Chapter 2
1404 Words
CHAPTER TWO
THE NAME THEY BURIED
The footsteps outside my room disappeared.
I remained completely still.
My eyes stayed on the photograph.
IF YOU FIND THIS, YOU'RE NOT LIYANA.
My fingers traced the words.
Whoever had written them knew I would find this.
They knew I would wake up.
They knew I would forget.
And most importantly...
They knew someone was watching me.
I slipped the photograph beneath my pillow just as the door opened.
A nurse entered.
“Everything okay?”
I nodded.
“I'm fine.”
She checked the monitor.
“Your heart rate went up.”
“I had a nightmare.”
She smiled.
“Try to sleep.”
I waited until she left.
Then I whispered the name again.
“Elena.”
Nothing.
No memory.
Just a strange feeling.
Like my mind was standing in front of a locked door.
I needed a key.
And I had a feeling that someone had deliberately taken it away from me.
---
The following morning, my mother arrived with flowers.
White roses.
She placed them beside my bed.
“I thought you'd like these.”
I stared at them.
“I don't remember what I like.”
She laughed nervously.
“You always loved white roses.”
Always.
Another word that made my stomach twist.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Did I have a sister?”
Her hand froze.
Only for a second.
Then she smiled.
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
“No sister.”
I watched her carefully.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I'm sure.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
She kissed my forehead.
“I have to make a phone call.”
She walked toward the door.
“Mom?”
She turned.
“Hmm?”
“Who is Elena?”
The colour disappeared from her face.
Only for a moment.
Then she laughed.
“Elena?”
“Yes.”
“I don't know anyone named Elena.”
She left.
I waited until the door closed.
Then I smiled.
Because now I knew something.
My mother was lying.
---
Adrian came later that afternoon.
He brought coffee.
He sat beside my bed without saying anything.
I studied him.
“You said we've been together for three years.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me something about me.”
He smiled faintly.
“You hate coffee.”
I looked at the cup in his hand.
“Then why did you bring me coffee?”
He stared at it.
“I forgot.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“You forgot?”
“Yes.”
I smiled.
“That's strange.”
“What is?”
“You've supposedly known me for three years.”
He leaned back.
“You've changed.”
“Have I?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
His eyes moved toward the window.
“You're quieter.”
I stared at him.
“What was I like before?”
He didn't answer.
“Adrian?”
“You asked too many questions.”
I laughed softly.
“I still do.”
“No.”
His voice was suddenly serious.
“You didn't.”
The room became silent.
He looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.
Not fear that I had lost my memory.
Fear that I might get it back.
I leaned forward.
“Were you with me the night of the accident?”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
“We were driving home.”
“And?”
“A truck came out of nowhere.”
“Did I say anything?”
He hesitated.
“What?”
“Before the crash.”
His jaw tightened.
“You were scared.”
“What did I say?”
He looked directly into my eyes.
“You said my name.”
I waited.
“Just my name?”
“Yes.”
I knew he was lying.
I could feel it.
I just didn't know why.
---
That evening, I finally got my hands on a phone.
The nurse left it on the counter while changing my medication.
I waited.
Then I grabbed it.
I searched my own name.
LIYANA MKHIZE.
Hundreds of results appeared.
Business articles.
Charity events.
Photographs.
A woman who looked exactly like me smiled from every screen.
I scrolled.
Then I stopped.
There was an article from six months ago.
LOCAL HEIRESS DISAPPEARS FROM PUBLIC EYE
I opened it.
The article was short.
Liyana Mkhize, daughter of prominent businessman Sibusiso Mkhize, had reportedly withdrawn from public life following an undisclosed family matter.
Six months ago.
I frowned.
Why had I disappeared?
I searched again.
Nothing.
Then I saw something.
A photograph.
It showed me standing beside my mother.
And beside us...
A girl.
My face.
My eyes.
My smile.
My blood turned cold.
I zoomed in.
The caption read:
THE MKHIZE TWINS CELEBRATE THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY.
Twins.
I dropped the phone.
My heart began pounding.
“Liyana?”
I looked toward the door.
Adrian stood there.
His eyes moved from me to the phone.
Then to the screen.
He saw the photograph.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get that?”
I stared at him.
“Who is she?”
He didn't answer.
“Who is the other girl?”
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“Liyana.”
“Who is she?”
He stepped toward me.
“That's an old photograph.”
“I can see that.”
“It's nothing.”
“Then why did my mother lie?”
He stopped.
“What?”
“I asked her if I had a sister.”
His face went blank.
“She said no.”
Adrian slowly sat down.
“Your mother was protecting you.”
“From what?”
He looked at the photograph.
“From the truth.”
My breathing stopped.
“What truth?”
Before he could answer, the door opened.
My mother walked in.
She looked at Adrian.
Then at the phone.
Then at me.
She understood immediately.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
“Liyana.”
“What's her name?”
My mother didn't move.
“What's her name?”
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Elena.”
The name echoed through the room.
My hands began shaking.
“Who is Elena?”
My mother closed her eyes.
“She was your sister.”
“Was?”
“She died.”
“When?”
My mother looked at me.
“Seven years ago.”
I stared at her.
“But the article says we were eighteen.”
“You're confused.”
“No.”
I held up the phone.
“The article is dated six months ago.”
My mother went pale.
I looked between her and Adrian.
“You both knew.”
Nobody spoke.
Then my mother walked toward me.
“There are things you don't remember because remembering them could destroy you.”
“Why?”
She reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
“Why?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because Elena didn't die seven years ago.”
I froze.
My mother whispered:
“She died three days ago.”
The room went silent.
My mind couldn't process it.
“What?”
“She was alive three days ago.”
“Where?”
My mother's lips trembled.
“She was here.”
My eyes widened.
“Here?”
“In this hospital.”
I looked toward the door.
“Why?”
My mother didn't answer.
Adrian stood up.
“That's enough.”
I turned toward him.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You don't understand what you're asking.”
“Then make me understand.”
He stared at me for several seconds.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“Elena wasn't your sister.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“She was your—”
A loud crash came from the corridor.
Everyone turned.
A nurse screamed.
Adrian rushed toward the door.
My mother grabbed my arm.
“Don't move.”
“What happened?”
She looked terrified.
Then she whispered:
“Someone found us.”
The lights suddenly went out.
The hospital fell into darkness.
And from somewhere inside my room...
I heard a woman's voice.
My voice.
Whispering directly behind me:
“Liyana...”
I turned around.
Nobody was there.
Then the voice whispered again.
“Don't trust your mother.”
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