CHAPTER FIVE: THE FIRST MOVE
1854 Words
The gunshot echoed through the mansion.
Sarah's heart nearly stopped.
Richard pulled her closer to the floor.
"Don't move," he whispered.
Another shot rang out.
Glass shattered somewhere downstairs.
Evelyn screamed.
Sarah's mind raced.
Someone was inside the house.
Someone who knew about her.
Someone who had just said the words she had been trying not to think about.
She was never supposed to come back.
Sarah squeezed the birth certificate tightly in her hand.
Come back.
The words couldn't be a coincidence.
The intruder wasn't simply there to steal something.
They knew.
But how?
Before Sarah could think further, Richard grabbed her wrist.
"Come with me."
He pulled her toward the study's side door.
Evelyn followed.
They moved quickly through the narrow passage behind the library.
Another gunshot sounded.
Richard locked the door behind them.
"Stay here."
"Dad—"
"I said stay here."
Sarah grabbed his arm.
"Who is it?"
Richard looked at her.
For the first time, Sarah saw genuine fear in her father's eyes.
"I don't know."
"You do."
His expression changed.
"What?"
"You know something."
"Sarah, this isn't the time."
"When is the time?"
She held up the birth certificate.
"You've been hiding this from me."
Richard looked at it.
His face became pale.
Then he whispered,
"Where did you find that?"
"In your safe."
He stared at her.
"You shouldn't have opened it."
"I shouldn't have?"
Sarah's voice trembled.
"My entire life is suddenly a lie, and you're worried because I opened a safe?"
Richard looked away.
"I was trying to protect you."
"From my own identity?"
He didn't answer.
Before Sarah could question him again, the lights suddenly came back on.
Silence filled the mansion.
Richard looked toward the study.
Then they heard footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Someone was walking upstairs.
Sarah's heart pounded.
Richard reached into a drawer and pulled out a small pistol.
Sarah stared at him.
"You have a gun?"
"I have enemies."
She almost laughed.
"Apparently."
The footsteps stopped outside the room.
Richard raised the gun.
The door handle moved.
Sarah held her breath.
The door opened.
A security officer stood there.
"Sir!"
Richard lowered his weapon.
"What happened?"
"We found the intruder."
"Where?"
"He escaped through the back gate."
Richard frowned.
"Did you see his face?"
"No, sir."
"How did he get inside?"
The officer hesitated.
"We don't know."
Sarah looked at her father.
"Check the security footage."
The officer nodded.
"We're already doing that."
Richard turned toward Sarah.
"You need to go upstairs."
"No."
"Sarah."
"I want to see the footage."
"This is dangerous."
"So is keeping secrets from me."
Richard stared at her.
She didn't look away.
Finally, he nodded.
"Fine."
---
Twenty minutes later, the security team gathered around the monitor.
The footage showed the mansion's front gate.
Nothing unusual.
Then the camera switched to the eastern side.
A shadow moved through the darkness.
Sarah leaned closer.
"Pause."
The officer stopped the video.
Sarah stared at the figure.
It was wearing a black hoodie.
The face was hidden.
"Play it."
The footage continued.
The person walked directly toward the study.
Sarah frowned.
"He knew where he was going."
Richard nodded.
"Yes."
"Which means he knew the layout."
Nobody spoke.
Sarah watched the footage again.
Then she noticed something.
"Go back."
The officer rewound.
Sarah pointed toward the screen.
"Zoom in."
The image became blurry.
But something was visible around the man's wrist.
A silver bracelet.
Sarah froze.
She knew that bracelet.
Daniel had given it to her that morning.
The same bracelet she had thrown into the trash.
But this was different.
This bracelet had a small black stone in the center.
She had seen it before.
On Daniel's wrist.
Sarah's stomach turned.
"Daniel."
Richard looked at her.
"What?"
"I think I know who it is."
---
The next morning, Daniel arrived at the Williams mansion before nine.
He walked into the living room with a worried expression.
"I heard what happened."
Richard nodded.
"Thank you for coming."
"How is Sarah?"
"I'm fine."
Sarah entered the room.
Daniel immediately rushed toward her.
"Sarah."
He pulled her into a hug.
She stood stiffly in his arms.
"I'm glad you're safe."
"Thank you."
He released her.
"What happened?"
"Someone broke into the house."
Daniel's face tightened.
"Did they take anything?"
Sarah watched him carefully.
"No."
"Nothing?"
"No."
"That's strange."
Sarah smiled.
"Why?"
"If someone broke into a mansion like this, they must have wanted something."
"They did."
Daniel looked at her.
"What?"
Sarah stepped closer.
"Me."
For a fraction of a second, fear flashed across his face.
Then it disappeared.
"What do you mean?"
"The person said something."
Daniel swallowed.
"What?"
Sarah stared directly into his eyes.
"She was never supposed to come back."
Daniel went completely still.
Sarah watched him carefully.
"What do you think that means?"
He forced a laugh.
"Probably nothing."
"Probably?"
"People say strange things during crimes."
"True."
Sarah smiled.
"But how would a stranger know I was in the study?"
Daniel looked away.
"I don't know."
"How would a stranger know where the safe was?"
"I don't know."
"And how would a stranger know about my birth certificate?"
Daniel looked at her sharply.
Sarah's heart raced.
Got you.
He knew.
She had never told him about the certificate.
Yet his reaction was immediate.
"Birth certificate?" he repeated.
Sarah smiled.
"Yes."
Daniel stared at her.
Then he laughed.
"I didn't know you found one."
Sarah tilted her head.
"You didn't?"
"No."
"Interesting."
She walked past him.
Daniel turned.
"Sarah."
She stopped.
"Yes?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
She smiled.
"Like what?"
"Like you don't trust me."
Sarah held his gaze.
"Maybe I'm learning."
---
Later that day, Sarah went to the company.
She had made a decision.
She couldn't continue reacting to events.
She needed to control them.
Her first target was Daniel.
She walked into her father's office.
"I need access to the company's internal audit records."
Richard looked up.
"Why?"
"Because someone is stealing from us."
He frowned.
"Do you have proof?"
"Not yet."
"Then why do you believe it?"
"Because I remember."
Richard looked confused.
"Remember what?"
Sarah stopped herself.
"Nothing."
He sighed.
"Sarah."
"I need access."
Richard studied her.
Then he pressed a button.
"Bring the internal audit manager."
Ten minutes later, a woman named Linda Okafor entered.
"Sir?"
Richard looked at Sarah.
"Give my daughter access to the financial audit records."
Linda hesitated.
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Sarah smiled.
"Thank you."
Linda nodded.
"I'll arrange it."
As she left, Sarah noticed someone standing outside the office.
Vanessa.
Their eyes met.
Vanessa smiled.
Sarah smiled back.
Neither trusted the other.
---
That evening, Sarah began going through the financial records.
It took hours.
Most transactions were ordinary.
Then she found something.
A transfer.
₦12 million.
The recipient was a company she didn't recognize.
D&C Strategic Holdings.
Sarah searched the company.
The registered directors were hidden.
She checked the date.
Three months earlier.
She checked another transaction.
₦8 million.
Same company.
Another.
₦15 million.
Again.
D&C Strategic Holdings.
Sarah's heart pounded.
She opened the authorization records.
The transactions had been approved by...
Daniel Carter.
Sarah leaned back.
There it was.
The first c***k.
She quickly downloaded the documents.
Then she heard a voice behind her.
"Working late?"
Sarah turned.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
She stared at him.
"What are you doing here?"
"My company has a partnership meeting with your father tomorrow."
"At night?"
"I came early."
Sarah raised an eyebrow.
"That's convenient."
Adrian smiled slightly.
"You don't trust me."
"I don't trust anyone."
"I noticed."
He walked closer.
His eyes moved toward her laptop.
"What did you find?"
Sarah closed it.
"Nothing."
"You're a terrible liar."
"And you're very observant."
"I told you."
"You pay attention."
"Exactly."
Sarah stood.
"You said something yesterday."
"What?"
"You said you wanted to find out who was behind everything."
"Yes."
"I may have found a connection."
Adrian's expression changed.
"Show me."
Sarah hesitated.
Then she turned the laptop toward him.
He studied the documents.
"D&C Strategic Holdings."
"Do you know them?"
"No."
Sarah frowned.
"Are you sure?"
Adrian looked at her.
"If I knew, I'd tell you."
She studied him.
"Why do I feel like you're hiding something?"
"Because I am."
Sarah's eyes widened.
Adrian continued calmly.
"But it has nothing to do with this."
"What is it?"
"Not yet."
Sarah crossed her arms.
"I don't like secrets."
Adrian smiled.
"Neither do I."
She laughed softly.
"That's ironic."
"Perhaps."
They stood in silence.
Then Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
"Hello?"
His expression changed.
"What?"
He listened.
"Are you certain?"
A pause.
"Send me the file."
He ended the call.
Sarah noticed his face had become tense.
"What happened?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Marcus Reed was seen yesterday."
Sarah's heart stopped.
"Where?"
Adrian's eyes darkened.
"At Lagos airport."
"When?"
"Three hours ago."
Sarah stared at him.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
She didn't answer.
Because in her first life, Marcus Reed had disappeared five years ago.
He had supposedly left the country.
But if he was alive...
Then perhaps he knew everything.
Adrian moved toward the door.
"We need to find him."
Sarah grabbed her bag.
"I'm coming."
Adrian looked at her.
"This could be dangerous."
"I know."
"You could get hurt."
"I've already died once."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Adrian froze.
Sarah froze too.
For several seconds, they stared at each other.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"What did you say?"
Sarah forced a smile.
"I said I've already been hurt once."
"No."
He stepped closer.
"You said you've already died."
Sarah's heart raced.
She looked away.
"Forget it."
"Sarah."
She walked toward the door.
"Goodnight, Adrian."
He caught her wrist gently.
"Sarah."
She turned.
His voice was quiet.
"Who are you?"
Sarah looked into his eyes.
She wanted to answer.
She wanted to tell him everything.
But she couldn't.
Not yet.
She pulled her hand free.
"That's what I'm trying to find out."
She walked away.
Adrian watched her disappear.
Then he took out his phone.
He opened an old photograph.
A photograph of a woman.
The woman looked remarkably like Sarah.
Adrian stared at it.
Then whispered,
"You're not supposed to remember."
---
Across the city, inside a dark apartment, Vanessa sat on a sofa.
Daniel stood near the window.
"You said she wouldn't suspect anything."
Vanessa's expression was cold.
"I didn't expect her to change this quickly."
Daniel turned.
"What are we going to do?"
Vanessa looked at him.
"We continue with the plan."
"And if she finds out?"
Vanessa smiled.
"Then we make sure she doesn't live long enough to tell anyone."
Daniel swallowed.
Vanessa's phone vibrated.
She checked the message.
Her smile disappeared.
UNKNOWN:
Sarah remembers.
Vanessa's hands began to shake.
Another message appeared.
And this time, she knows where to look.
Vanessa slowly stood.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
The phone vibrated again.
You should be asking who brought her back.
Vanessa's face went pale.
For the first time, she realized something terrifying.
Sarah's return might not have been an accident.
Someone had brought her back.
And whoever had done it wanted the truth exposed.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD