CHAPTER TEN
1045 Words
THE OLD WAREHOUSE
Lila stood completely still.
The room was dark.
She could hear her own breathing.
“Who are you?” she asked again.
There was no answer.
She reached out carefully, trying to find the edge of the table.
“Don't move.”
The man's voice came from somewhere near the door.
Lila stopped.
A few seconds later, a small light came on.
It wasn't enough to brighten the room, but she could see the man's face now.
He was older than she expected, perhaps in his forties. He wore a dark jacket and had a small scar above his left eyebrow.
Lila had never seen him before.
“Why did you bring me here?”
The man looked at the photograph on the table.
“Because someone wanted you to see it.”
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
Lila picked up the photograph.
“My parents worked for the Kane family. I already know that.”
The man looked surprised.
“You know that?”
“Yes.”
“Does your brother know you know?”
Lila hesitated.
That question bothered her.
“Why does it matter?”
The man stepped closer.
“Because Brian has spent years making sure you don't learn certain things.”
Lila's eyes narrowed.
“My brother wouldn't hurt me.”
“I didn't say he would.”
“Then what are you saying?”
The man looked toward the door.
“You should ask him about the night your parents died.”
Lila's heart sank.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
“Then perhaps you should finally ask.”
Before Lila could respond, the man walked toward the door.
“Wait!”
He stopped.
“Where are you going?”
“You'll be leaving soon.”
“What?”
He opened the door.
Lila rushed toward him, but he stepped outside and locked it behind him.
“Hey!”
She pulled the handle.
“Open this door!”
Nothing.
She knocked hard.
“Open the door!”
Still nothing.
Lila stepped away slowly.
Her eyes returned to the photograph.
There was something strange about it.
She looked closer.
At the bottom corner, partly hidden by her father's hand, was a date.
Lila read it twice.
Her face changed.
It was the same date Brian had always told her their parents died.
She sat down on the edge of the bed.
Why had Vincent been there?
And why had Brian never mentioned it?
Vincent pulled his car into the abandoned warehouse yard.
He switched off the engine.
For a moment, he didn't move.
The place looked exactly as he remembered it.
Old.
Empty.
Forgotten.
He stepped out of the car and looked around.
“Lila?”
His voice echoed through the darkness.
No answer.
Vincent walked toward the warehouse entrance.
The door was slightly open.
He pushed it.
It creaked loudly.
Inside, the air smelled of dust and old wood.
“Lila!”
Still nothing.
He took another step.
Then he heard something.
A faint sound from upstairs.
Vincent looked toward the staircase.
He started climbing.
Halfway up, his phone vibrated.
He pulled it from his pocket.
One message.
You came alone. Good.
Vincent stopped.
Another message appeared.
But you brought someone with you.
His eyes moved toward the warehouse entrance.
He turned.
Through the broken window, he saw headlights outside.
A black car had just stopped.
Vincent's expression hardened.
He reached for his phone.
No signal.
“Damn it.”
He looked toward the stairs.
Then back at the car.
Someone stepped out.
A tall figure.
Vincent couldn't see the face.
But he recognized the way the person walked.
His stomach tightened.
“No…”
Brian got out of his car.
He had followed Vincent.
Not because he trusted him.
He didn't.
But Brian knew Vincent was connected to what was happening.
And if Lila was inside that warehouse, Brian wasn't going to leave her there.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone.
He called Vincent.
The call didn't connect.
Brian looked at the warehouse.
Something felt wrong.
Too quiet.
He walked toward the entrance.
Then he noticed something on the ground.
A woman's bracelet.
Brian immediately recognized it.
It belonged to Lila.
His breathing changed.
“Lila…”
He rushed inside.
Upstairs, Vincent reached the final step.
A long hallway stretched before him.
At the end was a closed door.
He walked toward it.
Just before he reached the door, he heard a voice behind him.
“You shouldn't have come.”
Vincent turned.
The same man from Lila's room stood at the other end of the hallway.
Vincent stared at him.
“Where is she?”
The man smiled.
“You're asking the wrong question.”
Vincent took a step forward.
“I don't have time for games.”
“You never did.”
Vincent stopped.
There was something familiar about the man's voice.
“Who are you?”
The man didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward the staircase.
Someone was coming up.
Heavy footsteps.
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
Then Brian appeared.
The two men stared at each other.
Brian's face immediately hardened.
Vincent looked at him.
“You followed me?”
Brian ignored the question.
“Where is my sister?”
The mysterious man smiled.
“Now this is interesting.”
Brian stepped forward.
“Where is Lila?”
The man slowly moved toward the door behind Vincent.
Then he said something that made both men freeze.
“She isn't the one you should be looking for.”
He opened the door.
Inside was an empty room.
Except for one chair.
And on that chair was an old photograph.
Brian walked closer.
He picked it up.
His face went completely pale.
Vincent looked over his shoulder.
“What is it?”
Brian didn't answer.
Vincent took the photograph from him.
And for the first time in years, Vincent saw a picture of his father...
standing beside Brian and Lila's parents.
But there was one person in the photograph neither of them had expected to see.
Their own uncle.
And he was holding a baby.
Brian whispered,
“That's impossible.”
The warehouse lights suddenly came on.
The mysterious man was gone.
And downstairs, a woman's scream echoed through the building.
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