone shot him."

"What did he say?"

Emily looked directly into Daniel's eyes.

"He said there was a second key."

Daniel went silent.

Emily continued.

"Then he told me to ask about your mother."

Daniel's face changed.

"My mother?"

"Yes."

"What exactly did he say?"

"He told me to ask Daniel's mother."

Daniel looked away.

Emily touched his arm.

"Daniel, what's going on?"

He took a slow breath.

"My mother disappeared three years ago."

Emily's eyes widened.

"What happened to her?"

"The day before she disappeared, she called me. She sounded terrified."

"What did she say?"

"She told me she had discovered the truth about my father's death."

Emily stared at him.

"Your father's death wasn't an accident?"

Daniel shook his head.

"I don't believe it was."

"Then who killed him?"

"I don't know."

"And the second key?"

"My mother had it."

Emily's heart raced.

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know."

"We'll find her."

Daniel looked at her sadly.

"Emily, you don't understand. Whoever was responsible for my father's death is still out there."

"They already tried to kill you."

"And they'll come for you again."

Emily squeezed his hand.

"I'm not running anymore."

Suddenly, her phone vibrated.

She looked at the screen.

UNKNOWN NUMBER

A message appeared.

YOU HAVE THE FIRST KEY.

Another message arrived.

FIND THE SECOND KEY BEFORE SOPHIA DOES.

Emily's heart began to pound.

Daniel noticed her expression.

"What is it?"

She showed him the phone.

He read the messages.

His face became pale.

"How do they know you have the key?"

"I don't know."

Another message appeared.

THE SECOND KEY DOESN'T JUST OPEN A DOOR.

Emily's fingers trembled.

Then another message appeared.

IT OPENS THE ROOM WHERE YOUR ANSWERS ARE WAITING.

Daniel stared at the screen.

"The room..."

"What room?"

Daniel suddenly remembered something.

"My father had a private room in his old office."

Emily looked at him.

"What was inside?"

"I don't know."

"Then why is it important?"

"Because after my father died, my mother was the only person who had access to it."

Emily looked at the first key.

"And you think the second key opens that room?"

Daniel nodded slowly.

"That's what my mother wanted me to find."

Before Emily could respond, the lights suddenly went out.

The hospital corridor fell completely dark.

Emily gripped Daniel's hand.

"Daniel..."

"Don't move."

A sound came from the corridor.

Footsteps Slow and deliberate.

Someone stopped outside the room.

Then the door opened.

Emily held her breath.

A woman's silhouette appeared in the darkness.

She slowly stepped into the faint emergency light.

Daniel stared at her.

His face turned pale.

His lips trembled.

"Mother?"