Chapter Twelve — The Hidden Enemy
1279 Words
Chapter Twelve — The Hidden Enemy
Emma drove through the darkness with both hands gripping the steering wheel.
Sandra sat beside him, still trembling.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes.
The sound of the gunshot kept replaying in Sandra’s mind.
“Emma.”
“I’m here.”
“What happened to your mother?”
“I don’t know.”
“And Victor?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked at him.
“Do you think they’re alive?”
Emma’s jaw tightened.
“They have to be.”
Sandra reached for his hand.
“You can’t blame yourself.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
He glanced at her.
“I brought you into this.”
“No.”
“I should have protected you.”
“You did.”
She squeezed his hand.
“You ran with me. You didn’t leave me.”
Emma looked at her.
“I will never leave you.”
Sandra leaned against the seat.
“I believe you.”
They continued driving until they reached the old house.
Emma parked behind the building and locked the doors.
They entered through the back.
Sandra immediately noticed something strange.
The front door was open.
“Emma.”
He stopped.
“Stay behind me.”
They moved carefully through the house.
The living room was empty.
Then they heard a sound upstairs.
Emma grabbed a heavy object from the table.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
He slowly climbed the stairs.
Sandra followed closely.
They reached the hallway.
A bedroom door was slightly open.
Emma pushed it.
Inside, everything had been turned upside down.
Drawers were open.
Papers covered the floor.
Someone had searched the room.
Sandra picked up one of the papers.
“Emma.”
He looked at it.
It was an old financial document.
At the bottom was a signature.
Richard Hayes.
Emma stared at it.
“Someone is looking for these documents.”
Sandra nodded.
“Why?”
“Because they could destroy whoever is behind all this.”
Suddenly, Emma heard movement downstairs.
He grabbed Sandra’s hand.
“Someone’s here.”
They rushed down the stairs.
But the front door slammed shut.
Emma ran toward it.
Locked.
He tried the handle.
Nothing.
Then the lights went out.
Sandra gasped.
“Emma!”
“I’m here.”
A voice came from the darkness.
“You should have stayed away.”
Emma immediately recognized it.
“Marcus.”
The lights suddenly came back on.
Marcus stood in the living room.
He wasn’t holding a weapon.
He simply stared at them.
Emma stepped in front of Sandra.
“What did you do with my mother?”
Marcus smiled.
“Your mother is alive.”
Emma’s eyes widened.
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
“And Victor?”
Marcus didn’t answer.
Emma moved closer.
“What did you do to him?”
“Nothing yet.”
Sandra stepped forward.
“Where is my father?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Still alive.”
She breathed out in relief.
“Take me to him.”
Marcus laughed.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
Marcus looked at Emma.
“Your father isn’t the man you think he is.”
Emma shook his head.
“That’s becoming an old story.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“You think Richard is behind everything.”
“Isn’t he?”
“No.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“He started it.”
Emma frowned.
“But he isn’t controlling it anymore.”
“Who is?”
Marcus smiled.
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
Marcus leaned closer.
“Someone who has been waiting for twenty years.”
Sandra’s heart pounded.
“Who?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Your uncle.”
Sandra froze.
“Victor?”
Marcus shook his head.
“Not Victor.”
He paused.
“His partner.”
Emma stared at him.
“Who is his partner?”
Marcus’s phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?”
He listened.
Then his expression changed.
“I understand.”
He ended the call.
Emma stared at him.
“Who called?”
Marcus looked toward the window.
“Someone who wants you alive.”
Emma frowned.
“Why?”
Marcus looked at Sandra.
“Because you are the key.”
Sandra’s face went pale.
“The key to what?”
Marcus didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked toward the door.
Emma grabbed his arm.
“You’re not leaving.”
Marcus turned.
“Let me go.”
“Not until you tell me where my mother is.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Your mother is at the old estate.”
“What estate?”
“The Hayes estate outside the city.”
Emma released him.
“Why would she be there?”
“Because someone took her there.”
“Who?”
Marcus stared at him.
“Your father’s closest friend.”
Emma’s face changed.
“Who?”
Marcus smiled.
“Ask your father.”
Then he walked away.
Emma watched him disappear.
Sandra came closer.
“Do you trust him?”
“No.”
“Then why did he help us?”
“I don’t know.”
Emma looked at the financial documents.
“But I’m going to find out.”
Meanwhile, at the Hayes estate, Elizabeth sat in a locked room.
Her hands were tied.
Across from her sat a man.
He was older, dressed in an expensive black suit.
Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief.
“You.”
He smiled.
“Hello, Elizabeth.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“So did everyone.”
He leaned back.
“Richard believed I was gone.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because Richard took everything from me.”
Elizabeth shook her head.
“You chose this.”
“I chose survival.”
“What do you want?”
He smiled.
“Revenge.”
Elizabeth stared at him.
“And Emma?”
“He is my way back into the Hayes family.”
She shook her head.
“Leave him alone.”
“I can’t.”
“He’s innocent.”
“So was my son.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened.
“Your son?”
The man stood.
“Richard destroyed my family.”
He walked toward the window.
“Now I’ll destroy his.”
Elizabeth whispered:
“Who are you?”
The man turned.
“My name is Alexander Black.”
Elizabeth’s face went white.
“No.”
Alexander smiled.
“Yes.”
At that exact moment, Emma’s phone rang.
He answered.
A man’s voice came through.
“Emma Hayes.”
“Who is this?”
“You don’t know me.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to listen carefully.”
Emma’s expression hardened.
“Where is my mother?”
“Alive.”
“And Sandra’s father?”
“Alive.”
“Then release them.”
A quiet laugh came through the phone.
“Not yet.”
“Who are you?”
The voice answered:
“Ask your father about Alexander Black.”
The call ended.
Emma stared at the phone.
Sandra stepped closer.
“Who was that?”
Emma looked at her.
“Someone named Alexander Black.”
Sandra’s eyes widened.
“Who is he?”
Emma shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
But somewhere inside the old Hayes estate, Elizabeth was staring at Alexander with terror in her eyes.
Because she knew exactly who he was.
And she knew something Emma did not.
Alexander Black wasn’t just an enemy of the Hayes family.
He was the man who had once been Emma’s father’s closest friend.
And he had returned for revenge.
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