CHAPTER 13 THE NAME THAT SHOULD NEVER BE SPOKEN

Miyaka stared at her phone.

THE TRUTH IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.

The words seemed to burn into her mind.

She read the message again.

Then again.

Hotel Marcella.

She had never heard of it before tonight.

Yet the moment Moises heard the name, his voice had changed.

Not surprised.

Not confused.

Afraid.

That frightened her more than the message itself.

She looked around the old tree.

The place that had once been her safest place suddenly felt different.

Like someone had invaded a memory that belonged only to her and Moises.

She quickly walked away.

Her phone rang.

Moises.

She answered.

“Where are you?”

“I'm going home.”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

“Stay on the phone with me.”

Miyaka stopped walking.

“Why?”

“Because I need to know you're safe.”

She sighed.

“You always say that.”

“I mean it.”

“Moises…”

“Yes?”

“Were you there?”

Silence.

“At Hotel Marcella?”

Another silence.

That was enough.

“You were.”

“Miyaka, listen to me—”

“No.”

Her voice trembled.

“You listen to me.”

She turned toward the road.

“You disappeared from my life. You wrote letters I never received. You came back years later pretending you didn't know me. Someone is watching me. And now someone is telling me to ask you about a hotel.”

She swallowed.

“I'm tired of being the last person to know anything.”

“I understand.”

“No, you don't.”

“I do.”

“Then tell me.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't know everything.”

“Then tell me what you know.”

Moises closed his eyes.

He knew this moment would come.

He had hoped it would come later.

After he had secured her.

After he had found the missing records.

After he had discovered exactly what happened that night.

But Victor had moved first.

“Miyaka…”

“What?”

“Hotel Marcella was where the conflict between our families changed.”

“Changed how?”

“I don't know.”

“You don't know?”

“I know what my father told me.”

“And what did he tell you?”

Moises hesitated.

“That it was dangerous.”

“That doesn't answer anything.”

“I know.”

“Then maybe I'll find the answers myself.”

“Miyaka, don't.”

“Why?”

“Because whoever sent that message wants you to investigate.”

She became quiet.

“And if I don't?”

“They'll find another way.”

“Then I should investigate.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I'm afraid of what you'll find.”

Miyaka's heart tightened.

“What are you afraid I'll find?”

Moises didn't answer.

She whispered,

“The truth about your family?”

He remained silent.

“The truth about mine?”

Still nothing.

“Or the truth about us?”

“Miyaka…”

“I need to know.”

“I know.”

“Then help me.”

Moises leaned against his office desk.

For the first time in years, he felt powerless.

“I will.”

She blinked.

“What?”

“I'll help you find the truth.”

“But?”

“There is always a but with you.”

Despite everything, she almost smiled.

Moises did too.

“I'm coming to you.”

“No.”

His smile disappeared.

“Why?”

“Because if someone is watching me, they'll know you're coming.”

“Then I'll make sure they know.”

“Moises.”

“I spent years staying away from you because I thought distance would keep you safe.”

His voice softened.

“I was wrong.”

Miyaka didn't answer.

“I don't want to make the same mistake again.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Then don't.”

---

THE NEXT MORNING

Jason was waiting outside Miyaka's house.

She walked toward him holding a cup of coffee.

“You look terrible.”

Jason raised an eyebrow.

“You look worse.”

“I didn't sleep.”

“Me neither.”

She stopped.

“You knew about Hotel Marcella.”

Jason's expression changed.

Miyaka noticed.

“Don't lie.”

He looked away.

“I didn't know everything.”

“You knew something.”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“Not enough.”

“Jason.”

He sighed.

“When Moises disappeared, I found an old newspaper.”

“What newspaper?”

“It was about a fire.”

“Hotel Marcella?”

Jason nodded.

Miyaka's stomach tightened.

“When was it?”

“The same night Moises disappeared.”

She stared at him.

“You're telling me that the night Moises was taken away…”

“Something happened at that hotel.”

“What?”

“I don't know.”

“Who was there?”

Jason hesitated.

“I saw two names.”

Miyaka's heart began beating faster.

“Which names?”

“Laurent.”

She waited.

“And Reyes.”

Her face went pale.

“Our families?”

Jason nodded.

“But there was another name.”

“Victor?”

Jason looked at her.

“Yes.”

The world seemed to stop.

Miyaka sat down.

“So our families were all connected.”

“That's what it looks like.”

“And you knew this all these years?”

“I knew there was something.”

“You could've told me.”

“I promised Moises.”

She looked at him angrily.

“Everyone keeps using that promise as an excuse.”

“I wasn't trying to hurt you.”

“But you did.”

Jason lowered his head.

“I know.”

Miyaka looked at him.

“Did Moises know?”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“I don't know.”

She stood.

“Then I'll ask him.”

---

LAURENT MANSION

Moises was already waiting.

Miyaka walked into the mansion.

Elena saw her first.

Her face softened.

“Miyaka.”

Miyaka smiled faintly.

“Mrs. Laurent.”

Elena approached her.

“You can call me Elena.”

Miyaka nodded.

“Thank you.”

Elena looked at her carefully.

“You look troubled.”

“I am.”

Elena glanced toward Moises.

He stood near the window.

Their eyes met.

There was something in his expression that made Miyaka's heart ache.

He looked like the little boy she remembered.

For a second, she forgot everything else.

Then she remembered.

The lies.

The missing years.

The secrets.

She walked toward him.

“I need answers.”

Moises nodded.

“I know.”

“Hotel Marcella.”

His face hardened.

Elena looked away.

Miyaka noticed.

“You know about it too.”

Elena slowly turned back.

“Yes.”

“Were you there?”

Elena's eyes filled with sadness.

“Yes.”

Miyaka's breath caught.

“When?”

“The night Moises disappeared.”

Miyaka looked at Moises.

“You were there?”

He nodded.

“I was a child.”

“But you remember?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Moises looked toward his father’s study.

“My father told me never to speak about that night.”

“Why?”

“Because he said people would die.”

Miyaka whispered,

“People already lost everything.”

Moises walked closer.

“I know.”

“What happened to my mother?”

Moises stopped.

Miyaka's face changed.

“What does my mother have to do with Hotel Marcella?”

Elena looked at Moises.

He didn't answer.

Miyaka's voice became louder.

“What happened to my mother?”

Elena finally spoke.

“Your mother discovered something.”

“What?”

“I don't know everything.”

“Everyone says that.”

Elena stepped closer.

“But I know she was afraid.”

“Afraid of whom?”

Elena looked toward the doorway.

Adrian Laurent had entered the room.

His expression was cold.

“Enough.”

Miyaka turned.

Adrian looked directly at her.

“You shouldn't be here.”

Moises stepped between them.

“Don't.”

Adrian ignored him.

“This has nothing to do with you.”

Miyaka stared at him.

“My family is involved.”

Adrian said nothing.

“So it has everything to do with me.”

He looked at her for several seconds.

Then he said quietly:

“You have your mother's eyes.”

Miyaka froze.

“What does that mean?”

Adrian turned away.

“Ask your father.”

Miyaka's heart sank.

“My father doesn't know.”

Adrian looked back.

“You're wrong.”

---

THE SECRET ROOM

That night, Miyaka couldn't sleep.

She kept thinking about Adrian's words.

Ask your father.

She picked up her phone.

She called.

“Dad?”

“Yes?”

“I need to ask you something.”

There was a pause.

“What is it?”

“Do you know Hotel Marcella?”

Silence.

Miyaka sat upright.

“Dad?”

His breathing changed.

“Where did you hear that name?”

She closed her eyes.

“So you know it.”

“Who told you?”

“Answer me.”

“Miyaka, stay away from that.”

“Why?”

“Because that place destroyed lives.”

“What happened?”

“I don't want you involved.”

“I'm already involved.”

Her father became quiet.

Then he whispered,

“Your mother tried to tell the truth.”

Miyaka's eyes filled with tears.

“What truth?”

“She discovered that someone had stolen money from both families.”

“The Laurent and Reyes families?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“I don't know.”

“Victor Armand?”

Her father didn't answer.

“Dad?”

“I said I don't know.”

Miyaka knew he was lying.

“Where were you that night?”

Her father suddenly ended the call.

Miyaka stared at the screen.

Then another notification appeared.

A photograph.

Old.

Faded.

She opened it.

Three people stood outside a hotel.

Her mother.

Elena Laurent.

And a much younger Victor Armand.

Miyaka's hands began to shake.

There was writing on the back.

She turned the photograph over.

Four words.

11:45 PM. DON'T TRUST HIM.

Miyaka's heart pounded.

“Who?”

She whispered.

“Who shouldn't I trust?”

---

SOMEWHERE ELSE

Victor sat alone in a dark room.

A photograph of Miyaka was on the table.

Beside it were photographs of Moises, Jason, Miyaka's parents, Adrian, and Elena.

A large folder sat open.

On the cover:

HOTEL MARCELLA — 11:45 PM

The watcher stood nearby.

“Sir.”

Victor didn't look up.

“Yes?”

“She has the photograph.”

Victor smiled.

“Good.”

“She knows about the hotel.”

“Even better.”

The watcher hesitated.

“Should we stop her?”

Victor slowly shook his head.

“No.”

“Why?”

Victor looked at the photograph of Miyaka.

“Because she's going to ask the right question.”

“What question?”

Victor smiled.

“Who was the fourth person at Hotel Marcella?”

The watcher looked confused.

Victor closed the folder.

“That is the secret Moises' father has spent decades protecting.”

He stood.

“And when Miyaka discovers who that person was…”

He looked toward the window.

“…she'll finally understand why Moises was taken away.”

---

Miyaka stared at the old photograph.

Three people were visible.

Her mother.

Elena.

Victor.

But there was something strange.

A fourth shadow appeared on the edge of the photograph.

Someone had been standing just outside the frame.

Miyaka turned the photograph over again.

Her eyes widened.

There was another line beneath the first message.

One she hadn't noticed before.

HE WAS THERE WHEN MOISES DISAPPEARED.

Her phone slipped from her hand.

For the first time, Miyaka realized something terrifying.

The mystery wasn't about why Moises disappeared.

It was about who made him disappear.

And somewhere in the darkness, someone was waiting for her to find out.