CHAPTER 2: THE MAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY
1304 Words
“Some truths are better left buried.”
Three days after her mother's death, Amelia stood in front of the small mirror in her bedroom, staring at her reflection.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
The house felt different now.
Too quiet.
Every corner reminded her of her mother—the old chair beside the window, the little kitchen where they used to cook together, and the worn-out table where her mother had helped her with schoolwork.
Amelia had never imagined she would have to live without her.
But grief wasn't the only thing keeping her awake.
There was a name she couldn't stop thinking about.
Adrian Blackwood.
Her father.
She placed the old photograph on the table and studied it again.
The man in the picture looked young. Maybe twenty-three or twenty-four. He was standing beside her mother, his arm around her waist.
They looked happy.
Amelia couldn't understand how two people who looked so deeply in love could end up strangers.
She picked up the documents from the wooden box.
Most of them were old hospital records.
Her eyes moved slowly across the pages.
Then she saw something that made her heart pound.
Patient: Emily Carter.
Her mother's real name.
Child: Female.
Date of birth: August 14.
Amelia's birth date.
She turned the page.
There was a handwritten note attached to the bottom.
Infant transferred upon request of family representative.
Amelia frowned.
“Family representative?”
She read the sentence again.
Her mother had never told her about anyone else being involved.
She reached for her phone.
She had spent the past three days thinking about whether she should search for Adrian Blackwood.
Part of her was afraid.
What if he rejected her?
What if her mother had been wrong?
What if Adrian had known about her all along and simply didn't care?
But another part of her needed answers.
She opened her browser and typed his name.
Hundreds of results appeared.
ADRIAN BLACKWOOD DONATES $10 MILLION TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
BLACKWOOD GROUP CEO ANNOUNCES NEW INTERNATIONAL PROJECT.
WHO IS ADRIAN BLACKWOOD'S MYSTERIOUS FIRST FAMILY?
Amelia stopped.
First family?
She clicked the article.
There was a photograph of Adrian standing beside an elegant woman in a white dress.
Victoria Blackwood.
Beside them stood a young man who looked about Amelia's age.
Ethan Blackwood.
Amelia's stomach tightened.
She had a family.
A family that didn't know she existed.
She scrolled through the article.
Adrian had married Victoria nineteen years ago.
They had one son.
Ethan.
There was no mention of Amelia.
Of course there wasn't.
As far as the world knew, Adrian Blackwood had one child.
Amelia locked her phone.
She wasn't ready.
Not yet.
A knock came at the door.
Amelia quickly wiped her eyes.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Mrs. Helen, her mother's closest friend, walked inside carrying a small envelope.
“I found this among your mother's things.”
Amelia took it.
“What's inside?”
“I don't know.”
Amelia opened the envelope carefully.
A business card fell onto the table.
She picked it up.
Ryan Cole
Executive Director, Blackwood Group
Her eyebrows knitted together.
“Who is Ryan Cole?”
Helen's expression changed.
“You don't know him?”
“No.”
“He used to visit your mother.”
Amelia stared at her.
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Why?”
Helen looked uncomfortable.
“Your mother never told me everything. But whenever he came, she would send me outside.”
Amelia's heart began racing.
“Did he know about my father?”
“I think so.”
“Did he know about me?”
Helen didn't answer.
“Mrs. Helen?”
The older woman sighed.
“I believe he did.”
Amelia looked down at the card.
Why had her mother kept this from her?
And why would someone from the Blackwood Group have been visiting her mother?
She turned the card over.
There was a phone number written on the back.
Underneath it were four words.
He knows what happened.
Amelia's fingers trembled.
“Mom wrote this?”
Helen nodded.
“Probably.”
Amelia stared at the message for a long time.
Then she made a decision.
She picked up her phone and dialed the number.
The call rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then a deep male voice answered.
“Hello?”
Amelia froze.
She hadn't expected him to answer so quickly.
“Is this Ryan Cole?”
There was a pause.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“My name is Amelia Carter.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Amelia's heartbeat grew louder.
“Mr. Cole?”
“Where did you get this number?”
His voice had changed.
He sounded tense.
“My mother left it for me.”
Another silence.
“Your mother?”
“Yes. Emily Carter.”
Ryan exhaled sharply.
“When did she die?”
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
“Three days ago.”
For several seconds, Ryan said nothing.
Then he spoke quietly.
“I'm sorry.”
“You knew her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“That is a complicated question.”
“I don't care how complicated it is.”
Amelia tightened her grip on the phone.
“I want answers.”
Ryan was silent again.
Then he asked something that made Amelia's blood run cold.
“Does Adrian know you're alive?”
Amelia stopped breathing.
“No.”
“Good.”
Her eyes widened.
“Why would you say that?”
“You need to listen to me carefully, Amelia.”
His voice became serious.
“Do not contact Adrian Blackwood.”
“Why?”
“Because if Victoria finds out you're alive, you're in danger.”
Amelia's heart pounded.
“Who is Victoria to me?”
Ryan didn't answer immediately.
Then he said,
“She is the reason your father believes his first daughter is dead.”
Amelia stood completely still.
“How do you know?”
“I was there.”
“Where?”
“When it happened.”
Her voice shook.
“What happened?”
Ryan lowered his voice.
“Your mother wasn't lying to you.”
Amelia closed her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“She tried to tell Adrian about you.”
“And?”
“She never got the chance.”
“Why?”
Ryan hesitated.
Then he whispered,
“Because someone made sure she disappeared.”
Amelia's eyes widened.
“Who?”
Before Ryan could answer, the call suddenly ended.
Amelia stared at her phone.
She immediately called back.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
A cold feeling settled in her chest.
She looked at the photograph of Adrian.
Then at Ryan's business card.
Someone had spent twenty-two years hiding the truth.
And now that Amelia had started asking questions, someone had already noticed.
She didn't know who to trust.
She only knew one thing.
She was going to find Adrian Blackwood.
No matter what Ryan said.
No matter what Victoria wanted.
No matter what danger waited for her.
Amelia picked up the photograph and whispered,
“I'm coming for the truth, Dad.”
Across the city, inside the Blackwood Group's headquarters, Ryan Cole stood beside a floor-to-ceiling window, staring at his phone.
He had just ended the call.
Behind him, the office door opened.
He turned.
Victoria Blackwood walked inside.
Her expression was calm.
But her eyes were cold.
“Who were you talking to?”
Ryan said nothing.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Ryan.”
He looked at her.
“It was no one.”
She smiled faintly.
“Then why do you look afraid?”
Ryan's jaw tightened.
Victoria placed a hand on his desk.
“Tell me.”
Ryan remained silent.
Her smile disappeared.
“Is Amelia Carter alive?”
Ryan's blood ran cold.
TO BE CONTINUED......
Victoria already knew.
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