Chapter 6: The Investigation Begins
419 Words
Adrian Blackwood stood motionless in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
Below him, the city buzzed with life.
Cars filled the streets.
People hurried to work.
Everything looked normal.
Yet nothing felt normal anymore.
His thoughts kept returning to the same woman.
Emma Carter.
Four years ago...
She had disappeared without saying goodbye.
No explanation.
No phone call.
Nothing.
She had simply vanished from his life.
And now...
She had returned as if those four years had never existed.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
Daniel, his assistant, entered with a tablet in his hand.
"You wanted Ms. Carter's personnel file, sir."
Adrian took the tablet.
Age.
Education.
Employment history.
Everything looked ordinary.
Too ordinary.
His eyes narrowed.
"There are four missing years."
Daniel nodded carefully.
"Yes, sir."
"No employment records."
"No address."
"No tax records."
"It was as if she disappeared completely."
Adrian placed the tablet on his desk.
"Find out where she was."
Daniel hesitated.
"Sir... should we investigate privately?"
Adrian answered without looking up.
"I want everything."
Meanwhile...
Emma had just finished work.
She looked around before leaving the building.
No one seemed to be watching.
She let out a quiet sigh.
Five minutes later...
She arrived at Sunshine Kindergarten.
The moment Ethan spotted her, he ran into her arms.
"Mommy!"
Emma laughed softly.
"Did you behave today?"
"I was very good."
Ella crossed her tiny arms.
"He wasn't."
Ethan gasped dramatically.
"Traitor!"
Emma couldn't help smiling.
For a brief moment...
All the worries disappeared.
Back home...
The twins were drawing together on the living room floor.
Emma prepared dinner in the kitchen.
Suddenly...
Ella looked at Ethan.
"Do you think Daddy is handsome?"
Ethan blinked.
"I don't know."
"You saw him."
"Only for a little."
Ella tilted her head.
"I think he looks lonely."
Ethan stayed silent.
After a long pause...
He whispered,
"Maybe..."
"He misses us."
Emma froze.
The knife slipped from her hand.
Clang.
Both children turned toward the kitchen.
Emma forced a smile.
"Dinner is ready."
But inside...
Her heart was beating wildly.
At the same time...
Daniel received a phone call.
"Sir."
"I found something."
"What is it?"
"Emma Carter enrolled two children in Sunshine Kindergarten three years ago."
Daniel paused.
"There is no record of their father."
Adrian slowly stood up.
"What are the children's names?"
Daniel looked at the report.
"Ethan Carter."
"Ella Carter."
Silence.
Then Adrian asked one final question.
"How old are they?"
Daniel swallowed.
"Almost four."
Adrian's fingers tightened around the report.
His eyes darkened.
"...Impossible."
- Writer
