SELENA BLACKWOOD

Chapter 4

Selena's POV ☘️

"Where did you get that?"

Josh's voice was barely above a whisper.

I stared at him.

I had expected surprise.

Maybe confusion.

What I hadn't expected was fear.

Real fear.

The kind that made his face lose all its color.

I slowly reached beneath my pillow and pulled out the photograph.

I held it between us.

"This was on my desk."

Josh didn't take his eyes off it.

"Who put it there?"

"I don't know."

"When did you find it?"

"Just now."

He stepped into my room and closed the door behind him.

I frowned.

"Why are you closing the door?"

"Because I don't want anyone hearing this conversation."

My heart began beating faster.

"Josh, what's going on?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he walked toward me and took the photograph from my hand.

His fingers tightened around the edges.

He stared at it for several seconds.

"You remember this?"

I shook my head.

"No."

His eyes snapped toward mine.

"You don't?"

"No."

He looked relieved.

And somehow, that scared me even more.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Don't say nothing."

I stepped closer.

"You've been saying that since yesterday."

Josh looked away.

"Selena, there are things you don't understand."

"Then explain them."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because it's not that simple."

I laughed bitterly.

"Of course it isn't."

I folded my arms.

"Apparently nothing in this family is simple."

He flinched.

I noticed.

"So you do know something."

Josh remained silent.

"Who is she?"

He looked at the photograph again.

"That's you."

"I know that's me."

"No."

His voice was different now.

Softer.

"You don't understand."

"Then help me understand."

He rubbed his forehead.

"That's you, Selena."

"I know."

"Not just a picture of you."

I stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

He hesitated.

"That picture was taken before..."

He stopped.

"Before what?"

He shook his head.

"Forget I said anything."

I grabbed his arm.

"No."

He looked at me.

"You're not doing this again."

"Doing what?"

"Giving me half an answer and walking away."

His jaw tightened.

"You think I want this?"

"I don't know what you want anymore."

That silenced him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I pointed at the photograph.

"Why does it say You should have stayed hidden?"

Josh looked at the words.

His expression changed again.

"You need to give that to Dad."

"No."

"Selena."

"No."

I pulled the photograph away.

"If Dad wanted me to know something, he could tell me himself."

Josh's face hardened.

"You don't know what you're dealing with."

"Neither do you."

"I know more than you think."

"Then tell me."

He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

I waited.

He looked toward the door.

Then back at me.

Finally, he whispered,

"Do you remember when you were eight?"

I frowned.

"Of course I remember being eight."

"Do you remember what happened that year?"

I thought about it.

Birthday parties.

School.

Zara.

My parents.

Nothing unusual.

"Not really."

Josh nodded slowly.

"Exactly."

My stomach twisted.

"What does that mean?"

Before he could answer, someone knocked on the door.

We both froze.

"Selena?"

Mom.

Josh immediately slipped the photograph into his pocket.

I stared at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Trust me."

The door opened.

Mom stood there.

Her expression was calm.

Too calm.

She looked at Josh.

Then at me.

Then at the photograph-shaped outline in his pocket.

For half a second, something flashed across her face.

Fear.

Then it disappeared.

"Your father wants to see you."

"Me?"

She nodded.

"Now."

I looked at Josh.

He shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Don't go.

But Mom was already stepping aside.

"Come with me."

I followed her.

---

The hallway felt longer than usual.

Mom walked ahead of me without saying a word.

I watched her back.

For the first time in my life, I wondered if I actually knew my mother.

"Mom?"

She stopped.

"Yes?"

"Who is the girl in the photograph?"

Her shoulders stiffened.

Only for a second.

Then she turned around.

"What photograph?"

I almost laughed.

"Exactly."

She stared at me.

"Selena..."

"Josh knows about it."

Her face went pale.

There it was.

Another reaction.

Another confirmation.

Everyone knew.

Everyone except me.

She looked away.

"You shouldn't be asking these questions."

"Why?"

"Because some answers aren't meant for you."

I stared at her.

"Then why does everyone keep acting like I'm supposed to know them?"

She didn't answer.

Instead, she opened the door to Dad's office.

My father was standing by the window.

His back was turned toward us.

Josh was already inside.

He looked at me.

His expression said everything.

Be careful.

Dad slowly turned around.

His eyes landed on me.

Then on Mom.

"Leave us."

Mom hesitated.

"But—"

"I said leave us."

She nodded.

The door closed.

I was alone with my father.

He walked toward his desk.

"Sit."

I didn't move.

"Why?"

"Because we need to talk."

"About the photograph?"

His expression changed.

Just slightly.

"You found it."

It wasn't a question.

I swallowed.

"Yes."

He closed his eyes for a moment.

Then opened them again.

"Where?"

"My room."

"Who gave it to you?"

"I don't know."

"Did anyone see it?"

"Josh."

His jaw tightened.

"Of course."

I stared at him.

"What is going on?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he walked to a cabinet and opened it.

He pulled out a small black box.

My heart began pounding.

He placed it on the desk.

"Do you know what this is?"

I shook my head.

He opened it.

Inside was a necklace.

A small silver pendant.

I recognized it.

My fingers went cold.

I had seen it before.

In the photograph.

Around the neck of the little girl.

Around my neck.

"You've worn this before," Dad said.

I stared at him.

"Where is it now?"

He closed the box.

"That's the problem."

"What problem?"

He looked directly at me.

"You're not supposed to have remembered any of this."

My heart stopped.

"Remembered what?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he walked toward me.

For the first time in my life, my father looked genuinely afraid.

"Selena..."

His voice cracked.

"You need to listen to me very carefully."

I nodded slowly.

"Whatever you think you heard yesterday..."

He paused.

"Whatever you think you saw..."

Another pause.

"Forget it."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because the people involved will not stop until they know exactly what you remember."

My blood ran cold.

"What people?"

He didn't answer.

"Who are they?"

Still nothing.

"Dad!"

He slammed his hand against the desk.

"Enough!"

I flinched.

The room went silent.

He took a deep breath.

Then lowered his voice.

"I am trying to protect you."

"From who?"

His eyes met mine.

And for the first time, I saw something in them I had never seen before.

Fear.

Not anger.

Not disappointment.

Fear.

"From the same people your mother and I have been protecting you from your entire life."

My breathing stopped.

"What?"

Before he could say anything else, there was a loud crash downstairs.

Everyone froze.

Dad's head snapped toward the door.

Josh stood up.

"Stay here."

He moved toward the door.

I followed.

"Josh—"

He turned.

"Selena."

His expression was serious.

"Whatever happens next, don't leave this room."

A second crash echoed through the house.

Then came a scream.

Mom.

My heart dropped.

"Mom!"

I pushed past Josh.

"Selena, wait!"

But I was already running.

I raced down the stairs.

The house was chaos.

Maids were running.

Someone had dropped a tray.

The front door was wide open.

And standing in the middle of the living room was a man I'd never seen before.

He slowly turned toward me.

Our eyes met.

And he smiled.

Not warmly.

Not kindly.

Like he had been waiting for me.

His gaze dropped to my neck.

Then back to my face.

"Well," he said quietly.

"So she finally remembers."

I froze.

Josh came running down behind me.

The man's smile widened.

"Interesting."

Then he looked directly at my brother.

"You didn't tell her, did you?"

Josh stopped.

I looked at him.

"What didn't he tell me?"

Nobody answered.

The man's smile disappeared.

And suddenly, I understood something.

The photograph wasn't the beginning.

It was only the first thing they had allowed me to find.