Before You Found Me

A HOUSE BUILT ON SILENCE

The car stopped in front of a mansion surrounded by iron gates.

Isla looked through the window.

"This can't be his house."

"It is."

She stared at the enormous property in disbelief.

The gates opened slowly, revealing a long driveway lined with old oak trees. Their branches stretched toward one another above the road, creating a dark tunnel that seemed to lead into another world.

At the end of the driveway stood the mansion.

Beautiful.

Cold.

Untouchable.

The building was enormous, with tall windows, stone walls, and balconies decorated with black iron railings.

Isla swallowed.

She suddenly felt very aware of the simple clothes she was wearing.

"This is where Adrian Hale lives?"

The driver nodded.

"Yes."

She looked back at the gates as they closed behind them.

For some reason, the sound made her uneasy.

It felt like the outside world had disappeared.

The car finally stopped at the entrance.

A man in a dark suit opened her door.

"Miss Bennett."

Isla stepped out.

She looked up at the mansion.

Nothing about it felt welcoming.

It was too quiet.

Too perfect.

Too controlled.

Inside, everything was even more impressive.

Polished marble floors reflected the soft golden lights hanging from the ceiling. Paintings covered the walls, each one framed in gold. A massive staircase curved upward toward the second floor.

But despite all the luxury...

There was no warmth.

No music.

No laughter.

No sound of people talking.

Just silence.

Isla slowly walked forward.

The house felt less like a home...

And more like a place where people obeyed.

She turned toward the man who had brought her.

"Where is Adrian?"

"He's upstairs."

"Is he still recovering?"

"He's resting."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

Before the man could answer, another voice spoke.

"Because he asked for you."

Isla turned.

A woman in her sixties stood near the staircase.

She wore a simple dark dress, and her silver hair was neatly tied behind her head.

Unlike everyone else Isla had met since the accident, the woman smiled.

A genuine smile.

"Welcome, Miss Bennett."

"Thank you."

"I'm Evelyn."

She walked toward Isla.

"I've worked here for thirty years."

"Thirty years?"

Evelyn nodded.

"Long enough to know every corner of this house."

Isla glanced around.

"Then you must know Adrian very well."

Evelyn's smile faded slightly.

"I know the man he became."

The strange answer made Isla pause.

"What does that mean?"

Evelyn looked toward the staircase.

"Perhaps you'll understand soon."

She noticed Isla looking around.

"It feels lonely, doesn't it?"

Isla nodded.

"It is."

For a moment, Evelyn looked almost sad.

"Mr. Hale doesn't like noise."

"Why?"

"He says silence helps him think."

"Does it?"

Evelyn gave a quiet laugh.

"No."

"Then why keep everything so quiet?"

"Because some people become comfortable with their loneliness."

Isla didn't know what to say.

Evelyn motioned toward a nearby sitting room.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, but I'm not really thirsty."

"You should eat something."

"I'm fine."

Evelyn studied her.

"You saved his life."

"I just did what anyone would have done."

"No."

Evelyn's voice was gentle.

"Most people stood there and watched."

Isla remembered the crowd.

People had stared.

Some had taken out their phones.

Some had waited.

She had been the only one who ran toward the burning car.

"I couldn't just stand there."

"I know."

Evelyn smiled.

"That's why he wanted to meet you."

Isla frowned.

"Why?"

Evelyn didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she looked toward the staircase.

"Come."

They began walking upstairs.

The hallway on the second floor was even quieter.

Isla noticed several doors.

All closed.

As they passed one, she heard something.

A faint sound.

Like someone arguing.

She stopped.

Evelyn noticed.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Listen."

Isla looked at her.

"What was that?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"But-"

"Mr. Hale doesn't like people asking questions about this house."

Isla's eyebrows lifted.

"Then why bring me here?"

Evelyn smiled sadly.

"Because you're already involved."

Those words made Isla uncomfortable.

They continued walking.

At the end of the hallway stood a large wooden door.

Two men stood outside it.

Both immediately straightened when they saw Isla.

Evelyn nodded to them.

"He's awake."

One of the men opened the door.

Isla stopped.

She suddenly felt nervous.

She had seen Adrian twice.

Once inside a wrecked car.

Once on a television screen.

Neither time had she spoken to him properly.

Now she was about to meet him in his own home.

A home that felt like it was hiding something.

Evelyn touched her shoulder gently.

"Don't be afraid."

"I'm not."

Evelyn smiled.

"You're a terrible liar."

Then she walked away.

Isla took a slow breath.

She entered.

The room was large but surprisingly simple.

A dark wooden desk stood near the window.

Bookshelves covered one wall.

A fireplace sat on the opposite side.

And near the windows...

Adrian Hale stood with his back toward her.

He was wearing a black shirt.

His right arm was wrapped in a bandage.

There was another small bandage near his forehead.

But somehow, even injured, he carried the same intimidating presence she remembered.

He turned.

Their eyes met.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Adrian said,

"You came."

Isla crossed her arms.

"You asked me to."

"I did."

"You also scared me."

His expression remained calm.

"How?"

"Two men appeared at my apartment."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"I didn't send them."

Isla stared at him.

"Then who did?"

"I don't know."

She studied his face.

He seemed serious.

"You don't know?"

"No."

"Someone sent men to my apartment claiming to work for you."

Adrian walked slowly toward the desk.

"They weren't mine."

"Then who were they?"

"I told you. I don't know."

Isla frowned.

"That's convenient."

For the first time, something almost resembling amusement appeared in his eyes.

"You don't trust me."

"Should I?"

"No."

The answer surprised her.

Adrian looked toward the window.

"You shouldn't trust anyone right now."

"Why?"

He remained silent.

"Adrian."

He turned toward her.

"Because the people who tried to kill me haven't stopped."

The room suddenly felt colder.

Isla's voice became quieter.

"Why?"

Adrian looked at her for a long moment.

"Because I know something they don't want the world to know."

"What?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he walked toward a locked cabinet beside the desk.

He pulled a small key from his pocket.

Isla watched carefully as he unlocked it.

Inside were several documents.

Photographs.

A black folder.

Adrian picked up one photograph.

His expression changed.

"This was taken three weeks ago."

He handed it to her.

Isla looked down.

The photograph showed Adrian standing outside a large building.

But he wasn't alone.

A second man stood beside him.

Isla stared at the stranger.

"Who is that?"

"My brother."

She looked up.

"You have a brother?"

"Had."

The word hung heavily in the room.

Isla looked back at the photograph.

"What happened to him?"

Adrian's expression became unreadable.

"He died."

"When?"

"Four years ago."

"How?"

Adrian took the photograph from her hand.

"That's the problem."

He placed it back inside the folder.

"His death was ruled an accident."

Isla's heart sank.

"Just like yours?"

Adrian looked directly at her.

"Exactly."

Silence filled the room.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

The accident.

The mysterious SUV.

The strange men.

The warning.

The hidden fear behind Adrian's calm expression.

"Someone has been trying to kill you for years," Isla whispered.

Adrian nodded.

"And now they know about you."

Isla's heart began pounding.

"Why me?"

"Because you saved me."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It does if they believe you saw something."

"I didn't see anything."

Adrian stepped closer.

"You saw the SUV."

Isla froze.

"You saw the vehicle that hit me."

She remembered.

The black SUV.

The brief glimpse of the driver.

She hadn't thought much about it at the time.

But now...

She remembered something.

A symbol.

Something hanging from the rearview mirror.

A small silver pendant.

Her eyes widened.

"I remember something."

Adrian immediately focused on her.

"What?"

"The SUV."

"What about it?"

"There was something hanging inside."

"What?"

"A silver symbol."

Adrian's face changed.

"What kind of symbol?"

"I don't know."

"Describe it."

"It looked like..."

She closed her eyes, trying to remember.

"A circle."

Adrian went completely still.

Inside the quiet mansion...

Something crashed downstairs.

Both of them turned toward the door.

Then came hurried footsteps.

Someone shouted from the hallway.

"Mr. Hale!"

Adrian immediately moved toward the door.

"What happened?"

The voice outside trembled.

"Sir..."

A pause.

"They found the house."

Adrian's expression hardened.

He looked at Isla.

"Stay behind me."

And for the first time since entering the mansion...

Isla realized something terrifying.

The people hunting Adrian had finally found them.