CHAPTER THREE:THE LAST THING SHE REMEMBERD
603 Words
Ariana couldn't sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, the crash replayed in vivid detail.
The screech of tires.
The blinding headlights in her rearview mirror.
The violent impact.
The icy river swallowing her whole.
She jolted awake, her heart pounding.
Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she sat upright in bed, drenched in sweat.
A gentle knock sounded at the door.
Dr. Evelyn Hart entered with a steaming cup of chamomile tea.
"Another nightmare?"
Ariana nodded.
"They're getting clearer."
Evelyn handed her the cup.
"Tell me."
Ariana stared into the swirling steam.
"I remembered something new."
"What was it?"
"There wasn't just one car."
The doctor's expression sharpened.
"What do you mean?"
"The truck that hit me..." Ariana whispered. "It wasn't an accident. It kept ramming my car, forcing me toward the edge of the cliff."
She closed her eyes again.
"And before I lost control... I saw another vehicle parked farther ahead."
"A black SUV."
"It was waiting."
Silence filled the room.
Evelyn slowly lowered herself into the chair opposite Ariana.
"Someone planned this."
Ariana's grip tightened around the teacup.
"I know."
Across the city, Ashford Group Headquarters buzzed with activity.
Employees fell silent as Damien Ashford strode through the lobby.
His sharp suit was immaculate.
His face was not.
He hadn't slept.
The funeral still lingered in his mind.
Especially the hooded woman beneath the oak tree.
Inside his office, his assistant, Noah Carter, placed a thick file on the desk.
"Sir."
Damien looked up.
"The accident investigation."
"I asked for everything."
Noah hesitated.
"We've already received the official report."
"I didn't ask for the official report."
"I asked for everything."
Noah swallowed.
"I'll reopen the investigation."
Damien nodded.
"No one is to know."
Not even Selena.
Elsewhere...
Selena Vale walked into an upscale café.
She chose a secluded booth in the back.
Five minutes later, a man in a gray suit joined her.
"You called?"
She slid an envelope across the table.
"Find her."
The man frowned.
"I thought she was dead."
"So did I."
She removed her sunglasses.
"But someone was watching the funeral."
"You think it was Ariana?"
"I don't believe in ghosts."
Her voice turned cold.
"If she survived..."
"...finish what we started."
The man took the envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Ariana.
"I'll take care of it."
Selena watched him leave, her smile fading into something far darker.
"You should have stayed dead, little sister."
At the mountain estate, Ariana wandered into the library.
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the walls.
Old maps.
Historical novels.
Business journals.
It was quiet.
Peaceful.
Until she noticed a photograph on the mantelpiece.
She picked it up.
It showed Dr. Evelyn standing beside a younger man in military uniform.
"Who's this?"
Evelyn froze for the briefest moment.
"My son."
"Where is he now?"
A shadow crossed the doctor's face.
"Missing."
Ariana looked up.
"I'm sorry."
Evelyn smiled sadly.
"So am I."
Before Ariana could ask another question, a loud knock echoed through the house.
Both women exchanged wary glances.
No one knew Ariana was here.
Evelyn reached for the security monitor.
A black SUV was parked outside the gate.
A tall man stepped out.
His face was hidden beneath the brim of a cap.
He pressed the intercom.
"I need to speak with Dr. Evelyn Hart."
Ariana's pulse quickened.
"Who is he?"
Evelyn didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she whispered...
"The man who pulled you from the river."
Ariana stared at the screen, her breath caught in her throat.
The stranger slowly lifted his head.
For the first time, she saw his face.
And something about him felt... strangely familiar.
- Writer
