Chapter 7: Six Years Ago
2044 Words
I couldn't take my eyes off the photograph.
My face was there.
There was no denying it.
The same eyes.
The same smile.
The same small scar near my eyebrow.
It was me.
But the date at the bottom of the photograph made no sense.
Six years ago.
I was standing beside Daniel, Vanessa, Adrian, and Elena as if we had all known each other for years.
I looked at Elena.
“This isn't possible.”
She didn't answer.
“Who took this?”
“Someone who knew exactly what was happening.”
“That's not what I asked.”
“I know.”
I picked up the photograph.
“That's me.”
“Yes.”
“I wasn't here.”
Elena watched me carefully.
“You were.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I would remember.”
“You were younger.”
“I know what I looked like six years ago.”
“You were twenty.”
I froze.
She knew my age.
“How do you know that?”
She didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“How do you know me?”
Elena sighed.
“Because I knew your family.”
My stomach tightened.
“My family?”
“Yes.”
“What does my family have to do with Daniel?”
“Everything.”
I stared at her.
“Stop speaking in riddles.”
She smiled faintly.
“You sound exactly like your mother.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
I swallowed.
“You knew my mother?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She worked with my family.”
I couldn't speak.
My mother had always kept her past private.
Whenever I asked about her work, she would simply say it was complicated.
I never thought much about it.
Not until now.
“What did she do?”
Elena walked toward the table.
“She worked for Meridian.”
My heart stopped.
“That's impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because my mother never mentioned it.”
“She wouldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted you away from this.”
I shook my head.
“This doesn't make sense.”
“It will.”
Elena opened a drawer and pulled out another photograph.
This one was older.
My mother was standing beside a man I didn't recognize.
Behind them was the same Meridian logo.
I stared at it.
“When was this?”
“Seven years ago.”
I felt dizzy.
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because she was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
Elena looked at me.
“From the same people you're dealing with now.”
I took a step backward.
“Who are they?”
“We don't know all of them.”
“But you know some.”
“Yes.”
“Daniel?”
She nodded.
“Daniel is one of them.”
My chest tightened.
“What did he do?”
“Not everything was his idea.”
“That doesn't excuse him.”
“No.”
She looked at the photograph.
“But you need to understand something.”
“What?”
“Daniel didn't choose you because he loved you.”
I stared at her.
The words hurt more than I expected.
“Then why?”
“Because of your mother.”
I laughed.
It sounded broken.
“My mother?”
“She had something they wanted.”
“What?”
“A record.”
“What kind of record?”
“Financial records.”
I frowned.
“That's it?”
“No.”
Elena's expression became serious.
“It contained the names of everyone involved.”
I stared at her.
“And my mother had it?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it now?”
“We don't know.”
I looked at the photograph again.
“Then why am I in this picture?”
Elena hesitated.
“Because you were part of the plan.”
My heart dropped.
“What plan?”
“Daniel was supposed to get close to you.”
I felt sick.
“He was supposed to make you trust him.”
“And then?”
“Find out what your mother left with you.”
I shook my head.
“I didn't have anything.”
Elena looked at me.
“You did.”
“What?”
“Your mother gave you something before she died.”
My entire body went still.
“What are you talking about?”
Elena's eyes softened.
“She gave you a necklace.”
I instinctively touched the necklace around my neck.
I had worn it for years.
My mother gave it to me when I was younger.
I never took it off.
Elena stared at it.
“There.”
I looked down.
“This?”
“Yes.”
I held the pendant.
“You're saying this contains something?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then what?”
“Open it.”
I frowned.
“I've tried.”
“Not the way you're supposed to.”
She reached toward it.
I stepped back.
“Don't.”
She stopped.
“Fair.”
I looked at the pendant.
It was small and silver.
Nothing special.
At least, that's what I had always believed.
Elena pointed at the tiny line around the edge.
“There's a hidden compartment.”
I looked closer.
There was a small seam.
I had never noticed it.
My hands started shaking.
“How do I open it?”
“You need something your mother gave you.”
“What?”
“A key.”
“I don't have a key.”
Elena looked at me.
“Yes, you do.”
I thought for a moment.
Then I remembered.
A tiny silver key.
It had been in an old jewelry box.
My mother had told me never to lose it.
I had forgotten about it years ago.
I pulled out my phone.
“I need to go home.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because they know you're here.”
My blood ran cold.
“How?”
Elena looked toward the door.
“You weren't followed?”
“No.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
She walked toward the window.
“Then why did the lights turn on?”
I looked around.
She was right.
The building had been completely dark when I entered.
“Who turned them on?”
Elena didn't answer.
Then we heard a sound outside.
A car.
Another.
Elena's face changed.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
“Go.”
“What?”
“Now.”
She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward a back door.
“What about Adrian?”
Her expression tightened.
“We don't have time.”
“I need to know where he is.”
“You'll find out.”
“How?”
She opened the door.
“Trust me.”
I stared at her.
“You've spent the entire night telling me not to trust people.”
She smiled.
“And now I'm asking you to trust me.”
Footsteps echoed from the other side of the building.
Someone shouted.
“Check the rooms!”
My heart started pounding.
Elena pushed me through the door.
“Run.”
I ran.
I didn't look back.
I heard another door slam behind me.
Then footsteps.
I ran faster.
I had no idea where I was going.
I only knew I needed to get away.
I reached the street.
My phone finally caught a signal.
I immediately called Adrian.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then I saw a black car parked across the road.
The same car I had seen outside the café.
My stomach dropped.
I turned around.
Another car was approaching.
I had nowhere to go.
Then someone grabbed my hand.
I nearly screamed.
“It's me.”
Adrian.
I stared at him.
“You're alive.”
He gave me a tired smile.
“Disappointed?”
I hit his chest.
Hard.
“You disappeared!”
“I know.”
“I thought something happened to you.”
“Something did.”
“What?”
He looked behind me.
“Later.”
I stared at him.
“You knew about Elena.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was meeting me.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about my mother.”
He went silent.
That was enough.
I stepped away.
“You knew.”
“I knew some of it.”
“How much?”
“Not enough.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“You always say that.”
He looked at me.
“I couldn't tell you everything.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn't know who was watching you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying they're protecting me.”
“Because they are.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You're all protecting yourselves.”
His expression changed.
“You're wrong.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
He stepped closer.
“I knew your mother.”
My heart stopped.
“You knew her?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She asked me to watch over you.”
I stared at him.
“When?”
“Before she died.”
My eyes widened.
“You're lying.”
“I wish I was.”
“Then why did you get close to me?”
“I didn't.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“I stayed away from you.”
He looked at me.
“Until Daniel started getting close.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You knew Daniel was approaching me.”
“Yes.”
“And you did nothing?”
“I watched.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother made me promise.”
“What promise?”
“That I would protect you without letting you know I was protecting you.”
I stared at him.
“That makes no sense.”
“It was the only way.”
I looked away.
My mind was spinning.
The photograph.
My mother.
Daniel.
Meridian.
The necklace.
Adrian.
Everything was connected.
Then I remembered something.
“You said Daniel didn't choose me because he loved me.”
Adrian nodded.
“He didn't.”
“Then why did he stay with me for three years?”
“Because he was looking for something.”
“What?”
“Your mother's records.”
I touched the necklace.
“And he never found them.”
“No.”
“Then why is he still with me?”
Adrian looked at me.
“Because he thinks you don't know what you have.”
I swallowed.
“What happens if he finds out?”
Adrian's expression became serious.
“Then he won't need to pretend anymore.”
I stared at him.
“And what happens to me?”
He didn't answer.
I already knew.
I stepped closer.
“Adrian.”
He looked at me.
“If Daniel finds out I know everything, what will he do?”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“He'll try to destroy the evidence.”
“And me?”
He hesitated.
“He may try to destroy you too.”
The words should have terrified me.
Instead, something inside me became strangely calm.
For three years, I thought I was fighting for a relationship.
Now I knew.
I had never been fighting for Daniel.
I had been fighting against him.
I looked down at the necklace around my neck.
Then I smiled.
Adrian frowned.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because he made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He spent three years thinking I was clueless.”
I looked at him.
“And now he has no idea how much I know.”
Adrian smiled.
“That might be the first advantage we've had.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
I looked toward the street.
“It's not an advantage.”
“What is it?”
I touched the necklace.
“It's the beginning.”
Because Daniel thought he was still playing the game.
He didn't know the rules had changed.
And this time, I wasn't going to wait for him to make the next move.
I was going to make mine.
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