Chapter 5
1575 Words
THE WOMAN IN THE RAIN
I ran toward the window.
The curtains moved violently as the wind pushed rain against the glass.
I looked outside.
Nothing.
Only the dark garden.
The old stone fountain.
The twisted trees.
And the iron gates at the edge of the property.
“She’s gone,” I whispered.
Adrian stood behind me.
“Maybe.”
I turned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means whoever took that photograph wanted us to find it.”
“So?”
“So she may never have been standing outside.”
I looked down at the photograph again.
The woman had been photographed from across the street.
She was looking directly at the camera.
Almost as if she knew whoever was taking the picture.
Almost as if she wanted me to see her.
“You think it’s fake?”
“No.”
“Then she’s real.”
Adrian nodded.
“Yes.”
I swallowed.
“Then she’s alive.”
“That’s what it looks like.”
My hands started trembling.
For twenty-four years, I’d believed I was an only child.
For twenty-four years, my parents had allowed me to believe that.
And now a photograph had turned my entire childhood into a lie.
I looked at Adrian.
“Take me to her.”
His expression hardened.
“I don’t know where she is.”
“Then find her.”
“I’ve been trying.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
I stared at him.
“Since my father died?”
“No.”
His voice became quieter.
“Since mine did.”
I didn’t know what to say.
Adrian walked toward the desk.
He picked up the photograph and studied it.
“Where did you get this?”
“It was on my pillow.”
“Who else knew you had the photograph?”
“Nobody.”
He looked at me.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded.
“Absolutely.”
Adrian placed the photograph on the desk.
“Then someone was in this house tonight.”
“I know.”
“And they wanted you to know your sister is alive.”
I stared at the picture.
“Why?”
“That’s the question.”
⸻
THE FAMILY DINNER
At seven that evening, everyone gathered around the dining table.
My mother.
Victoria.
Marcus.
And me.
The atmosphere was unbearable.
Nobody touched their food.
The only sound was the ticking clock.
Finally, Marcus spoke.
“We need to discuss the funeral arrangements.”
“I don’t give a damn about the funeral arrangements.”
Mother looked at me.
“Elena.”
I pushed my plate away.
“I want answers.”
Marcus sighed.
“About what?”
“About my sister.”
Silence.
Victoria dropped her fork.
Mother’s face went completely white.
Marcus slowly looked at me.
“What did you say?”
“My sister.”
Mother whispered:
“Elena, please.”
“Don’t.”
I stood.
“I know.”
Mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“I know about the second baby.”
Marcus looked at Mother.
“You told her?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
I stared at them.
“You both knew.”
Nobody answered.
“Twenty-four years.”
My voice cracked.
“You lied to me for twenty-four f*****g years.”
Mother stood.
“Your father made me promise.”
“Promise what?”
“Never to tell you.”
“Why?”
She started crying.
“Because we thought she was dead.”
“You thought?”
“We were told she died.”
“Who told you?”
Mother looked toward Marcus.
I followed her gaze.
My stomach dropped.
“Marcus.”
He slowly stood.
“I didn’t kill anyone.”
“I didn’t accuse you of killing her.”
“But you’re thinking it.”
“I’m thinking you know exactly what happened.”
Marcus rubbed his face.
“Your father believed your sister was dead.”
“Did you?”
He didn’t answer.
“Did you?”
“No.”
The room went silent.
I felt my chest tighten.
“You knew she was alive.”
Marcus looked at me.
“Not at first.”
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
My heart stopped.
“Six years ago?”
He nodded.
“That’s when everything changed.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because she wasn’t safe.”
“From who?”
Marcus looked at Mother.
Then Victoria.
Then me.
“From the people who wanted your father dead.”
I stepped closer.
“Who are they?”
“I don’t know.”
“Stop f*****g saying that!”
My voice echoed through the dining room.
“You all keep saying you don’t know! But every time I ask a question, somebody looks terrified.”
Mother whispered:
“Elena, please.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“You gave birth to me and another daughter.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“You let me grow up believing I was alone.”
“I wanted to protect you.”
“You didn’t protect me.”
I pointed toward the photograph on the table.
“You erased her.”
Mother covered her mouth.
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
She stared at me.
And finally said:
“Your sister was taken.”
I froze.
“Taken?”
Mother nodded.
“Three days after you were born.”
“By who?”
Her voice broke.
“I don’t know.”
I looked at Marcus.
“He’s lying.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Your mother is telling the truth.”
“Then where is she?”
Mother closed her eyes.
“Somewhere in this world.”
⸻
THE LETTER
After dinner, I returned to my bedroom.
I locked the door.
Then I sat on the floor with my back against the bed.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what Mother had said.
Your sister was taken.
There was a knock.
I ignored it.
Another knock.
“Elena.”
Victoria.
I opened the door.
She stepped inside.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she sat beside me.
“I’m sorry.”
I looked at her.
“Did you know?”
She nodded.
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Dad made us promise.”
“Everyone keeps using Dad as an excuse.”
“I know.”
She looked down.
“But he was terrified.”
“Of what?”
“Her.”
I frowned.
“My sister?”
Victoria nodded.
“Not because he hated her.”
“Then why?”
“Because of who took her.”
I stared at her.
“Who?”
Victoria reached into her pocket.
She pulled out an old envelope.
“I found this in Dad’s room after he died.”
She handed it to me.
My name was written on the front.
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
I unfolded it.
The handwriting was unmistakably my father’s.
Elena,
If you are reading this, then I failed to protect you.
My heart tightened.
There are things I should have told you years ago. Things I believed would remain buried.
Your sister is alive.
I stopped breathing.
Victoria watched me silently.
I continued.
Her name is Isabella.
My eyes widened.
Isabella.
My sister had a name.
She was taken from the hospital shortly after you were born. I spent years searching for her. I found her once.
I stared at the page.
But she disappeared again.
My hands trembled.
The person responsible for taking her was someone you trust.
I looked at Victoria.
She whispered:
“Keep reading.”
I did.
Marcus knows the truth.
My heart dropped.
But there is another person who knows where Isabella is.
The next sentence had been crossed out.
Someone had violently scratched through the ink.
I could barely make out the words underneath.
Her name is—
Nothing.
The rest was destroyed.
Then, at the bottom, my father had written:
Don’t trust the woman who looks like you.
I stared at the sentence.
Victoria’s face changed.
“What?”
I slowly looked at her.
“What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
I held up the letter.
“The woman who looks like me.”
Victoria’s expression became frightened.
“Elena…”
“What?”
She whispered:
“Maybe your sister isn’t the only person who looks like you.”
⸻
THE PHONE CALL
My phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
Victoria looked at me.
“Don’t answer.”
I did.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice answered.
Soft.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Hello, sister.”
My entire body froze.
Victoria’s eyes widened.
I couldn’t speak.
The woman laughed softly.
“I’ve waited a very long time to hear your voice.”
“Isabella?”
Silence.
Then:
“That’s what they called me.”
My heart pounded.
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
“Who took you?”
Another silence.
Then she whispered:
“Ask your mother.”
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?”
“She knows.”
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Victoria whispered:
“Was that her?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
Then we heard a scream downstairs.
My mother’s scream.
Victoria and I looked at each other.
We ran.
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