The Boy Who Was Never Mine

Chapter 1 Mia Carter was three minutes late. Three minutes. She had survived a broken alarm, a missing bus card, and a ten-minute argument with her little brother over the last piece of toast. She had also spilled coffee on her uniform. Twice. But somehow, the thing bothering her most was the fact she had promised herself she would never be late again. Westbridge High had one rule everyone followed. Don't give the teachers a reason to remember your name. Mia was already failing. She pushed through the front doors, gripping her backpack with one hand and her half-finished coffee with the other. "Sorry!" The receptionist looked over her glasses. "Class." "Right." Mia hurried down the hallway. Her shoes slapped against the polished floor. She checked the clock. 8:03. "Three minutes." She could still make it. She turned the corner. And crashed into someone. Her books flew out of her arms. Her phone slid across the floor. Her coffee flew through the air. Then landed directly on a white school shirt. Silence. Mia froze. The boy in front of her looked down at his shirt. Coffee dripped from the collar. Mia slowly looked up. He was tall. Dark hair. Sharp eyes. Perfect uniform. Expensive watch. And the most irritated expression she had seen all morning. "Oh." His eyes met hers. "Seriously?" Mia's mouth opened. "I'm sorry." "You should be." She frowned. "I said I'm sorry." "And I heard you." "Then why are you looking at me like that?" He glanced at the coffee stain. "Because you just threw coffee at me." "I didn't throw it." "You launched it." "I tripped." "Because you weren't looking." Mia stared at him. "You know, you're not exactly helping." He raised an eyebrow. "Helping with what?" "My morning." "I don't think your morning was going well before I got here." She hated him. Immediately. Mia crouched down and started collecting her books. "Unbelievable." The boy crouched too. He picked up her notebook. His eyes stopped on the name written across the cover. Mia Carter. He handed it to her. "Carter." She took it. "Thanks." He stood. Mia stood too. She looked at the coffee stain. "Look, I'll pay for the dry cleaning." "No." "I insist." "You don't need to." "Then stop looking angry." "I don't look angry." "You do." "I'm not angry." "Then what do you call that face?" He stared at her. "I don't know." "Exactly." Mia picked up her backpack. She turned to leave. "You're going the wrong way." She stopped. Slowly, she looked back. The boy pointed behind her. "Your classroom is the other direction." Mia looked down the hallway. Then at him. Then back at the hallway. She wanted the floor to open. "Thanks." She walked past him. "You're welcome." She made it three steps. "Wait." She turned. "What?" He looked at her. "Your phone." He held it out. Mia stared at him. She hadn't even noticed it was missing. She walked back and took it. "Thanks." He nodded. She walked away. This time, she didn't turn around. But she heard him laugh quietly behind her. Mia entered her classroom. Everyone turned. Her teacher stopped speaking. "Mia." She swallowed. "Good morning." "You're late." "I know." "Three minutes." "I know." A few students laughed. Mia walked toward the only empty seat. She sat down. Then the classroom door opened. The teacher looked toward the hallway. "Ah. Mr. Vale." Mia froze. She slowly turned around. The boy from the hallway walked in. Coffee stain still visible on his shirt. Her eyes widened. No. Absolutely not. The teacher smiled. "Class, we have a new student joining us today." The boy looked around the room. His eyes landed on Mia. His mouth curved into a tiny smile. Mia wanted to disappear. "Please introduce yourself." He stood at the front. "Adrian Vale." Whispers filled the room. Mia didn't understand why. Then she heard the girl beside her whisper. "That's a Vale." Mia looked at her. "What does that mean?" The girl stared at her. "You don't know?" "No." "His family owns Vale Enterprises." "So?" The girl looked horrified. "His family owns half the city." Mia glanced toward Adrian. He didn't look like someone who owned half the city. He looked like someone who needed a new shirt. The teacher pointed toward the empty seat beside Mia. "Take that seat." Adrian walked over. Mia stared straight ahead. He sat beside her. Neither spoke. The teacher continued the lesson. Five minutes passed. Then Adrian leaned toward her. "Still angry?" Mia kept looking at the board. "No." "You look angry." She turned toward him. "You ruined my morning." "You ruined my shirt." "You'll survive." "So will you." She rolled her eyes. He smiled. Mia looked away. She hated that smile. Mostly because she liked it. The teacher asked a question. Nobody answered. Mia raised her hand. She gave the answer. "Correct." Adrian looked at her. "You study a lot?" "Yes." "Why?" "Because I want to pass." "That's it?" Mia looked at him. "What else should I want?" He shrugged. "Nothing." The bell rang. Students stood. Mia packed her books. Adrian remained seated. "You work after school?" She stopped. "How do you know?" "I saw your schedule." She looked at him. "Why are you looking at my schedule?" "I wasn't." "You literally said you saw it." "I saw your notebook." "That's different." "How?" "I don't know." He smiled. Mia shook her head. "You're weird." "So I've been told." She walked toward the door. Adrian followed. "Mia." She stopped. It was the first time he had said her name. "What?" "About the coffee." She waited. "I forgive you." She blinked. "How generous." He smiled. "See you tomorrow." "Hopefully wearing a different shirt." He laughed. Mia walked away. She told herself she wouldn't think about him again. She was wrong. That evening, Mia stood behind the counter at Bell Street Café. Her shift ended at nine. She checked the clock. 8:47. Twelve more minutes. She wiped the counter. The bell above the door rang. "Welcome." She looked up. Her smile disappeared. Adrian Vale stood at the entrance. Mia stared. He stared back. Then he looked around the café. "You're joking." Mia folded her arms. "What are you doing here?" "Getting coffee." "You have a shirt collection. Get one from there too." He looked down at his clean shirt. "You noticed." "I noticed you changed." "Good." "Why?" "Because you told me to." Mia paused. "You listened?" "Sometimes." He walked toward the counter. "What do you want?" "Hot chocolate." She stared at him. "Hot chocolate?" "Yes." "You're eighteen." "So?" "Nothing." She turned around. "One hot chocolate." Adrian leaned against the counter. "You work here every day?" "Most days." "Why?" Mia stopped. "Because I work here." "I mean why do you need to work?" She looked at him. "Why do you need to ask?" He went quiet. Mia placed the cup on the counter. "Four dollars." He paid. Then he didn't leave. She looked at him. "Your drink is ready." "I know." "So?" He glanced toward the empty table by the window. "Can I sit here?" Mia frowned. "Why?" "Because it's raining." She looked outside. Rain hit the glass. "There's a table." "I know." "Then sit." He took the drink and walked away. Mia continued working. Ten minutes later, she noticed he was still there. He had his laptop open. She wondered what someone like him did on a Friday night. Probably nothing normal. At 9:02, her manager locked the front door. Mia grabbed her backpack. She walked outside. Adrian was standing under the café's awning. She stopped. "You're still here?" He looked up. "I was waiting." "For what?" "You." Mia's heart skipped. "Why?" He shrugged. "It's dark." "I've walked home alone before." "I know." "Then?" He looked at her. "I'll walk with you." Mia laughed softly. "You barely know me." "True." "You don't have to." "I know." She stared at him. He stared back. For some reason, she didn't walk away. They started down the street. Neither spoke. After a few minutes, Mia broke the silence. "Why did you come to Westbridge?" Adrian looked ahead. "My father." "What does he have to do with your school?" "Everything." Mia glanced at him. He didn't explain. She didn't push. After another minute, he asked: "Why do you work?" Mia looked at the wet pavement. "My family needs the money." He nodded. No judgment. No pity. Just a quiet nod. She liked that. They reached her street. Mia stopped. "I live here." Adrian looked at the small apartment building. "Okay." "Thanks for walking me." "You're welcome." She turned toward the entrance. "Mia." She looked back. Adrian stood beneath the streetlight. "See you Monday." She smiled. "See you Monday." She walked inside. Adrian watched the door close. Then his phone rang. He answered. "Hello?" His father's voice came through. "Where are you?" "Walking home." "You have a car." "I know." "Come home." Adrian's expression changed. "I'll be there." The call ended. He looked toward Mia's apartment. For the first time in a long time, Adrian didn't want to go home. The next morning, Mia found an envelope inside her locker. No name. No explanation. She opened it. One photograph fell into her hand. Her. Walking beside Adrian. Taken the night before. Mia's stomach dropped. There was a message written across the photograph. STAY AWAY FROM ADRIAN VALE. She looked down the hallway. Nobody was watching. Or at least nobody looked like they were. Then her phone vibrated. Unknown number. One message. "You have no idea who you're dealing with." Another message arrived. "Ask Adrian what his father did to the last girl who got too close." She looked toward the end of the hallway. Adrian was standing there. Watching her. And for the first time since they met... He wasn't smiling. Chapter 2 Mia didn't move. Adrian stood at the end of the hallway, one hand resting against the locker beside him. For once, there was no teasing smile. No raised eyebrow. No sarcastic comment. Just a look that made Mia's stomach tighten. He walked toward her. "What happened?" Mia folded the photograph in half. "Nothing." Adrian stopped. "That's not nothing." She looked at the students moving around them. Nobody seemed to be paying attention. She lowered her voice. "Someone put this in my locker." She handed him the photograph. Adrian took it. The second he saw it, his expression changed. His jaw tightened. "Where did you get this?" "My locker." "When?" "Just now." He looked at the picture again. Then at the message written across it. STAY AWAY FROM ADRIAN VALE. His fingers tightened around the paper. "Did you show anyone?" "No." "Good." Mia frowned. "Good?" "Keep it that way." She stared at him. "You know who did this." "I don't." "You're lying." Adrian looked at her. For a second, neither of them spoke. Then he lowered his voice. "Maybe." Mia felt her frustration rise. "Maybe isn't an answer." "It's the only one I can give you right now." "Why?" He glanced down the hallway. "Because if I tell you everything, you're going to get scared." Mia gave a humorless laugh. "Someone just threatened me with a photograph of me walking home. I'm already scared." Adrian looked genuinely sorry. "I'm sorry." "That doesn't fix anything." "I know." "Then tell me." He shook his head. "Not here." The warning bell rang. Students began moving toward their classrooms. Adrian handed the photograph back. "Don't go anywhere alone today." Mia stared at him. "That's your advice?" "For now." "You're unbelievable." "I've heard that before." She almost smiled. Almost. Then she remembered the photograph. "Adrian." He stopped. "What?" "What happened to the last girl?" His face went still. Mia knew immediately. She had touched something real. "I don't know what you're talking about." "You do." He looked away. "Mia, please." "Please what?" "Trust me." She stared at him. "You haven't told me enough to trust you." The bell rang again. Adrian looked at her. "I'll explain." "When?" "Tonight." "Where?" "Bell Street Café." She hesitated. "Fine." He nodded. Then he walked away. Mia watched him disappear into the crowd. For the rest of the school day, she couldn't focus. Every time her phone vibrated, she expected another message. Every time someone walked behind her, she turned around. By lunch, she had convinced herself she was being ridiculous. Until she opened her locker again. A second photograph was waiting inside. This one was older. It showed Adrian standing beside a girl Mia had never seen before. The girl's face had been scratched out. On the back, someone had written three words. ASK ABOUT EMILY. Mia's hands went cold. She immediately closed the locker. And for the first time, she realized something. Whoever was watching her didn't want her to stay away from Adrian. They wanted her to find out what happened to Emily. That night, the café was quieter than usual. Mia stood behind the counter, checking the door every few minutes. At 8:15, Adrian walked in. He didn't order anything. He simply sat at the table by the window. When Mia's manager went into the back room, Adrian approached the counter. "Did you get another message?" Mia nodded. She showed him the photograph. He stared at it. "Where did you get this?" "My locker." He closed his eyes for a moment. "Emily." "So you know her." "Yes." "What happened?" Adrian looked toward the rain-covered window. "She was my friend." "Was?" "She disappeared." Mia's expression changed. "Disappeared?" "Two years ago." "How?" "Nobody knows." "Your father?" Adrian looked at her. "Why would you ask that?" "Because the message specifically told me to ask what your father did to the last girl who got too close." He didn't answer. Mia waited. Finally, he said, "My father wasn't supposed to know Emily." "But he did." "Eventually." "And?" Adrian's voice dropped. "Emily found something." "What?" "I don't know." Mia frowned. "You don't know?" "I knew she was scared. I knew she wanted to tell someone. Then one day she stopped answering." "Did you report her missing?" "Of course." "Then why are you acting like you don't care?" His eyes hardened. "I cared more than anyone." The anger in his voice made Mia go quiet. He took a breath. "Sorry." "No." She shook her head. "You don't have to apologize." He looked at her. For a moment, the café felt strangely quiet. Then Adrian said, "If you want to walk away from this, do it now." Mia looked at the photograph. Then at him. "I don't think I can." "Why?" "Because someone already involved me." He nodded slowly. "Then we find out who." Together. The word wasn't spoken. But it was understood. Chapter 3 The next morning, Adrian was waiting outside Westbridge High. Mia noticed him before he noticed her. He stood beneath the stone archway, hands in his pockets, watching students enter. When he saw her, he straightened. "Morning." Mia stopped beside him. "Did you sleep?" "Not really." "Same." He glanced at her. "Did you bring it?" She pulled the photograph from her bag. "Yeah." They walked inside together. Mia noticed something immediately. People were staring. Whispers followed them through the hallway. She heard Adrian's name more than once. Then she heard hers. "That's her." "The café girl." "She walked home with him." Mia looked at Adrian. "You hear that?" "Yes." "Does this happen often?" "Usually worse." "That's comforting." He smiled faintly. They reached the library before the first bell. Adrian pulled a chair out. "Sit." Mia sat. He placed an old school yearbook on the table. "Emily was in my year." He opened it. Mia found her immediately. Emily Harper. Dark hair. Bright smile. She looked like the kind of person who talked to everyone. "What was she like?" Adrian stared at the picture. "Smart. Loud. Annoying." Mia smiled. "You liked her." "She was my best friend." Mia turned the page. There was another photograph. Adrian and Emily standing together at a school event. He looked younger. Happier. "What did she find?" Adrian shook his head. "That's the problem." He pulled out his phone. "I received this three weeks before she disappeared." He showed Mia an old message. I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. Mia read it twice. "Who are they?" "I don't know." "Did she send anything else?" "One message." He opened it. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, DON'T TRUST MY FATHER. Mia looked up. "Your father?" Adrian nodded. "That's why I didn't tell you everything yesterday." "Does your father know you're investigating?" "I don't know." Mia stared at the message. "Why would Emily send that?" "Because she was afraid." The first bell rang. They closed the yearbook. "Tonight," Adrian said. "What?" "I found something." "What?" "I'll show you after work." Mia narrowed her eyes. "You're being mysterious again." "I know." "Stop doing that." "I'll try." She smiled despite herself. At lunch, Mia sat with her friend Nora. Nora had been watching Adrian all morning. "So." Mia looked up. "So what?" "You and Vale." "There is no me and Vale." Nora raised an eyebrow. "You're literally sitting together in the library." "We were researching." "Researching what?" Mia hesitated. "Nothing." Nora leaned closer. "You are a terrible liar." Mia lowered her voice. "I'll tell you later." Nora studied her face. "Is something wrong?" Mia nodded. "Yeah." Nora's expression softened. "Then tell me." Before Mia could answer, her phone vibrated. Unknown number. She opened the message. STOP DIGGING. A second message arrived. YOU'RE NOT EMILY. A third appeared. DON'T MAKE US REGRET WARNING YOU. Mia's hands started shaking. Nora noticed. "What is it?" Mia turned the screen toward her. Nora's face went pale. "You need to tell a teacher." "I can't." "Why not?" "Because I don't know who to trust." Nora looked toward the cafeteria doors. Adrian was standing there. He was staring directly at Mia's phone. He walked over. "What happened?" She showed him. He read the messages. Then he looked at Nora. "Can you keep this between us?" Nora nodded. Adrian sat beside Mia. His voice was quiet. "It's getting worse." Mia looked at him. "What did you find?" He pulled a small USB drive from his pocket. "This." "What's on it?" "Emily's files." Mia stared. "Where did you get that?" "From my father's office." Her eyes widened. "You broke into your father's office?" "Technically, I borrowed something." "You stole it." "Technically." Mia shook her head. "You are insane." "Probably." Despite everything, she laughed. Adrian smiled. Then the cafeteria lights flickered. Everyone looked up. They went out. The room fell dark. A second later, they came back on. Adrian looked toward the doors. The USB drive was gone. Chapter 4 By the time school ended, Mia was furious. Someone had taken the drive. Someone had been watching them. And Adrian still refused to explain everything. They met at Bell Street Café after her shift. The rain had stopped. The streets were quiet. Adrian placed his laptop on the counter. "I made a copy." Mia stared. "You had another?" "Yes." "You could've told me." "I wanted to make sure it wasn't compromised." She folded her arms. "You're lucky you're useful." He smiled. "That's the nicest thing you've said to me." "Don't get used to it." He opened the files. There were photographs. Invoices. Emails. School records. Mia leaned closer. "What am I looking at?" "Vale Enterprises." She scrolled through the documents. "These are payments." "To the school." "Why would your family be paying Westbridge?" "Because my father has donated to the school for years." Mia kept reading. "These are from two years ago." "Yes." "Emily's disappearance." "Exactly." Mia looked at him. "Do you think the school covered it up?" "I think someone did." They kept searching. Then Mia noticed a name. "Mr. Harlan." Adrian went still. "Who?" "The vice principal." Adrian looked at the screen. "Emily mentioned him once." "Why?" "I don't remember." Mia clicked another file. A scanned photograph appeared. Emily stood beside Mr. Harlan. On the back was a handwritten date. Three days before she disappeared. Mia's heart sank. "Adrian." He leaned closer. There was another image underneath. A photograph of Emily entering a black car. The license plate was visible. Adrian stared at it. "I know that car." "Whose is it?" "My father's." Silence. Mia looked at him. "Adrian..." "I know." "What are you going to do?" He closed the laptop. "Find out why." A noise came from the front of the café. Both of them froze. The front door was locked. Mia looked at the window. A shadow moved outside. Adrian stood. "Stay here." "No." "Mia." "I'm not hiding behind a counter." He walked toward the door. The shadow disappeared. He unlocked it. Nobody was there. Only an envelope sat on the sidewalk. Adrian picked it up. Mia walked over. "What is it?" He opened it. Inside was a single photograph. Emily. Alive. Standing outside Vale Enterprises. On the back was a message. SHE DIDN'T DISAPPEAR. Mia looked at Adrian. His face had gone pale. A second line had been written underneath. SHE RAN. Adrian stared at the photograph for a long time. Then his phone rang. He answered. "Hello?" Nobody spoke. Then a distorted voice whispered: "Ask your father." The call ended. Adrian lowered the phone. Mia stepped closer. "Are you okay?" He shook his head. "No." She reached for his hand. He looked down. Neither of them moved. For once, there was no joke. No sarcasm. No argument. Just the quiet understanding that whatever they had started was bigger than either of them. Adrian squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry." "For what?" "For bringing you into this." Mia looked at him. "You didn't." "Then who did?" She glanced at the photograph. "I think we both know the answer." Outside, a car drove slowly past the café. Its headlights swept across the window. Then disappeared. Mia looked at Adrian. "Someone is watching us." "I know." She tightened her grip on his hand. "Then let them watch." Adrian looked at her. For the first time since Emily disappeared, he smiled. Not because he wasn't afraid. Because he wasn't alone anymore. Chapter 5 Monday morning came too quickly. Mia barely slept. She kept thinking about Emily. About the photograph. About Adrian's father. About the voice on the phone. And, against her better judgment, about Adrian holding her hand. She arrived at school early. The hallway was almost empty. She opened her locker. Nothing. No photograph. No message. She exhaled. Maybe it was over. Then she noticed a small envelope taped underneath the locker shelf. Her heart dropped. She pulled it free. Inside was a key. A brass key with a number written on it. 214. Mia turned it over. Nothing. Her phone vibrated. Unknown number. LOCKER 214. She stared at the message. Then another appeared. ASK ADRIAN WHAT HE FOUND THERE. Mia immediately called him. He answered after one ring. "What happened?" "I got another message." "Where are you?" "Westbridge." "I'm coming." He arrived two minutes later. Mia showed him the key. His expression changed. "Where did you get that?" "My locker." He took it. "This is an old library key." "214?" "The old archive room." "There's an archive room?" "Not anymore." "Then why does this key exist?" Adrian looked toward the end of the hallway. "Because the school doesn't destroy everything." They waited until lunch. Then they slipped into the old library wing. The archive room was behind a locked door covered with a faded sign. AUTHORIZED STAFF ONLY. Adrian inserted the key. The lock clicked. The door opened. Dust filled the air. Rows of old boxes covered the shelves. Mia looked around. "This place is creepy." "Agreed." They searched. Box 214 was at the back. Adrian pulled it down. Inside were old student files. He opened the first folder. Emily Harper. Mia leaned closer. There were attendance records. Disciplinary reports. Counselor notes. Then one page made Adrian stop. "What?" He handed it to her. A handwritten note. Emily has evidence. Keep her away from Vale Enterprises. Mia looked up. "Who wrote this?" "No signature." She turned the page. There was a second note. If she talks, everything falls apart. Mia's stomach tightened. "What does that mean?" Adrian didn't answer. A noise came from the hallway. Footsteps. They froze. Someone stopped outside the door. The handle moved. Adrian grabbed Mia's hand. "Back." They ducked behind a row of boxes. The door opened. Someone stepped inside. Mia couldn't see their face. Only their shoes. Black dress shoes. The person walked toward the boxes. Stopped. Then said: "I know you're in here." Mia held her breath. Adrian squeezed her hand. The footsteps moved closer. Then a phone rang. The person answered. "Yes." A pause. "No. They haven't found it." Another pause. "I'll handle it." The person turned. Mia caught a glimpse of their face. Mr. Harlan. Adrian's jaw tightened. Mr. Harlan looked around the room. Then left. The door closed. Neither Mia nor Adrian moved. Finally, Adrian whispered: "We have to go." They waited. Then ran. They didn't stop until they reached the front courtyard. Mia was breathing hard. Adrian looked at her. "Are you okay?" "Yeah." He nodded. Then he pulled the folder from inside his jacket. "We need to get this somewhere safe." Mia looked at him. "Where?" He thought for a moment. "My house." She stared. "Your house?" "My father is away tonight." "That's exactly what someone in a horror movie would say." He laughed. She smiled. Then the smile disappeared. "Adrian." "What?" "What if your father is involved?" He looked away. "I've been asking myself that since Emily disappeared." Mia stepped closer. "You don't have to figure it out alone." He looked at her. "I know." For a moment, the world seemed quiet. Then Adrian reached for her hand again. This time, Mia didn't hesitate. Their fingers intertwined. Neither of them noticed the figure watching from the second-floor window. A phone camera clicked. And somewhere inside the school, another message was sent. THEY FOUND THE FILE. Chapter 6 That evening, Adrian's house looked nothing like Mia expected. It wasn't just big. It was silent. The kind of silence that made every room feel like nobody was supposed to be there. Mia stood in the entrance, staring at the marble staircase. "You live here?" Adrian closed the door. "Unfortunately." She looked at him. "That's the first time you've said that." "Because it's true." He led her upstairs. His room was surprisingly normal. Books. A desk. A guitar. A few photographs. Mia picked up one. Adrian and Emily. They were younger. Laughing. "She really mattered to you." "She still does." Mia put the photograph down. "I'm sorry." He nodded. They placed the folder on his desk. Adrian opened his laptop. "I want to see if Emily left anything else." They searched for hours. Nothing. Then Mia noticed a hidden folder. "What's that?" Adrian clicked it. A password prompt appeared. "Do you know it?" "No." Mia thought. "What did Emily call you?" Adrian looked at her. "What?" "Maybe the password is something personal." He tried his birthday. Nothing. Her birthday. Nothing. Emily's birthday. Nothing. Then Mia remembered the message. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, DON'T TRUST MY FATHER. She typed: VALE. The folder opened. Both of them froze. Inside was one video. Recorded two years ago. Emily appeared on screen. She looked frightened. "If you're watching this, Adrian, then I was right." Adrian leaned closer. Emily continued. "Your father knows about the accounts. I don't know how deep it goes, but it's bigger than the company." She looked toward the door. "They're using the school." Mia's heart pounded. Emily lowered her voice. "I found payments going through a student foundation. Students who owe money. Families who need help. They're using that information to control people." Adrian stared at the screen. Emily continued. "And there's someone inside the school helping them." The video glitched. Before it ended, Emily said one final thing. "Don't trust Harlan." The screen went black. Mia looked at Adrian. "She knew." "Yes." "Then why did nobody find this?" Adrian stared at the screen. "Because someone deleted everything else." A sound came from downstairs. Both of them froze. Adrian closed the laptop. "Did you lock the door?" "Yes." Another sound. The front door opening. Mia whispered: "Is your father home?" Adrian shook his head. "No." Footsteps moved through the house. Adrian grabbed Mia's hand. "Stay here." "No." "Mia." "I'm coming." They moved silently toward the hallway. A shadow appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Then a voice called out. "Adrian." He stopped. His father's voice. Adrian looked at Mia. She could see the fear in his eyes. Not fear of what his father might do. Fear of what his father might already know. His father appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He looked up. His eyes landed on Mia. Then on Adrian. Then on the folder in Adrian's hand. His expression changed. "You shouldn't have found that." Mia's heart sank. Adrian stepped in front of her. "What did you do to Emily?" His father stared at him. For several seconds, nobody spoke. Then he said: "Nothing." Adrian's voice hardened. "Then why did she disappear?" His father looked toward Mia. "Because some people don't understand when they're being protected." Mia stepped forward. "Protected from what?" He looked at her. "From people who think they can expose things they don't understand." Adrian tightened his grip on the folder. "You knew." His father sighed. "I knew enough." "And Harlan?" Silence. That was the answer. Adrian looked devastated. His father turned toward the door. "Give me the folder." "No." "Adrian." "No." His father stared at him. "You have no idea what you've started." Adrian looked at Mia. Then back at his father. "Maybe." He stepped backward. "But I'm finishing it." His father walked out. The door slammed. Mia and Adrian stood in silence. Then Adrian looked at her. "We have to find Emily." Mia nodded. TO BE CONTINUED