THE GIRL WHO LEFT NO SHADOW

The Woman Who Started Everything

Chapter 16 —

The room remained silent after the video ended.

Emily stared at the blank screen.

Noah hadn't moved.

Madison stood beside the table, still holding the newspaper.

Daniel's face had disappeared from the monitor, but his final words seemed to remain in the room.

Protect Emily. Not because I asked you to. Because she deserves to choose her own life.

Emily looked at Noah.

"You knew."

Noah swallowed.

"I knew some of it."

"Some?"

"I knew your father was investigating something. I knew people were looking for him. I knew he trusted me."

"But you didn't know about Evelyn?"

"No."

Madison slowly placed the newspaper on the table.

"Then we have a problem."

Emily looked at her.

"What?"

Madison pointed to Evelyn Hart's photograph.

"The woman in this picture has been dead for eleven years."

Nobody spoke.

Emily stared at the photograph.

"That's impossible."

"I know."

Madison pulled another photograph from her pocket.

It showed a younger Evelyn standing beside Daniel.

But there was something strange about the photograph.

A handwritten date appeared in the corner.

September 14, 2009.

Emily looked closer.

"What's wrong?"

Madison turned the photograph over.

Written on the back were four words.

SHE WAS NEVER ALONE.

Emily felt a chill run through her.

"What does that mean?"

Madison shook her head.

"I don't know."

Noah picked up the photograph.

His eyes narrowed.

"Wait."

"What?"

He pointed at the background.

Behind Daniel and Evelyn stood a little girl.

Emily leaned closer.

The girl's face was partially hidden behind a tree.

But the silver pendant around her neck was unmistakable.

Emily touched her own pendant.

"That's mine."

Madison's expression changed.

"No."

Emily looked at her.

Madison shook her head slowly.

"That's not yours."

She reached into her pocket and removed another photograph.

This one showed Madison as a child.

She was wearing the same pendant.

Emily stared between the two photographs.

"How can we both have the same necklace?"

Noah didn't answer.

Madison whispered:

"Maybe it wasn't a necklace."

Emily looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

Madison pointed to the tiny symbol engraved on the pendant.

"It isn't decoration."

She touched it carefully.

"It's a key."

The lights flickered.

Everyone froze.

A sound came from the hallway.

Three slow knocks.

Emily's heart jumped.

Noah stood.

"Stay here."

Emily grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't."

He looked at her.

"What if it's him?"

"Your father?"

Emily nodded.

Noah stared toward the hallway.

Another knock.

This time, a voice followed.

"Emily."

She recognized it immediately.

Her mother.

Emily rushed toward the door.

Noah stopped her.

"Wait."

Emily looked through the glass panel.

Her mother stood outside.

Alone.

Emily opened the door.

"Mom?"

Her mother stepped inside.

She looked at the photographs.

Then she saw Evelyn's face.

Her expression collapsed.

"Where did you get that?"

Emily held up the newspaper.

"Who is Evelyn Hart?"

Her mother stared at the photograph for several seconds.

Then she whispered:

"She was your father's closest friend."

Madison stepped forward.

"And the person who started everything?"

Her mother looked at her.

"Who told you that?"

"Daniel."

Her mother's face went pale.

"Then Daniel made a mistake."

Emily frowned.

"Why?"

Her mother looked toward the dark window.

"Because Evelyn Hart didn't start the organization."

She paused.

"She tried to destroy it."