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Five Years Ago

Author: Grace E.
last update publish date: 2026-10-02 00:10:27
Five years earlier, Elena had no idea that an ordinary afternoon was about to change the course of her life.

She had been running late.

Not unusually late.

Elena was almost always running late.

She hurried through the entrance of the small café with a folder tucked beneath her arm and her handbag slipping from her shoulder. Her hair had escaped from the loose bun she had attempted that morning, and the expression on her face made it clear that she was already annoyed with herself.

She stopped ju
Grace E.

Thank you so much for reading and joining me on this journey. 💜 I hope you're enjoying Elena and Adrian's story so far. Don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to know what you think.

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  • The Apology That Came Too Late    THE PHOTOGRAPH

    CHAPTER 32THE PHOTOGRAPHThe photograph wouldn't leave Elena's mind. Even after Adrian had put the phone away, she could still see it: her younger self standing outside the café, the sunlight behind her, the small smile on her face, and the ordinary afternoon she had completely forgotten.And the terrifying realization that someone else hadn't forgotten it.Someone had been watching.Before Adrian disappeared.Before Elena knew there was anything to fear.She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing. Adrian stood near the window, his phone pressed against his ear."Send everything you have."He listened."Everything."A pause."Even if you think it isn't relevant."He ended the call. Elena looked up."Damien?""Yes.""Does he know who took the photograph?""Not yet.""Can he find out?""He's going to try."She nodded, then looked down at her hands."How old was I in that picture?"Adrian's expression softened."Twenty."She looked at him."You remember?""I remember everything

  • The Apology That Came Too Late    THE CALL

    CHAPTER 31THE CALLThe room remained silent after Adrian ended the call. Elena watched him carefully. He was still holding the phone, his eyes fixed on the screen, but she could tell he wasn't really looking at it. His mind was somewhere else. Somewhere five years in the past."Adrian."He didn't respond. She stepped closer."Adrian, who was that?"His jaw tightened. For a moment, Elena thought he would avoid the question. Then he looked at her."Someone connected to what happened five years ago."Her heart sank."Victor?""I don't know.""You just told me the caller claimed to be him.""I know.""And you said you recognized his voice.""I did.""Then why are you saying you don't know?""Because recognizing a voice doesn't explain how a dead man is calling me."Elena stared at him."Then find out."He gave her a tired look."That's what I'm going to do.""No."He frowned."No?""I'm coming with you.""Absolutely not."Elena's eyes narrowed."There you are.""What?""The old Adrian."

  • The Apology That Came Too Late    THE FIRST SECRET

    CHAPTER 30THE FIRST SECRETElena stared at Adrian. For several seconds, neither of them moved. The words he had just spoken seemed impossible."Someone you buried?"Adrian nodded slowly. "Five years ago."Her heart was pounding. "Who?"He looked at his phone again. "I don't know how this is possible.""Adrian."His eyes met hers. "His name is Victor Kane."Elena frowned. "Kane?""My cousin."She had never heard the name before."You told me you were an only child.""I am.""Then...""Victor was my father's nephew."She waited as Adrian lowered himself into the chair. Elena remained standing."Tell me."He rubbed a hand over his face. "Victor was involved in the family business.""What happened to him?""He betrayed us.""How?""He was selling information."Elena's stomach tightened. "To whom?""We never found out.""And you believed he was dead?""I didn't just believe it."Adrian looked at her. "I saw him die."A chill ran through Elena. "When?""Five years ago."The room seemed to

  • The Apology That Came Too Late    TOO CLOSE

    CHAPTER 29TOO CLOSEElena knew something was wrong the moment Adrian stopped speaking. He had been standing by the window, staring at his phone. Now he was completely still. She watched him carefully."What is it?"He didn't answer."Adrian?"He finally looked at her. "Come here."Something in his voice made her move immediately. She walked toward him, and he turned the phone around.A photograph was displayed on the screen.Elena stared. It was her, walking out of work that afternoon. The angle was distant, as though someone had taken it from across the street.Her heart dropped. "When was this taken?""Today."She looked at him. "Who took it?""I don't know."Beneath the photograph were four words.She knows too much.Elena felt cold. "What does that mean?""I don't know yet."She looked at the photograph again. Someone had been close enough to watch her, close enough to photograph her, and she hadn't noticed."Adrian..."He immediately reached for her hand. "I'm here."She swallow

  • The Apology That Came Too Late    A NAME FROM THE PAST

    CHAPTER 28A NAME FROM THE PASTElena stared at the name on the document. She had seen it before, not in a file or a newspaper, but in person during Sophia's wedding week.She closed her eyes, trying to remember. The crowded reception. The music. The endless stream of guests. The conversations she had barely paid attention to.Then the memory surfaced.A man standing near the entrance. Tall. Dark-haired. Quiet. He hadn't seemed particularly interested in the wedding. At the time, Elena had assumed he was simply another guest. Now she wasn't so sure."What's his name?" Adrian asked.She looked at the document. "Daniel Mercer."Adrian's expression changed. "You know him?""Not really.""What does that mean?""I met him once.""Where?""At Sophia's wedding."Adrian went completely still. "When?""During the reception.""What did he say to you?""I don't remember exactly.""Elena."She looked at him. "It wasn't important.""Maybe it wasn't then." His voice was controlled. "But it is now."

  • The Apology That Came Too Late    THE FIRST CRACK

    CHAPTER 27THE FIRST CRACKThe silence in Adrian's office lasted longer than Elena expected. She watched him read through the information Damien had sent. His expression was calm. Too calm. She had learned enough about him to know that his silence didn't always mean he was relaxed. Sometimes it meant he was furious. Sometimes it meant he was afraid. And sometimes it meant he was already planning his next move."What did Damien find?" she asked.Adrian didn't answer immediately. He scrolled through another page on his tablet before finally looking up."There are irregularities in the security records.""What kind?""Someone has accessed information they shouldn't have been able to access."Elena folded her arms. "What information?""Your name came up."Her stomach tightened. "Mine?""Yes.""How?""I don't know yet."She stared at him. "That's not reassuring.""I know."He placed the tablet on the desk. "There are records showing someone accessed information connected to the security arr

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