Chapter 26 — The Boy Who Was Watching

Chapter 26 — The Boy Who Was Watching

Miyaka had never seen Daniel look afraid before.

Not beneath the mango tree.

Not when the black cars arrived.

Not when he told her that her mother might still be alive.

But now—

he looked terrified.

His eyes remained fixed on the darkness beyond the tunnel.

Moises noticed it too.

“Who is it?”

Daniel didn't answer.

The footsteps came closer.

One.

Then another.

Slow.

Unhurried.

Whoever was approaching wasn't worried about being discovered.

That frightened Miyaka more than the gunshot at the house.

Jason leaned toward Moises.

“Any chance this tunnel has another exit?”

Daniel answered without looking away.

“There is.”

“Good.”

“It's blocked.”

Jason stared at him.

“You could've mentioned that earlier.”

“I didn't know we'd need it.”

“That's usually when an escape route becomes useful.”

Despite everything, Miyaka almost smiled.

Jason had always done that.

Even when they were terrified, he found a way to make the moment feel slightly less impossible.

Then the footsteps stopped.

The stranger spoke.

“Daniel.”

No answer.

“You have something that doesn't belong to you.”

Daniel's hand tightened around the wooden box.

Miyaka noticed.

The stranger continued.

“Give it to me, and everyone walks out.”

Moises shook his head.

“That's not happening.”

A quiet laugh echoed through the tunnel.

“Moises Laurent.”

Miyaka's stomach tightened.

The stranger knew his name.

“Still protecting her.”

Moises's jaw clenched.

“You don't know anything about her.”

“I know more than you think.”

Miyaka stepped forward.

“Then talk to me.”

Moises turned.

“Miyaka—”

She shook her head.

“No.”

Her voice was steadier than she felt.

“If he knows so much, I want answers.”

Daniel looked at her.

“You shouldn't speak to him.”

“Why?”

“Because that's what he wants.”

Miyaka stared into the darkness.

“Then maybe he should come out.”

Silence.

Then the stranger laughed softly.

“You sound like your father.”

Miyaka froze.

“What did you say?”

“He used to speak to me the same way.”

Her heart began pounding.

“You knew my father.”

“I knew all three of them.”

Miyaka frowned.

“All three?”

“Your father. Moises's father. Jason's father.”

Jason's expression hardened.

“What did they have to do with you?”

“More than you know.”

The stranger took another step.

A faint outline appeared at the far end of the tunnel.

Miyaka could see only a dark coat.

Then a hand.

A ring.

The symbol.

Her stomach turned.

Moises moved in front of her.

The stranger stopped.

“You really haven't learned anything, have you?”

Moises's voice was cold.

“Try me.”

“You think keeping her behind you will protect her.”

“No.”

Moises glanced back at Miyaka.

“I know she can protect herself.”

Something changed in the stranger's posture.

“Interesting.”

Miyaka looked at Moises.

There was something about his expression that made her chest ache.

He wasn't treating her like something fragile.

He wasn't trying to decide what she should know.

He was simply standing beside her.

The stranger noticed too.

“You've changed.”

Moises didn't answer.

“You used to be easier to control.”

Miyaka's eyes narrowed.

“What did you do to him?”

The stranger's gaze shifted toward her.

“I didn't do anything.”

“Then who did?”

“His father.”

Moises went still.

The stranger continued.

“Your father's orders. His father's fear. And your mother's silence.”

Miyaka's heart twisted.

“You keep talking about my mother.”

“I knew her.”

“Then tell me where she is.”

The stranger paused.

For the first time, his confidence seemed to weaken.

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't know.”

Miyaka stared.

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

“Because it's true.”

She took another step.

“Did she survive?”

The stranger didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

Miyaka's eyes filled.

Moises looked at her.

She didn't cry.

Not yet.

The stranger spoke again.

“She survived the crash.”

Miyaka's breath caught.

Jason whispered, “You said you didn't know.”

“I said I don't know where she is now.”

Miyaka's voice shook.

“Where was she taken?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Safe from who?”

The stranger looked at Daniel.

“From them.”

Daniel's face hardened.

“Don't.”

The stranger smiled faintly.

“Still protecting your secrets, Daniel?”

Daniel stepped forward.

“Leave her alone.”

“You were supposed to keep her away from the truth.”

“I tried.”

“You failed.”

Miyaka looked between them.

“What truth?”

The stranger's eyes returned to her.

“The truth about the night Moises left.”

Her heart stopped.

“What about it?”

The stranger didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at Moises.

“Tell her.”

Moises's expression darkened.

“Tell her what?”

“That you weren't the only one who disappeared that night.”

Miyaka stared at him.

Moises didn't move.

She felt the blood drain from her face.

“What does he mean?”

Moises looked at her.

“Miyaka…”

“What does he mean?”

He swallowed.

“I didn't know.”

The stranger laughed quietly.

“You didn't know because your father made sure you didn't.”

Miyaka's eyes narrowed.

“Who disappeared?”

No answer.

“Moises.”

He looked away.

The stranger spoke.

“Your mother.”

Miyaka felt as though the floor had vanished.

“No.”

“She disappeared the same night you were taken.”

Moises looked at Daniel.

“You knew?”

Daniel closed his eyes.

“I suspected.”

“You suspected?”

Moises's voice rose.

“You knew enough to tell us.”

“I didn't know where she was.”

“But you knew she disappeared.”

“Yes.”

Miyaka looked at Daniel.

“You knew.”

“I knew she wasn't at the hospital.”

Her voice became smaller.

“Then whose funeral did I attend?”

Daniel didn't answer.

Miyaka's entire body went cold.

The stranger finally stepped into the light.

His face was older than she expected.

Not unfamiliar.

But not someone she remembered.

He looked at Miyaka with an expression that was almost sad.

“The woman buried twelve years ago wasn't your mother.”

Miyaka stopped breathing.

Jason whispered her name.

She barely heard him.

“No.”

The stranger nodded.

“Yes.”

Miyaka shook her head.

“I saw her.”

“You saw a body.”

“I knew her.”

“You knew what they wanted you to believe.”

Her knees weakened.

Moises caught her before she fell.

She pushed against his chest.

“Don't.”

He immediately released her.

She stepped backward.

“No.”

Her voice trembled.

“I remember the funeral.”

The stranger looked at her.

“You remember what you were told.”

Miyaka stared at him.

Her mind fought the idea.

It couldn't be true.

It couldn't.

Her father had cried.

She had cried.

The entire family had mourned.

How could all of them have been fooled?

Then she remembered the photograph.

The woman at the house.

The pendant.

The words.

I never left you.

Her mother's handwriting.

Her mother's face.

Alive.

Or alive at least twelve years ago.

Miyaka pressed her hand against her chest.

“Why?”

The stranger's expression softened.

“Because your mother knew they would come for you next.”

“Who?”

He didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at the photograph Miyaka was holding.

Then he said something that made the entire tunnel go silent.

“They weren't watching you because you were the heir.”

Miyaka looked up.

“Then why?”

The stranger's eyes moved toward Moises.

“Because you were the only child who saw what happened.”

Miyaka frowned.

“What did I see?”

“You were there.”

“When?”

“The night your mother disappeared.”

She stared at him.

“No.”

“You were five.”

“I don't remember.”

“You were never supposed to.”

Moises looked at her.

Miyaka's heart began pounding.

The stranger continued.

“Your father erased the evidence.”

Miyaka whispered,

“From what?”

The stranger looked at her.

“From your memory.”

Silence.

Then he turned.

Footsteps sounded behind him.

Another person was approaching.

The stranger stepped backward into the darkness.

“Wait!”

Miyaka moved forward.

But he was already leaving.

His final words echoed through the tunnel.

“Ask your father what happened under the mango tree.”

Then he disappeared.

Miyaka stood frozen.

Moises moved beside her.

She looked at him.

“Do you believe him?”

Moises was silent for a long moment.

Then he said quietly,

“I believe someone went to an extraordinary amount of effort to make you forget.”

Miyaka looked down at the photograph in her trembling hands.

Three children beneath the mango tree.

Her.

Moises.

Jason.

And somewhere behind them—

someone watching.

For the first time, Miyaka wondered whether the memory she had spent her entire life trying to recover wasn't about losing Moises.

Maybe it was about something that happened before he ever left.