Chapter 8 The Truth He Never Questioned

​Shadows of the Past

​Alex stared intensely at the message glowing on his phone screen: “The first lie wasn’t told on your anniversary… it was told six years ago.”

​His grip tightened around the device as his mind raced back to that pivotal year—the year Camille had abruptly left for Europe, and the year everything in his life had changed.

​Slowly lifting his gaze to Camille, he asked carefully, "When you left for Europe six years ago... did anything unusual happen?"

​Camille frowned, looking entirely confused. "What do you mean?"

​Without a word, Alex handed her the phone. She read the message once, then read it again, her brow furrowing deeper. Finally, she looked up and shook her head. "I don't understand."

​"Neither do I," Alex admitted, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "But whoever sent this message wants me to."

​A Father's Suspicion

​Before they could discuss it further, Kendall's voice echoed from the doorway. "Alex."

​Both of them turned in surprise; neither of them had noticed him arrive. Kendall’s eyes shifted warily between Alex and Camille. "I heard someone broke into the office."

​Camille nodded and handed him the photograph left behind. "They didn't steal anything. They only left this."

​Kendall studied the photo carefully. The sharp red line connecting Alex and Javier immediately caught his attention, causing his expression to darken. "This isn't a prank," he said quietly.

​"No," Alex agreed grimly. "Someone has been following us."

​Kendall stared at his son's face for a long moment before gesturing toward the adjacent room. "Come with me."

​Alex followed his father into the private lounge. The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Kendall turned to him. 

"I've been thinking about that message. Tell me honestly: when Camille left for Europe six years ago, how exactly did it happen?"

​Alex leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful shadow crossing his face. "It happened suddenly. She told me her company had transferred her to Europe. I tried to stop her, but she insisted it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she couldn't turn down."

​"And what happened after she left?" Kendall pressed.

​"We stayed in touch for about a year," Alex explained, his eyes narrowing slightly at the memory. 

"And then... she just stopped replying. I called, I sent emails, I even wrote letters, but I never got a response. So, eventually, I moved on."

​The room fell into a heavy silence. After a long pause, Kendall voiced the unsettling question that had been weighing on his mind: 

"Did you ever wonder why she suddenly cut off all contact? What if her career wasn't the real reason she left?"

​For the first time in six years, Alex found himself questioning a memory he had accepted as absolute truth.

​Unwelcome Guests

​Across the city, Javier sat anxiously on the balcony of Nina's apartment. Beside him on the table sat an untouched bouquet of white roses, housing a chilling note: Go home before it's too late.

​The balcony door slid open, and Nina stepped outside carrying a plate of sliced fruit. "You've been staring at those flowers for almost an hour," she said gently.

​Javier let out a slow, heavy sigh. "I don't like this. Whoever called me knows exactly where I am."

​"You can't stay here forever," Nina noted softly.

​"I know," Javier admitted, lowering his gaze. "But I can't go back yet."

​Before Nina could reply, the apartment intercom buzzed sharply. Nina went inside to answer it, returning a minute later with an uneasy expression. 

"There are two police officers downstairs. They say they need to speak with you."

​Shortly after, Inspector David Cole and his partner were seated in the living room. After showing his badge, Inspector Cole looked at Javier. 

"We're investigating several anonymous harassment reports. Your phone number appeared on a list recovered during another investigation."

​Javier's confusion deepened. "What list?"

​"I'm afraid we can't disclose that yet," Inspector Cole replied. "But have you received any anonymous calls or messages recently?"

​Javier exchanged a tense glance with Nina. "Yes. They began the day after my wedding anniversary. The caller didn't threaten me, but they kept talking about my husband... and his former girlfriend."

​A subtle change crossed the inspector's face. He jotted down a few notes, closed his booklet, and handed Javier a business card. 

"If you receive another call, contact us immediately. We believe this may be connected to a much larger case."

​After the officers left, Javier stood frozen in the living room, gripping the business card. A cold chill ran through her. This was no longer just about her marriage—something much bigger, and far more dangerous, was unfolding.

​The Black Phoenix

​Meanwhile, Alex had just returned to his office when his assistant rushed in, breathless. "Sir, we managed to recover one of the deleted security files from the break-in."

​"Play it," Alex ordered instantly.

​The technician pressed a key, and the recovered security footage filled the large screen. The timestamp read 11:43 p.m.

​The video showed a hooded, gloved figure walking down the hallway, unlocking Camille's office, and slipping inside. 

Three minutes later, the figure emerged. But right before walking away, they stopped.

​Slowly and deliberately, the intruder turned to look directly into the security camera. They peeled off one glove, revealing a highly distinctive tattoo on the back of their right hand: a black phoenix.

​"Zoom in," Alex commanded.

​As the image enlarged, the assistant's brow furrowed. "I've seen that symbol before. I think it belonged to..."

​Before he could finish his sentence, the office door swung open and Camille walked in. The moment her eyes landed on the frozen screen, the color drained entirely from her face. She froze, her lips parting as she whispered, "...Impossible."

​Alex's head snapped toward her. "You know that tattoo?"

​Camille quickly looked away, trembling. "I... it's nothing."

​Alex took a firm step closer. "Camille, I asked you a question. Where have you seen that tattoo?"

​Several agonizing seconds passed. Finally, Camille raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his.

​"Six years ago..." she whispered, her voice shaking violently. "...the night before I left the country. I've spent the last six years trying to forget."