The Devil's Forbidden Secretary

Chapter Eleven : The Night She Forgot

Elena

The photograph wouldn't leave Elena's mind.

Neither would Elias's strange silence.

Something had changed after Lucien kissed her.

He was distant again.

Not cold exactly.

Worse.

Careful.

As though one mistake could destroy all three of them.

They left the abandoned hotel just before sunrise.

Elias refused to come with them.

"I have somewhere to be," he said.

"Where?" Elena asked.

He smiled.

"You'll know soon."

Lucien didn't like the answer.

Neither did Elena.

But before they left, Elias pulled her aside.

"There's something you need to remember."

"What?"

"March fourteenth."

Her stomach tightened.

"My birthday?"

"Yes."

"What about it?"

Elias stared at her.

"You were there."

"Where?"

"With Camille."

Elena's face went blank.

"I don't know anyone named Camille."

"You do."

"No."

"You just don't remember."

He walked away before she could ask another question.

Lucien approached.

"What did he say?"

Elena looked at him.

"He said I knew Camille."

Lucien's expression hardened.

"You didn't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then why did he say it?"

"I don't know."

She stared at the empty doorway.

"Everyone keeps telling me things I don't remember."

Lucien took her hand.

"Then we'll find out why."

---

Lucien

By eight in the morning, Lucien had ordered a complete security lockdown at Voss International.

No visitors.

No unauthorized employees.

No external devices.

He trusted almost no one.

Elena sat in his office, staring at the rain outside.

Lucien placed a cup of coffee beside her.

"You should go home."

"No."

"You need sleep."

"So do you."

"I'm used to it."

She looked at him.

"Are you always this stubborn?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful."

A small smile appeared between them.

Then his phone rang.

Mara.

He answered.

"Yes?"

"Sir, there's something you need to see."

"What?"

"The old security footage from seven years ago."

Lucien straightened.

"Camille?"

"Yes."

"Send it."

His computer chimed.

A file appeared.

He opened it.

The footage showed Voss International's underground parking garage.

March 14.

7:42 p.m.

Camille entered.

She wasn't alone.

A second figure walked behind her.

A woman.

Lucien leaned closer.

He froze.

Elena noticed.

"What?"

He didn't answer.

The woman turned toward the camera.

Elena.

Seven years younger.

Lucien stared.

"No."

Elena stood.

"What's wrong?"

He paused the footage.

She looked at the screen.

Her face drained of color.

"That's me."

"Yes."

"I've never been here."

"You were."

"I don't remember."

The footage continued.

Camille walked toward Elena.

They spoke.

There was no audio.

Then Camille touched Elena's shoulder.

Elena stepped back.

Camille said something.

Elena slapped her.

Lucien stopped the video.

Elena covered her mouth.

"I didn't do that."

"You don't remember."

"I would remember."

"Apparently not."

She stared at the screen.

"Why was I with her?"

Lucien didn't answer.

He knew what he had to do.

"Keep watching."

The footage resumed.

Camille turned away.

Elena stood behind her.

Then Elena reached into her handbag.

Lucien's blood went cold.

She pulled out something.

A small object.

A knife.

Elena gasped.

"No."

On the screen, Camille turned.

The footage abruptly ended.

---

Elena

"No."

Elena shook her head.

"No, no, no."

Lucien immediately closed the file.

"Look at me."

She couldn't.

Her breathing became shallow.

"I didn't kill her."

"I know."

"You saw it."

"I saw footage."

"You saw me holding a knife."

"That doesn't prove you killed her."

"But why was I there?"

"I don't know."

She stood abruptly.

"I need air."

Lucien followed her.

She walked to the balcony.

The city stretched beneath them.

Veyra looked beautiful from above.

Cold.

Distant.

Unreal.

Elena gripped the railing.

"I don't remember any of it."

Lucien stood beside her.

"Memory can be manipulated."

She looked at him.

"Do you think someone erased that night?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Then why does everyone keep blaming me?"

Lucien's expression softened.

"Because someone wants you to believe you did it."

She turned toward him.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Believe I killed Camille?"

He didn't hesitate.

"No."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Why?"

"Because I know you."

"You barely know me."

"I know enough."

She stared at him.

"And if I did?"

"I'd still want the truth."

Her tears fell.

"Why?"

Lucien stepped closer.

"Because I don't want to lose you over something you don't remember."

Elena looked into his eyes.

"You've already lost me."

His face tightened.

"No."

"Then what am I?"

His hand touched her cheek.

"Mine."

Elena froze.

Lucien seemed surprised by his own words.

He lowered his hand.

"I'm sorry."

"No."

She caught his wrist.

"Don't apologize."

Their eyes locked.

Then she kissed him.

This time, there was no hesitation.

Lucien responded immediately.

His arms wrapped around her.

For one moment, there were no secrets.

No dead women.

No Voss family.

No missing memories.

Only them.

Then Elena pulled away.

"We need to find out what happened."

Lucien nodded.

"We will."

---

Mara

Across the city, Mara watched the security footage.

She had seen the same recording before.

Seven years ago.

She knew what happened after the camera stopped.

She knew who had taken the knife.

And she knew Elena hadn't killed Camille.

But she also knew why everyone believed she had.

Her phone vibrated.

A message appeared.

Is Lucien beginning to remember?

Mara typed:

Yes.

Another message:

Then it's time.

Mara stared at the words.

She hesitated.

Then deleted the conversation.

She couldn't keep lying.

Not anymore.

She picked up her coat and left.

---

Lucien

By evening, Lucien and Elena were at the old Voss Memorial Hospital.

The building had been abandoned for years.

Lucien unlocked the side entrance.

"You've been here before," Elena said.

"Yes."

"That night?"

"Yes."

They walked through the dark corridor.

Elena suddenly stopped.

Her hand went to her head.

"I know this place."

Lucien turned.

"What?"

"I've been here."

"Seven years ago?"

She closed her eyes.

A flash.

White walls.

Blood.

A woman's voice.

Run.

Elena stumbled.

Lucien caught her.

"What did you see?"

"A door."

"Which one?"

"Room 214."

They found it.

The door was locked.

Lucien forced it open.

The room was empty.

Except for an old hospital bed.

Elena stepped inside.

Her breathing changed.

"I remember."

Lucien looked at her.

"What?"

"There was a woman here."

"Who?"

"Camille."

A flash.

Camille standing beside the bed.

Crying.

Elena holding a knife.

But someone else was there.

A man.

Elena screamed.

"Stop!"

Lucien grabbed her.

"What did you see?"

"A man."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"What did he look like?"

She closed her eyes.

"Black coat."

"Anything else?"

"He had a scar."

"Where?"

"His hand."

Lucien stared at her.

"Which hand?"

"Left."

Suddenly, the lights turned on.

Both spun around.

Mara stood in the doorway.

She looked terrified.

Lucien's expression hardened.

"What are you doing here?"

Mara looked at Elena.

"I came to tell you the truth."

---

Mara

Mara walked into the room.

"I've lied to you for seven years."

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"About what?"

"Camille."

Elena stared at her.

"What happened?"

Mara swallowed.

"You didn't kill her."

Elena's knees nearly gave way.

"What?"

"You didn't kill Camille."

Lucien stepped forward.

"Then who did?"

Mara looked at him.

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Then explain the footage."

Mara looked at Elena.

"You were there."

"Why?"

"Camille asked you to meet her."

"About what?"

"Your mother."

Elena's eyes widened.

"My mother?"

Mara nodded.

"Camille had discovered Seraphina was alive."

Lucien froze.

"What?"

"Camille was going to tell you."

"Then who stopped her?"

Mara looked toward the door.

"Someone who knew everything."

"Who?"

Mara's face went pale.

"Alexander Voss."

Lucien's heart stopped.

"My father?"

"He wasn't supposed to be alive."

"What happened?"

Mara shook her head.

"Alexander came into the room."

She looked at Elena.

"He took the knife from your hand."

Elena's breathing stopped.

"You weren't holding it when Camille died."

"Then why was I there?"

"Because Camille trusted you."

Elena looked at Lucien.

"Why would I forget?"

Mara hesitated.

"Because after Camille was killed, someone injected you with something."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Who was in the room?"

Mara whispered:

"Alexander."

Lucien's face hardened.

"You're saying my father killed Camille?"

"No."

Mara looked at him.

"Your father was trying to save her."

Silence.

"Then who killed her?"

Mara's eyes filled with fear.

"That's the problem."

She took out an old photograph.

She placed it on the hospital bed.

It showed Camille.

Elena.

Alexander.

And another man.

The man had his back toward the camera.

But his left hand was visible.

A scar crossed it.

Elena stared.

"I've seen him."

Lucien picked up the photograph.

"Who is he?"

Mara shook her head.

"We never knew."

Then Elena noticed something.

The man's wrist.

A black bracelet.

Exactly like the bracelet Elias had worn in the photograph of the twins.

Her blood ran cold.

"Elias."

Lucien looked at her.

"What?"

She pointed.

"That's his bracelet."

Mara's face changed.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because that photograph was taken seven years ago."

Elena stared at her.

"Then Elias was there."

Mara whispered:

"No."

She stepped backward.

"That wasn't Elias."

"Then who?"

Mara looked at Lucien.

Her voice trembled.

"His father."

Lucien frowned.

"Alexander?"

"No."

She shook her head.

"The man who raised Elias."

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"Who?"

Mara swallowed.

"The man who has been controlling everything from the beginning."

The lights suddenly went out.

A gunshot exploded through the darkness.

Mara screamed.

Lucien pulled Elena to the floor.

Another shot.

Then silence.

When the emergency lights came on, Mara was gone.

Only blood remained on the floor.

Elena stared at it in horror.

Lucien stood slowly.

"Mara?"

No answer.

His phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

One message.

You finally found the right question.

Another arrived.

Now ask yourself why Elias has your mother's eyes...

Lucien's face changed.

A final message appeared.

...and Alexander's blood.

Elena looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

Lucien didn't answer.

Because across the room, beneath Mara's abandoned coat, something had fallen onto the floor.

A birth certificate.

He picked it up.

His hands began to shake.

The name of the father was clearly visible.

Alexander Gabriel Laurent.

The name of Elena's father.

And beneath it—

the name of the mother.

Camille Laurent.

Lucien stared at the paper.

His entire body went cold.

Camille hadn't just been investigating Elena.

She had been her mother.

And suddenly, the question wasn't who killed Camille.

It was why Elena had been raised believing Seraphina was her mother at all.