Chapter 3 — Seven Years Ago

ELIANA

Hindi ako nakatulog.

Not even for an hour.

Paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa isip ko ang huling message.

«Ask him what happened seven years ago.»

Seven years.

Seven years ago, seventeen ako.

Seven years ago, buhay pa ang tatay ko.

Seven years ago, naniniwala pa ako na ang mundo ay simple.

That my father was simply unlucky.

That the accident was exactly what everyone told me it was.

An accident.

I looked at the clock beside my bed.

5:17 A.M.

I had been staring at the ceiling for hours.

“Enough.”

Bumangon ako at pumunta sa bathroom.

Pagtingin ko sa salamin, halos hindi ko nakilala ang sarili ko.

Dark circles.

Messy hair.

Tired eyes.

I splashed cold water on my face.

“Get yourself together, Elle.”

Pero kahit anong gawin ko, hindi mawala ang tanong.

Ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa tatay ko?

At bakit alam ni Adrian?

---

By seven in the morning, nasa kitchen na ako.

Tahimik ang buong bahay.

My mother was still asleep.

I prepared coffee while trying to convince myself that I was overthinking everything.

Maybe the unknown sender was lying.

Maybe Adrian was lying.

Maybe everyone was lying.

At this point, I didn't know whom to believe.

I opened my phone.

Wala pa ring bagong message.

I stared at Adrian's contact.

I didn't have his number.

But apparently, he had mine.

Which made everything worse.

I locked my phone.

Then unlocked it again.

Locked it.

Unlocked it.

“Seriously?”

I dropped the phone on the table.

I needed answers.

And there was only one person who could give them.

Adrian Vale.

---

“Elle!”

Napalingon ako nang marinig ang boses ni Maya.

She was standing outside the coffee shop where we agreed to meet.

“You look horrible.”

“Good morning to you too.”

She handed me a cup.

“Coffee.”

“Thanks.”

She sat across from me.

“Okay. Tell me.”

I took a sip.

“Tell you what?”

“Don't do that.”

“Do what?”

“The innocent face.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I don't have an innocent face.”

“You do. Especially when you're hiding something.”

I sighed.

I placed my phone on the table.

“Someone messaged me last night.”

She immediately became serious.

“Same person?”

“I don't know.”

“What did they say?”

I showed her the messages.

She read them one by one.

Her expression changed.

“Seven years ago?”

I nodded.

“That's when your dad died.”

“I know.”

“Elle…”

“I know.”

She leaned closer.

“Do you think Adrian knows what happened?”

“Yes.”

“Then ask him.”

“I will.”

“Today?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

I looked at her.

“But there's something else.”

“What?”

“I'm scared.”

Maya became quiet.

That was the first time I admitted it out loud.

Not because of Adrian.

Not exactly.

I was scared of what I might discover.

What if the accident wasn't an accident?

What if my father had enemies?

What if someone had been watching our family all these years?

And the worst question—

What if Adrian had been watching me too?

---

By noon, I was standing outside Vale Holdings.

The building towered above the street.

Glass.

Steel.

Black marble.

Everything about the place screamed money.

Power.

Control.

I looked up.

“Of course.”

Even his building looked intimidating.

I walked toward the reception desk.

“I'm here to see Mr. Vale.”

The receptionist looked at me.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No.”

She was about to refuse when someone behind her spoke.

“Miss Reyes?”

I turned.

A man in a gray suit was approaching.

He looked to be in his early thirties.

Calm expression.

Professional.

“Who are you?”

“Lucas.”

“Lucas?”

“Lucas Dela Cruz. Mr. Vale's chief executive assistant.”

My eyes narrowed.

“He's expecting me?”

Lucas gave a small smile.

“He has been expecting you since this morning.”

Of course he had.

“Where is he?”

“Top floor.”

I followed him toward the elevator.

As the doors closed, Lucas pressed a button.

“Thirty-eight.”

I looked at him.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“How long have you worked for Adrian?”

“Almost eight years.”

Eight.

The number immediately caught my attention.

“Eight years?”

“Yes.”

“So you knew him seven years ago.”

His expression didn't change.

“Yes.”

“What happened seven years ago?”

The elevator suddenly felt too quiet.

Lucas looked at the numbers above us.

“That's a question you should ask Mr. Vale.”

“I'm asking you.”

“And I'm telling you that Mr. Vale should answer it.”

“You know something.”

He finally looked at me.

“I know many things.”

“About my father?”

A pause.

“Yes.”

My heartbeat accelerated.

“What do you know?”

The elevator doors opened.

Lucas stepped out.

“Ask him.”

I followed.

“You're all the same.”

He glanced at me.

“What do you mean?”

“Everyone around Adrian knows something but refuses to say anything.”

Lucas's expression softened.

“Maybe because some truths are dangerous.”

“That's exactly what he said.”

“Then perhaps you should listen.”

He opened a large glass door.

“Mr. Vale is inside.”

I entered.

And stopped.

The office was massive.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city.

Dark wood.

Minimal furniture.

Everything perfectly organized.

And behind the desk—

Adrian.

He wasn't wearing a suit jacket.

His sleeves were rolled to his forearms.

His attention was on a document.

But the moment I entered, he looked up.

His eyes immediately found mine.

“You came.”

“I need answers.”

“I know.”

“How?”

“Because you wouldn't come here otherwise.”

I closed the door behind me.

“Seven years ago.”

His expression changed.

Very slightly.

But I saw it.

“You received a message.”

It wasn't a question.

I froze.

“How did you know?”

“You look different.”

“What?”

“Last night, you were angry.”

He stood.

“Today, you're afraid.”

I hated how easily he read me.

“Tell me what happened seven years ago.”

“No.”

My patience snapped.

“You keep saying that!”

“Because you're asking the wrong question.”

“Then tell me the right one.”

He walked toward me.

“Ask me why your father died.”

I swallowed.

“Why did my father die?”

He stopped.

“Because he discovered something he shouldn't have.”

My chest tightened.

“What?”

“A network.”

“What kind of network?”

“Money. Information. People.”

I stared at him.

“That's all?”

“No.”

“What else?”

“He discovered that someone inside his company was selling confidential information.”

My eyes widened.

“My father?”

“He found evidence.”

“Did he report it?”

“Yes.”

“To whom?”

“The wrong person.”

Silence.

“Who?”

Adrian's jaw tightened.

“Someone who had enough power to make the evidence disappear.”

“Who?”

He looked at me.

“I don't know.”

I laughed bitterly.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I don't expect you to believe anything.”

“Then why are you telling me this?”

“Because you deserve to know.”

“After seven years?”

“Yes.”

“Why now?”

His eyes darkened.

“Because they're looking for you.”

My heart stopped.

“Who?”

“The people who killed your father.”

Silence.

I couldn't breathe.

“You said it wasn't an accident.”

“It wasn't.”

“Then what happened?”

Adrian turned away.

“Your father was supposed to meet someone that night.”

“Who?”

“My father.”

I froze.

“What?”

“Seven years ago, your father was going to meet my father.”

I stared at him.

“And?”

“They never made it to the meeting.”

“What happened?”

“My father disappeared.”

I frowned.

“Disappeared?”

“Yes.”

“Is he dead?”

Adrian didn't answer.

“Adrian.”

“My father was declared dead two years later.”

I stared at him.

Two years.

“So your father disappeared after mine died?”

“Yes.”

“And you think they're connected?”

“I know they're connected.”

“How?”

“Because I found something.”

“What?”

He walked toward the desk and opened a drawer.

He took out a small envelope.

Old.

Yellowed.

My heart began pounding.

He placed it on the desk.

“Your father's.”

I stared at it.

“No.”

“It's real.”

“How did you get this?”

“He left it for me.”

I looked at him.

“Why would my father leave something for you?”

“Because he trusted my father.”

My fingers trembled as I picked up the envelope.

There was handwriting on the front.

I recognized it immediately.

My father's handwriting.

For Adrian.

I looked up.

“Why is this addressed to you?”

“I don't know.”

“Then why did you keep it?”

“Because I couldn't find you.”

My breathing stopped.

“What?”

“I tried.”

“When?”

“After the accident.”

“You knew about me?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn't you contact me?”

He looked at me for a long moment.

“Because I promised your father I wouldn't.”

I stared at him.

“What promise?”

“That I would keep you safe.”

The words hit harder than they should have.

“From what?”

“From them.”

“Who are they?”

He didn't answer.

I opened the envelope.

Inside was a folded piece of paper.

My father's handwriting covered the page.

I read the first line.

And everything inside me froze.

«Adrian, if you're reading this, then something has happened to me.»

My vision blurred.

I continued.

«Don't trust anyone. Not even the people closest to you.»

My fingers shook.

Then I read the next line.

«Most importantly, don't let them find my daughter.»

I stopped.

Adrian watched me.

I looked at him.

“Why?”

His expression was unreadable.

“Why me?”

“Because your father believed you were the key.”

“The key to what?”

He didn't answer.

“Adrian!”

He looked at the letter.

“There's more.”

I turned the paper over.

Nothing.

I looked at the envelope.

There was something hidden inside.

A small photograph.

I pulled it out.

My heart nearly stopped.

It was my father.

Standing beside a younger Adrian.

But that wasn't what shocked me.

Behind them was another man.

A man I recognized.

My stomach dropped.

“No…”

Adrian's eyes immediately sharpened.

“You know him.”

I couldn't speak.

I knew him.

Because I had seen him countless times growing up.

He was one of my father's closest friends.

Someone who had attended my birthday parties.

Someone who had visited our house.

Someone my father trusted.

Someone I had never suspected.

“My uncle…”

The photograph slipped from my fingers.

Adrian caught it before it hit the floor.

“Eliana.”

I stepped backward.

“No.”

“Listen to me.”

“No.”

“He may not be who you think he is.”

“You said you didn't know who killed my father!”

“I didn't.”

“You knew my uncle was involved!”

“I knew he was connected.”

“You lied to me.”

“I withheld information.”

“That's the same thing!”

His expression hardened.

“I was protecting you.”

“I don't need your protection!”

“Yes, you do.”

His voice was suddenly sharp.

I froze.

He stepped closer.

“You have no idea what kind of people you're dealing with.”

“And you do?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell me!”

He looked into my eyes.

“They've been searching for you for seven years.”

I shook my head.

“Why?”

“Because your father didn't leave them everything they wanted.”

“What did he leave?”

Adrian's gaze dropped to the envelope.

“You.”

Silence.

My eyes widened.

“What?”

“He left you with something they desperately want.”

“What?”

“I don't know.”

I stared at him.

“You don't know?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know I have it?”

“Because they believe you do.”

I slowly shook my head.

“I don't have anything.”

Adrian's voice softened.

“Maybe you do.”

“What?”

“Think.”

I tried.

Nothing.

My father's office.

His old books.

His watch.

His photographs.

The things we had kept after his death.

Then I remembered something.

A small wooden box.

My father had given it to me when I was seventeen.

The night before the accident.

He had told me not to open it until I was older.

I had forgotten about it.

Until now.

My face changed.

Adrian noticed.

“You remembered something.”

I said nothing.

“Eliana.”

“I need to go.”

He stepped toward me.

“What did you remember?”

“Nothing.”

“Don't lie to me.”

I walked toward the door.

“Thank you for the answers.”

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“Don't.”

I stopped.

“Why?”

“Because if you remember what I think you remembered, you shouldn't go home.”

Fear crawled down my spine.

“Why?”

He looked at me.

“Because if they know you remembered…”

He paused.

“They'll come for you.”

My hand tightened around the doorknob.

Then my phone vibrated.

I looked at the screen.

Unknown Number.

One message.

«We know you remembered the box.»

My blood turned cold.

Another message appeared.

«Don't trust Adrian Vale.»

Then a third.

«He wasn't there to protect your father.»

I looked up.

Adrian was watching me.

His expression had completely changed.

“What did they send you?”

I slowly lowered my phone.

“They know about the box.”

For the first time, I saw something close to fear in Adrian's eyes.

Not for himself.

For me.

He immediately reached for his phone.

“Lucas.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Lock down the building.”

A pause.

“Now.”

I stared at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Keeping you alive.”

“Adrian—”

“Stay here.”

“No.”

He looked at me.

“Eliana.”

His voice was low.

Serious.

“Someone just found out that you remembered something you weren't supposed to remember.”

I swallowed.

“And if they know…”

He stepped closer.

“…they're already on their way.”

Outside the windows, the city continued moving.

Cars passed.

People walked.

Everything looked normal.

But somewhere in that city—

someone was looking for me.

And for the first time, I realized something terrifying.

Maybe Adrian wasn't the danger.

Maybe he was the only thing standing between me and it.

And somehow, that frightened me even more.

Because if Adrian Vale really was protecting me…

how long had he been doing it?