Chapter 10: The House We Left Behind
1991 Words
Daniel's messages stayed on my screen the entire drive.
You really should have stayed out of this.
I read it again.
Then I locked my phone.
Adrian glanced at me.
“You're quiet.”
“I'm thinking.”
“That's usually dangerous with you.”
I looked at him.
“Do you ever stop teasing?”
“No.”
“Good. I was starting to think you were boring.”
He smiled.
But the smile disappeared when we reached the old neighborhood.
I hadn't been here in years.
The streets looked smaller than I remembered.
The houses looked older.
Even the trees seemed different.
I stared through the window.
“My mother used to hate this road.”
“Why?”
“She said it was too quiet.”
Adrian looked at me.
“Maybe she knew something.”
I didn't answer.
The house appeared at the end of the street.
My chest tightened.
It had been empty since my mother died.
I hadn't returned since the funeral.
I wasn't sure why.
Maybe because some places held memories you weren't ready to face.
Adrian parked across the street.
“You don't have to do this tonight.”
“I do.”
“You're sure?”
I nodded.
“We already came this far.”
He turned off the engine.
“Then we go together.”
I looked at him.
“You're really not leaving me alone, are you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
He was quiet for a moment.
“Because your mother asked me not to.”
I looked away.
I didn't know why that answer affected me so much.
We crossed the street.
The gate creaked when I pushed it open.
The front door was locked.
I searched through my bag.
“I don't have the key.”
Adrian looked at me.
“Try the flower pot.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“Your mother used to hide a spare key under it.”
I stared at him.
“How do you know that?”
He smiled.
“I told you. I knew her.”
I moved the pot.
Nothing.
I checked another.
Still nothing.
Then I saw a small crack underneath the third pot.
I reached inside.
My fingers touched metal.
I pulled out the key.
I stared at it.
“You really knew her.”
“Yes.”
I unlocked the door.
The smell of dust and old wood filled the air.
I stepped inside.
Everything was exactly how I remembered it.
The old sofa.
The wooden cabinet.
The family photographs.
I walked slowly toward the living room.
There was a photograph of my mother on the wall.
I stopped.
She was smiling.
Happy.
Alive.
I reached up and touched the frame.
“I miss her.”
Adrian stood beside me.
“I know.”
I looked at him.
“You miss her too?”
He nodded.
“She saved my life once.”
I stared at him.
“What happened?”
“Another time.”
I sighed.
“You always say that.”
“And you're still asking.”
“Because one day you'll answer.”
He smiled.
“Maybe.”
I walked toward the stairs.
“My room was upstairs.”
We climbed quietly.
My old bedroom door was covered with stickers I had forgotten about.
I opened it.
The room was smaller than I remembered.
My old desk was still there.
A bookshelf.
An old mirror.
And the bed.
I stared at it.
“This is weird.”
“What?”
“Seeing this again.”
Adrian leaned against the doorway.
“Take your time.”
I nodded.
Then I remembered the video.
The photograph of my childhood bedroom.
The wooden box.
I dropped to my knees beside the bed.
I reached underneath.
Nothing.
I moved the mattress.
Nothing.
I checked the closet.
Nothing.
Adrian watched me.
“Are you sure it was here?”
“Yes.”
“I remember it.”
“What did it look like?”
“Brown wood. Small. My mother kept letters inside.”
I searched again.
Then I noticed a loose floorboard.
I stared at it.
“Adrian.”
He walked over.
“What?”
I pointed.
He crouched down and pulled it up.
Underneath was a small wooden box.
My heart jumped.
I picked it up.
There was a lock.
I pulled the silver key from my pocket.
The same key.
Click.
The box opened.
Inside were old letters.
Photographs.
And a small envelope.
My name was written on it.
I froze.
“That's for you.”
I opened it.
The first line made my chest tighten.
My daughter,
I swallowed.
Adrian remained silent.
I continued reading.
If you found this, then I wasn't able to protect you the way I wanted to.
My eyes filled with tears.
I wiped them away.
There are things I never told you because knowing them would have put you in danger.
I kept reading.
You will probably hate me for keeping secrets. I hope one day you understand why.
I took a shaky breath.
Then I reached the most important part.
The people you should fear are not always the ones standing against you. Sometimes they're the ones standing beside you.
I stopped.
I looked at Adrian.
He was staring at the floor.
I continued.
There are three people you must never trust.
My heart started beating faster.
Underneath that was a list.
The first name:
Daniel.
I wasn't surprised.
The second:
Vanessa.
I stared at it.
My heart sank.
Vanessa had helped me.
She had warned me.
She had given me Elena's address.
But my mother had specifically warned me about her.
Then I saw the third name.
My hands went cold.
Adrian.
I slowly lowered the letter.
He noticed my expression.
“What?”
I couldn't answer.
He walked closer.
“What did you find?”
I held out the letter.
He read it.
His face became completely still.
For the first time since I met him, Adrian looked genuinely afraid.
“You knew.”
He looked at me.
“I didn't know she wrote that.”
“You knew she didn't trust you.”
“I knew she didn't trust anyone.”
“But she specifically named you.”
He shook his head.
“I don't know why.”
I stepped away.
“Don't come closer.”
He stopped.
“I can explain.”
“Then explain.”
“I can't.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
“I swear I never betrayed your mother.”
“Then why would she tell me not to trust you?”
“I don't know.”
I looked at the box.
“Maybe because she knew something about you that I don't.”
He didn't answer.
That silence hurt more than anything he could have said.
I picked up another photograph.
It showed my mother, Elena, and Adrian.
They were standing together.
But Adrian looked much younger.
There was another person beside them.
Daniel.
I turned the photograph over.
There was a date.
Three months before my mother died.
My heart sank.
“Why were all of you together?”
Adrian looked at the photograph.
“We were trying to protect her.”
“From Meridian?”
“Yes.”
“Then why was Daniel there?”
Adrian hesitated.
“He wasn't working against us yet.”
“Yet?”
He nodded.
“Daniel changed sides.”
“Why?”
“Money.”
I stared at him.
“And you?”
“I stayed.”
“Why?”
“Because of your mother.”
I looked down at the letter.
“Then why did she warn me about you?”
He had no answer.
Suddenly, something outside caught my attention.
A car had stopped in front of the house.
I stood.
“Someone's here.”
Adrian moved toward the window.
His expression changed.
“It's Daniel.”
My stomach dropped.
“How did he find us?”
“I don't know.”
I looked at the box.
“We need to hide this.”
Adrian nodded.
“Take the letter.”
“What about the rest?”
“We can't carry everything.”
I grabbed the envelope and the USB.
Then I heard the front door open downstairs.
Daniel had entered the house.
My heart pounded.
Adrian looked at me.
“There's another way out.”
“Where?”
“Window.”
I looked outside.
“We're on the second floor.”
“There's a balcony.”
“That's your plan?”
“Do you have a better one?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“Then move.”
We reached the balcony.
Adrian climbed over the railing first.
Then he reached for my hand.
I hesitated.
He looked at me.
“Trust me.”
I almost laughed.
“That's a terrible choice of words right now.”
“Fair.”
Footsteps echoed upstairs.
Daniel was getting closer.
I grabbed Adrian's hand.
He helped me down.
We climbed onto the lower roof and moved toward the back.
Then I heard Daniel's voice.
“She's not here.”
I froze.
Adrian pulled me closer to the wall.
Daniel walked into my old bedroom.
I could hear him moving things.
Then silence.
He found the box.
My heart stopped.
A few seconds later, Daniel shouted.
“No.”
Adrian looked at me.
I covered my mouth.
Daniel had realized the records were gone.
Then his voice changed.
“She's found it.”
He made a phone call.
“I need the others here.”
A pause.
“No. She's with Adrian.”
Another pause.
“I don't care what it takes.”
My stomach tightened.
Daniel ended the call.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“She's going to her mother's grave.”
I looked at Adrian.
“How does he know?”
Adrian's face became serious.
“Maybe because he's been watching you.”
“Then we can't go there.”
“No.”
I held the envelope tightly.
“What do we do?”
Adrian looked at me.
“We make him think we're going.”
I smiled slowly.
“Then we make him follow us.”
He understood immediately.
“You want to set a trap.”
“Yes.”
“For Daniel?”
“For everyone.”
I looked toward the house.
For three years, Daniel had been watching me.
Lying to me.
Manipulating me.
Making me believe I was the one who didn't understand.
But now I had something he wanted.
Something my mother had hidden from him for years.
And for the first time, I had the advantage.
I leaned closer to Adrian.
“We're going to give Daniel exactly what he wants.”
“What?”
I smiled.
“A chance to catch me.”
He stared at me.
Then he smiled.
“I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Liked?”
He looked amused.
“Don't push it.”
I smiled.
“Too late.”
We disappeared into the darkness before Daniel could see us.
But neither of us noticed the second car parked behind the house.
And inside it, Vanessa was watching.
She had heard everything.
She slowly picked up her phone.
Then she called Daniel.
“I found them.”
A pause.
“They have the letter.”
Another pause.
Vanessa looked toward the roof where we had escaped.
Then she whispered,
“No.”
Her voice trembled.
“They don't know what the letter really says.”
Daniel went silent.
Then he asked one question.
“What do you mean?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Your name isn't the worst part.”
She looked at the house.
“There's another name written underneath Adrian's.”
Daniel's voice became cold.
“Whose?”
Vanessa hesitated.
Then answered.
“Your mother's.”
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