Episode 35&36
1374 Words
Episode 35
The Face in the Photograph
Didi could barely breathe.
Her eyes remained fixed on the old photograph.
The more she looked at it, the more certain she became.
The face in the background belonged to someone connected to Vanessa's family.
Not directly Vanessa herself.
But someone she had seen before.
Someone who attended one of the charity events organized by Vanessa's father.
Someone who had appeared in old family pictures published in newspapers years ago.
The discovery sent chills through her body.
"Didi?"
Adrian's voice came through the phone.
"What exactly did you find?"
She swallowed hard.
"The photograph."
"What about it?"
"There is someone in the background."
Silence.
Then Adrian asked,
"Who?"
"I don't know his name."
She took a deep breath.
"But I'm sure he's connected to Vanessa's family."
For several seconds Adrian didn't speak.
When he finally did, his voice sounded serious.
"Take a picture of it and send it to me."
Immediately Didi complied.
A few moments later, Adrian received the image.
The silence that followed lasted nearly a minute.
Then his voice changed.
"Didi."
"What?"
"I know who he is."
Her heart nearly stopped.
"You do?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Adrian took a deep breath.
"He used to work closely with Vanessa's father."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Much smaller.
Because this wasn't a coincidence anymore.
The connections were becoming impossible to ignore.
---
The next morning, Adrian showed the photograph to his father.
The older man's reaction shocked him.
The moment he saw the image, his face lost color.
"Where did you get this?"
Adrian immediately noticed the fear in his father's voice.
"It was inside the envelope."
Silence.
The hospital director stared at the photograph.
Then slowly sat down.
For several moments he said nothing.
Finally he spoke.
"I haven't seen him in over twenty years."
"Who is he?"
The older man looked troubled.
"As far as I know..."
He paused.
"...he was one of the people handling company accounts during the investigation."
Adrian's eyes widened.
"The financial records?"
His father nodded.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
The implication was obvious.
The man in the photograph may have had direct access to the transactions that destroyed Didi's father's life.
And if that was true...
He might know exactly what happened.
---
Meanwhile, Didi couldn't stop thinking about Grace.
The woman had appeared unexpectedly.
Delivered an envelope.
Promised answers.
Then vanished.
The situation made no sense.
If Grace wanted to help, why disappear?
Unless...
She hadn't disappeared willingly.
The possibility terrified Didi.
For the rest of the day, she found it difficult to focus on anything else.
Even university registration felt less important.
Questions filled her mind.
Too many questions.
Not enough answers.
---
That evening, Didi received another unexpected visitor.
A knock sounded at the apartment door.
When she opened it, she froze.
Standing outside was Amaka.
"Didi!"
The two friends hugged immediately.
It had been weeks since they last saw each other.
"Come in."
Amaka entered.
The moment she sat down, she noticed the tension in the apartment.
"What happened?"
Didi sighed.
Then began explaining.
The investigation.
The envelope.
Grace.
The threats.
Everything.
By the time she finished, Amaka looked stunned.
"This sounds like something from a movie."
Didi laughed weakly.
"I wish it was."
The seriousness returned quickly.
Because unfortunately, it was real.
Very real.
---
Across the city, Vanessa sat inside her father's office.
The older man looked furious.
Absolutely furious.
"You told me this was finished."
Vanessa remained silent.
"You said nobody could connect anything."
Still silence.
The older man's expression darkened.
"Now Grace is talking."
"We handled Grace."
The statement escaped before she could stop herself.
Immediately the room became silent.
Her father's eyes narrowed.
"What did you just say?"
Vanessa realized her mistake.
Too late.
Far too late.
The older man slowly stood.
For the first time in years, genuine disappointment appeared on his face.
"What exactly have you been doing?"
Vanessa looked away.
Unable to answer.
Because the truth was becoming impossible to hide.
---
Episode 36
The Secret Meeting
Three days later, university orientation officially began.
Despite everything happening around her, Didi refused to miss it.
This was her dream.
A dream she had fought for her entire life.
Nothing would take that away.
Not fear.
Not threats.
Not the past.
As she entered the campus auditorium, she felt something she hadn't experienced in years.
Pride.
She had made it.
Against all odds.
She had made it.
The realization brought tears to her eyes.
Not tears of sadness.
Tears of victory.
---
After orientation ended, Didi received a text message.
Unknown number.
Immediately her stomach tightened.
The previous anonymous messages had not been pleasant.
Carefully, she opened it.
Her eyes widened.
The message contained only one sentence:
"If you want answers about Grace, come alone."
Didi stared at the screen.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
This was dangerous.
She knew it.
Yet curiosity immediately took hold.
Because the message mentioned Grace.
And right now, Grace represented the biggest mystery in her life.
---
An hour later, she informed Adrian.
His reaction was immediate.
"No."
"What?"
"No."
Didi sighed.
"I have to go."
"No, you don't."
The firmness in his voice surprised her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Adrian continued.
"This could be a trap."
"It could also be information."
"Didi—"
"What if this is our only chance?"
The question silenced him.
Because deep down, he understood.
If someone truly knew what happened to Grace, ignoring the message might mean losing valuable answers forever.
Still, he hated the idea.
Absolutely hated it.
Finally he spoke.
"Then we're doing this together."
Didi smiled slightly.
"I knew you'd say that."
---
That evening, they arrived near the meeting location.
An abandoned warehouse district on the outskirts of the city.
The area looked deserted.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
Neither liked it.
Not one bit.
"Stay close."
Adrian's voice sounded calm.
But Didi could tell he was tense.
Very tense.
Together they approached the designated building.
The large metal door stood partially open.
Inside, darkness filled the warehouse.
Broken windows allowed thin rays of sunlight to enter.
Everything felt eerie.
Uncomfortable.
Dangerous.
Then a voice echoed from the shadows.
"You actually came."
Both immediately turned.
A man stepped forward.
Middle-aged.
Well dressed.
Nervous.
Yet strangely familiar.
Didi frowned.
She had seen him before.
But where?
The answer arrived seconds later.
The photograph.
He was the man from the photograph.
The man standing behind her father.
The man connected to Vanessa's family.
Her pulse raced.
"It's you."
The man nodded.
"Yes."
Silence followed.
Then Adrian stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man hesitated.
Finally he answered.
"My name is Michael."
The name meant nothing to Didi.
But the tension in his voice meant everything.
Michael looked around carefully.
As though afraid someone might be watching.
Then he spoke.
"Your father was innocent."
The statement landed heavily.
Even though Didi suspected it, hearing someone say it directly felt different.
Much different.
Michael continued.
"The records were altered."
Silence.
"The investigation was manipulated."
Didi's heart pounded.
"By who?"
The man looked away.
Fear filled his eyes.
Real fear.
Then he whispered:
"People more powerful than you can imagine."
Before anyone could respond, a loud crash echoed outside.
Everyone froze.
Michael's face instantly turned pale.
"No."
"What?"
"They found me."
The panic in his voice was unmistakable.
Adrian immediately became alert.
"Who found you?"
But Michael wasn't listening anymore.
He was staring toward the warehouse entrance.
Terrified.
Completely terrified.
Then footsteps echoed through the building.
Heavy footsteps.
Multiple people.
Approaching.
Fast.
Michael looked at Didi.
Then at Adrian.
His voice trembled.
"If anything happens to me..."
He reached into his jacket.
And handed Didi a flash drive.
"Everything is in there."
The object felt surprisingly small.
Yet somehow incredibly important.
Didi stared at it.
"What is this?"
"Proof."
The single word changed everything.
Because if Michael was telling the truth...
The flash drive contained the evidence they had spent months searching for.
Evidence capable of exposing everyone.
Evidence capable of clearing her father's name forever.
Evidence capable of destroying powerful people.
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Closer.
Then suddenly—
The warehouse lights went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
And somewhere inside that darkness, someone screamed.
End of Episodes 35 & 36.
- Writer
