A Puzzle Unsolved

ELENA'S POV

The ride to Noah’s school felt endless. Silence wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket, my thoughts louder than the hum of the car engine. Justin had said he would be dropping Noah off himself, so I rode in another car with the other maids.

My gaze stayed fixed out the window, the passing scenery a blur.

"It is just a tattoo, Elena. Anyone could have it. A thousand people might bear the same mark." I told myself, clinging to the thought like a lifeline.

But the reassurance rang hollow. My mind would not stop racing, piecing together fragments of a puzzle I didn’t know I was solving. That gnawing sense of familiarity—so persistent since the very first day—suddenly sharpened into focus. This morning had brought clarity, yet it left behind an unsettling residue.

And then there was Morris. The driver.

He worked for Justin now, yes. But five years ago… My chest tightened as the memory resurfaced, vivid and raw. That night, after my stepmother cast me out like I was nothing, Morris was there. I’d staggered into his path, and he’d hit me—just slightly—with his car. Even then, he called his boss Master Justin.

But the timeline didn’t make sense.

My mind replayed that morning in the hotel, the bitter fragments of a night I could not forget. Roland was the one I’d been with. I was sure of it. The next morning, Morris entered the room, left cash on the nightstand, and walked out after making a call. His words still echoed in my memory: “It is settled, Master.”

If Roland had been his master then, why was he working for Justin now?

The threads did not align. Justin and Roland’s mothers were enemies. Everyone knew that. Their sons had no reason to associate, let alone exchange drivers. So why?

The questions clawed at me, threatening to pull me under. There was something I was missing, something crucial.

“I need to talk to him,” I muttered under my breath. The driver. I needed answers.

But I stopped myself, my heart pounding. I couldn’t just confront him—not now, not like this. Asking about something that happened five years ago would draw too much attention, especially on my first day of work. They did not trust me yet, and I couldn’t afford to give them any reason to question me.

Yet, the frustration clawed at me. I felt trapped, suffocated by the fog of my half-formed memories. I’d regained pieces of my past, but they were fragmented, like shards of glass too sharp to piece together without drawing blood.

And Roland... Could he really be Noah’s father? The thought sent a chill through me. He was wealthy and powerful—a man who could give my son the kind of life I could only dream of. If only Noah were still with me. The ache of that loss was a knife twisting in my chest.

Before I could sink deeper into my thoughts, the car rolled to a stop. The sudden jolt pulled me back to reality. I blinked, shaking off the haze, and opened the car door.

Noah’s cheerful voice broke through my spiralling emotions as he said goodbye to Justin. I watched Justin’s car drive away, and then I followed Noah into the school, steeling myself for the interaction ahead.

“Good morning, Miss,” I greeted the headteacher as we entered.

“Good morning,” she replied warmly. Her kind smile put me at ease, at least for a moment. “You must be Noah’s new nanny.”

I forced a small, nervous laugh. “Yes… That’s me.”

After a brief pause, I added, “I just wanted to let you know—I’ll be the one picking up and dropping Noah off at school from now on.” My voice wavered slightly, but I pushed through.

The woman behind the desk nodded curtly. "Oh, we’ve already been informed of the arrangements," she replied, her tone polite but distant.

"Thank you," I said, offering a slight bow. She turned to Noah. "You can head to class now."

I smiled at Noah as we stepped out of her office together. Dropping to his level, I looked into his bright, eager eyes. "I'll be leaving now, Noah. Be a good boy, okay?"

He grinned, his face lighting up with a smile so pure it tugged at something deep inside me. "Yes, I will," he chirped.

"Good. Now, off you go," I said, waving as he walked toward his classroom. He turned back to wave one last time, his small hand fluttering in the air before he disappeared through the door.

Watching him go, I felt a pang that was equal parts warmth and sorrow. In the short time I’d spent with him, he had already found a way to chip through the walls I’d built around my heart. His laughter made me forget about my worries, even if just for a moment. But the ache he left behind—it was unbearable. It reminded me of the emptiness I carried, of my own son and the void he left behind.

I left the school, my emotions simmering just below the surface, and climbed into the car. The ride home was stiff and silent. I’d exchanged pleasantries with the maids a few times, but nothing more. Their presence only made the quiet feel heavier. I stared out the window, willing myself to fade into the background. Being invisible was my best weapon in achieving what I’d come here to do.

Hours later, as I sat in the stillness of my room, my phone buzzed, breaking the silence. I reached for it, it was the message—from Justin’s secretary.