BENEATH THE PERFECT SMILE

6 ROOM 214

The words echoed inside Amara's head.

Room 214.

For seven years, she had tried to convince herself that she remembered everything about that night.

She had remembered the rain.

She had remembered Jason.

She had remembered the blue car.

She had remembered the accident.

But now she understood something terrifying.

There were gaps.

Pieces of the night had disappeared from her memory.

And somehow, the key in her hand was connected to one of those missing pieces.

Daniel stared at her.

"The hotel where Jason disappeared?"

Amara nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"What hotel?"

She closed her eyes.

The name was almost there.

She could see the entrance.

Golden lights.

A large revolving door.

A black sign above the entrance.

But the name wouldn't come.

"I don't remember."

Daniel frowned.

"You just said you knew where the key belongs."

"I remember the room."

"How?"

"I don't know."

Amara looked at the key again.

214.

Her hands trembled.

"I remember standing outside the door."

Daniel stepped closer.

"What happened?"

"I don't know."

"Try."

She closed her eyes.

Immediately, another fragment appeared.

Rain.

A hallway.

A carpet beneath her feet.

Jason standing several meters away.

His clothes were soaked.

He was shouting.

But she couldn't hear his words.

Then a door.

214.

Amara opened her eyes.

"I was there."

Daniel nodded.

"With Jason?"

"I think so."

"Who else?"

Amara shook her head.

"I don't know."

Daniel took a breath.

"Then we find the hotel."

Amara looked at him.

"Jason told me not to."

"Jason also disappeared for seven years."

She stared at him.

Daniel continued.

"I'm not saying we should trust him."

"You don't."

"No."

Daniel shook his head.

"But I don't trust whoever is sending those messages either."

Amara looked down at the key.

"What if this is a trap?"

"Then we don't walk into it blindly."

He reached for his phone.

"I'll make some calls."

"To who?"

"Someone who can help us find the hotel."

Amara hesitated.

"Daniel..."

He stopped.

"What?"

"I don't want your family involved."

"They're already involved."

"Your mother knows something."

"Exactly."

Daniel looked toward the house.

"And I'm going to find out what."

Before Amara could respond, his phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

His mother's name appeared.

Daniel answered.

"Mom?"

There was silence.

Then his expression changed.

"What?"

Amara watched him carefully.

"Where are you?"

Another pause.

"Don't leave the house."

Daniel's face hardened.

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

He listened.

Then slowly lowered the phone.

"What happened?"

Amara asked.

Daniel looked at her.

"My mother says we need to leave."

"Why?"

"She said someone has been watching the house."

Amara's stomach tightened.

"The black car?"

Daniel nodded.

"She saw it too."

A cold silence settled between them.

"How long?"

"I don't know."

Amara looked toward the street.

"Did she say who?"

"No."

"Then why does she want us to leave?"

Daniel stared at his phone.

"Because she says she knows what Room 214 means."

Amara's eyes widened.

"She told you that?"

"Yes."

"Then let's ask her."

Daniel shook his head.

"She won't speak over the phone."

"Why?"

"She said there are things she can only tell us in person."

Amara looked at the mansion.

"Where is she?"

"She left through the back entrance."

"What?"

Daniel rushed inside.

Amara followed.

They reached the rear hallway.

A door stood open.

Daniel looked outside.

His mother was nowhere to be seen.

"She left."

Amara's heart raced.

"Without telling us?"

Daniel checked his phone.

There was a message.

He opened it.

His face went pale.

"What?"

He handed the phone to Amara.

It was from his mother.

Don't go to Room 214.

Amara stared at the words.

Another message appeared.

Especially not with Jason.

Daniel frowned.

"Jason?"

Amara looked up.

"She thinks Jason is involved."

"Or she knows he is."

Amara shook her head.

"No."

Daniel looked at her.

"Why defend him?"

"I'm not."

"Then what?"

Amara hesitated.

"I don't think Jason is the one we're supposed to be afraid of."

"How do you know?"

She looked at the key.

"Because he warned me."

Daniel folded his arms.

"That doesn't make him innocent."

"I know."

"Then what does it make him?"

Amara looked toward the dark street.

"I don't know."

---

Later That Night

The city was quieter than usual.

Amara sat in Daniel's car as they drove through the streets.

Neither spoke much.

Daniel had insisted that they shouldn't go to the hotel alone.

But they also couldn't ignore what was happening.

Someone wanted Amara to find Room 214.

Someone else wanted her to stay away.

And Jason had warned her not to search for the blue car.

Every direction seemed to lead back to the same night.

Seven years ago.

Daniel finally broke the silence.

"If you remember something, tell me."

Amara looked out the window.

"I will."

"Promise?"

She nodded.

"I promise."

He looked at her briefly.

"Even if it changes everything?"

Amara didn't answer immediately.

Then she said:

"Especially if it changes everything."

Daniel returned his attention to the road.

A few minutes later, he pulled up outside an old hotel.

Amara's breathing stopped.

She knew the building.

The memories came rushing back.

The golden lights.

The revolving entrance.

The tall windows.

The dark sign above the door.

She whispered the name.

"Grand Meridian."

Daniel looked at her.

"You remember?"

She nodded.

"This is it."

He parked.

For several seconds, neither moved.

"Ready?" he asked.

"No."

Daniel gave a small nod.

"Me neither."

They entered together.

The hotel lobby looked different.

Older.

Quieter.

But Amara remembered the marble floor.

The chandelier.

The reception desk.

And suddenly—

A flash.

Jason was standing there.

Seven years ago.

His hand was holding hers.

He was saying something.

Amara couldn't hear it.

Then another flash.

A woman stood behind the reception desk.

She looked frightened.

Amara opened her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked.

"Nothing."

"You just froze."

"I remembered the receptionist."

"Do you know her?"

"I don't think so."

They approached the desk.

An older receptionist looked up.

"Good evening."

Daniel smiled politely.

"We're looking for someone."

"Who?"

"Jason."

The woman's expression changed.

Only slightly.

But Amara noticed.

"You know him."

The receptionist quickly looked down.

"I don't know anyone by that name."

Amara leaned forward.

"Seven years ago."

The woman's hands stopped moving.

"We were here seven years ago."

She looked at Amara.

Recognition flashed across her face.

Then fear.

"You should leave."

Daniel frowned.

"Why?"

The woman lowered her voice.

"Because some doors should remain closed."

Amara's heart pounded.

"Room 214."

The receptionist immediately looked around.

"Don't say that number."

Daniel stepped closer.

"Why?"

The receptionist's voice trembled.

"Because the last people who asked about that room never came back."

Amara froze.

"Who?"

The woman didn't answer.

Instead, she reached beneath the desk.

She pulled out an old keycard.

She placed it on the counter.

"Go upstairs."

Daniel stared at her.

"What?"

"Room 214."

Amara looked at the keycard.

"Why are you helping us?"

The receptionist looked directly into her eyes.

"Because I was there that night."

Amara's blood ran cold.

"You saw what happened?"

The woman shook her head.

"No."

She swallowed.

"I heard it."

A silence followed.

"What did you hear?" Amara asked.

The receptionist looked frightened.

"Someone screaming."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Jason?"

"I don't know."

Amara stepped closer.

"What else?"

The woman whispered:

"A gunshot."

Daniel immediately looked at Amara.

Amara's face went pale.

"A gunshot?"

The receptionist nodded.

"Then the lights went out."

"What happened afterward?"

"I heard someone running down the hallway."

"Who?"

"I couldn't see."

"Then?"

The woman looked at Amara.

"Then I heard your voice."

Amara's heart stopped.

"My voice?"

"You were crying."

Amara's breathing became uneven.

"What was I saying?"

The receptionist closed her eyes.

"You kept repeating one sentence."

"What sentence?"

The woman looked at her.

"He wasn't supposed to be there."

Amara stepped backward.

Daniel caught her arm.

"What does that mean?"

The receptionist shook her head.

"I don't know."

Amara stared at her.

"Who wasn't supposed to be there?"

"I don't know."

"You must know something."

"I told you what I heard."

"Then why are you afraid?"

The receptionist looked toward the elevator.

"Because after that night, someone came here."

"Who?"

"A man."

"What did he look like?"

"I couldn't see his face."

Amara's heart raced.

"What did he say?"

The receptionist swallowed.

"He asked whether the girl was alive."

Daniel frowned.

"The girl?"

The receptionist looked at Amara.

"Yes."

Amara's face went pale.

"What girl?"

The woman didn't answer.

Suddenly, the elevator bell rang.

Ding.

Everyone turned.

The elevator doors opened.

Nobody was inside.

Daniel looked at the receptionist.

"Was someone supposed to be coming down?"

She shook her head.

"No."

Amara stared at the elevator.

A strange feeling crawled through her.

She had seen this before.

Seven years ago.

The same elevator.

The same hallway.

The same silence.

She stepped inside.

Daniel followed.

"What floor?"

"Second."

He pressed the button.

The doors closed.

As the elevator began moving upward, Amara stared at the floor numbers.

1...

2...

The doors opened.

The hallway was dim.

Amara immediately recognized it.

Her breathing became shallow.

"Room 214."

They walked down the corridor.

Each step brought another memory.

Jason.

Rain.

A woman's voice.

Someone running.

A door slamming.

Then—

A hand grabbing her wrist.

Amara stopped.

Daniel turned.

"What?"

"I remember."

"What?"

"Jason wasn't alone."

Daniel's expression changed.

"Who was with him?"

Amara looked down the hallway.

"I don't know."

She continued walking.

They reached Room 214.

The door was old.

The number plate was scratched.

Amara took out the key.

Her hand trembled.

"Wait."

Daniel touched her arm.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"Then we can leave."

Amara looked at him.

"No."

She inserted the key.

It turned.

Click.

The door opened.

Darkness filled the room.

Daniel turned on his phone flashlight.

The room looked abandoned.

Dust covered the furniture.

The curtains were closed.

Amara stepped inside.

A sudden memory struck her.

She saw herself standing in this exact room.

Seven years ago.

Jason was beside her.

And someone was standing near the window.

A man.

She couldn't see his face.

But she heard his voice.

"You should never have brought her here."

Amara gasped.

Daniel looked at her.

"What?"

"Someone was here."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

She moved toward the window.

Her fingers touched the curtain.

She pulled it open.

Nothing.

Only the city lights outside.

Then Daniel noticed something.

"Amara."

He pointed toward the floor.

A small metal box was lying beneath the bed.

She stared at it.

"What's that?"

Daniel picked it up.

It was locked.

Amara looked at the key in her hand.

The same key.

She inserted it.

The lock opened.

Inside was a single envelope.

Her name was written on it.

AMARA OKAFOR

Her hands began trembling.

She opened it.

Inside was a photograph.

Amara stared at it.

It was a photograph of Jason.

But he wasn't alone.

Standing beside him was the mysterious figure whose face had been scratched out in the other photograph.

Except this time...

The face wasn't scratched out.

Amara's eyes widened.

She knew that face.

She had seen it before.

Not seven years ago.

Not in a photograph.

Recently.

Very recently.

Her lips trembled.

"No..."

Daniel looked at her.

"Who is it?"

Amara couldn't answer.

The photograph slipped from her hand.

Daniel picked it up.

His expression changed.

"You know this man?"

Amara nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"Who?"

She stared at the photograph.

Her voice was barely audible.

"He's someone I met..."

She swallowed.

"...the night Jason returned."

Daniel's eyes widened.

"Who?"

Amara finally whispered the name.

"The man from the black car."

Before Daniel could respond, the hotel lights suddenly went out.

The room plunged into darkness.

Amara heard the door slam shut.

Then a man's voice came from somewhere inside the room.

Calm.

Close.

Terrifyingly familiar.

"You were never supposed to remember."

Amara froze.

Daniel grabbed her hand.

"Who's there?"

No answer.

Then footsteps.

One.

Two.

Three.

Moving toward them.

Amara's heart pounded.

And suddenly she remembered the final piece of the night seven years ago.

The face.

The voice.

The blue car.

And the person who had been sitting behind the wheel.

Her eyes widened.

She whispered one name.

"Daniel..."

"What?"

Amara looked at him in horror.

"I remember who was driving."

The footsteps stopped.

A figure appeared in the darkness.

And then the lights came back on.

The room was empty.

But on the bed was a fresh photograph.

This time, it showed Amara and Daniel together.

Taken only minutes earlier.

On the back were four words:

"You remembered too late."

To be continued...