Bound to his Dark Vow

The Person Behind It

The headlights moved across the broken windows.

Someone was outside.

Adrian switched off his phone screen and motioned for us to stay quiet.

Daniel whispered, "How did they find us?"

"I don't know."

I looked at the USB drive in his hand.

"Maybe they followed us."

Adrian shook his head.

"No. We didn't come here directly."

That made the silence feel heavier.

Someone knew where we were going.

A car door slammed outside.

Then another.

I counted at least three sets of footsteps.

Adrian looked at Daniel.

"There's another exit."

Daniel nodded.

"I remember."

"Take Elena."

I immediately shook my head.

"I'm not leaving you."

Adrian looked at me.

"Elena."

"No."

He stared at me for a moment.

Then he sighed.

"Fine. Stay close."

We moved through the records room and into a narrow corridor.

The building was larger than I had realized. Pipes ran along the ceiling, and old machinery covered the walls.

We reached a metal staircase.

A noise came from behind us.

"They're inside," Daniel whispered.

We hurried down.

At the bottom was a small door leading outside.

Daniel pushed it open.

Cold air rushed in.

We stepped outside just as a flashlight swept across the building.

"Run."

We ran toward the car.

I heard someone shout behind us.

Adrian opened the back door.

"Get in."

I climbed inside.

Daniel followed.

Adrian started the engine.

The car sped away.

Nobody spoke for several minutes.

Then Daniel looked at the USB drive.

"We need to see what's on this."

Adrian nodded.

"Tomorrow."

"Why not now?"

"Because we don't know if it's safe."

Daniel frowned.

"Then how do we find out?"

"We take it to someone we trust."

I looked at him.

"Do you trust anyone?"

He glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

"Very few people."

"Who?"

He didn't answer.

We returned to the estate shortly before one in the morning.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

Adrian locked the doors and checked the security system.

Everything seemed normal.

I went upstairs.

But I couldn't sleep.

The photograph.

The documents.

My grandfather.

Adrian's father.

And the mysterious payments.

None of it made sense.

I finally got out of bed and went downstairs.

The study light was on.

I stopped at the doorway.

Adrian was sitting behind the desk.

He looked exhausted.

"You should be sleeping."

"So should you."

He leaned back.

"You've had a difficult day."

"That's one way to describe it."

I walked inside.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Do you think your father was involved?"

Adrian looked at the desk.

"I don't know."

"You loved him?"

His eyes lifted toward mine.

"Yes."

There was something in the way he said it that made me realize how much the question had cost him.

"I'm sorry."

He nodded.

"Thank you."

I sat across from him.

"Then why keep investigating?"

"Because if he was involved, I need to know why."

"And if he wasn't?"

"Then I need to find the person who used his name."

Silence settled between us.

Then Adrian opened the desk drawer.

He removed an old envelope.

"This was found in my father's study after he died."

He pushed it toward me.

I opened it.

Inside was a handwritten letter.

The handwriting looked familiar.

I stared at the signature.

My heart stopped.

Jonathan Marlowe.

I looked at Adrian.

"My grandfather wrote this?"

He nodded.

"What does it say?"

I unfolded the letter.

The message was short.

Edward,

If you're reading this, then something has gone wrong.

Do not trust the person closest to you.

He knows what we found.

And he knows about the girl.

My hands went cold.

"The girl?"

Adrian's eyes fixed on the letter.

"I don't know."

I read the final line.

Protect her until she knows the truth.

I looked up slowly.

"Who was he talking about?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Then his phone rang.

He checked the screen.

His expression changed.

"Who is it?" I asked.

He stood.

"My mother."

He answered.

"Hello?"

A woman's voice came through the speaker.

I couldn't hear everything.

But I heard enough to understand that she was crying.

Then Adrian's face went completely still.

"Where are you?"

A pause.

"Stay there."

He ended the call.

"What happened?"

He looked at me.

"My mother knows about the girl."

I stood.

"Who is she?"

Adrian's eyes met mine.

"I think it's you."

And suddenly, the mystery wasn't about my grandfather anymore.

It was about me.