The Woman who survived

Nobody spoke.

Daniel stared at the necklace in Elena's hand.

Richard looked as though he had seen a ghost.

Charles broke the silence.

“Who is she?”

Daniel hesitated.

Elena stepped toward him.

“You said you know.”

“I do.”

“Then tell me.”

Daniel looked at Richard.

Richard shook his head.

“Don't.”

Daniel's voice was quiet.

“She deserves to know.”

Richard's expression hardened.

“You don't understand what you're doing.”

“I understand perfectly.”

Daniel turned toward Elena.

“The woman who survived is Amelia Vale.”

Elena's heart stopped.

“Amelia?”

Daniel nodded.

“She survived the night she disappeared.”

Charles stared at him.

“Then where has she been?”

Daniel looked toward the window.

“Running.”

“From whom?”

Daniel answered,

“From Charles Vale.”

Charles went completely still.

“What?”

Daniel looked at him.

“You weren't the only one searching for Amelia.”

Charles shook his head.

“No. I was trying to protect her.”

“That's what you believed.”

“What actually happened?”

Daniel's voice dropped.

“Amelia discovered that someone inside the three families had been changing the agreement.”

Elena tightened her grip on the necklace.

“Who?”

Daniel didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at Richard.

Richard whispered,

“Alexander.”

Daniel nodded.

“But Alexander wasn't acting alone.”

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

“Who helped him?”

Richard looked at his son.

“Your grandmother.”

Adrian froze.

“Catherine?”

Richard nodded.

“The original agreement wasn't written by Alexander.”

Elena remembered the documents from Room 317.

“The woman in the photograph.”

“Yes.”

Richard's voice became heavy.

“She created the first agreement.”

Charles stepped closer.

“And then?”

“She changed it.”

“Why?”

Richard looked at Elena.

“Because she believed the Blackwoods would lose everything if the agreement remained.”

Elena felt a strange anger rise inside her.

“So my mother was targeted because she knew.”

“Yes.”

“And Amelia?”

“She tried to stop them.”

Daniel nodded.

“That was why she disappeared.”

Elena looked down at the necklace.

“Where is she now?”

Daniel shook his head.

“I don't know.”

Charles stared at him.

“You said she survived.”

“She did.”

“How do you know?”

Daniel reached into his pocket.

He pulled out an old envelope.

Elena recognized the handwriting immediately.

Her mother's.

Her heart pounded.

“When did you receive that?”

“Three months ago.”

“You received a message from my mother three months ago?”

Daniel nodded.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because the message warned me not to.”

Elena opened the envelope.

Inside was a single sheet.

The handwriting was shaky.

Daniel,

If Elena ever finds the necklace, tell her the truth. But don't bring her to me. Not yet.

The people who destroyed our family are still watching.

And one of them is closer to Elena than she thinks.

Elena stopped reading.

Her eyes moved to the final sentence.

Trust no Blackwood.

She slowly lowered the paper.

Adrian saw the words.

His face tightened.

“Elena…”

She looked at him.

“I don't know what to believe.”

“I know.”

“I spent years thinking you abandoned me.”

Adrian's voice softened.

“I never wanted to.”

Richard looked away.

Adrian continued.

“I was told you chose to leave.”

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

“And I was told you chose your family over me.”

Neither spoke.

Charles interrupted.

“We have bigger problems.”

Elena turned.

“What?”

He pointed toward the door.

“The message said someone is watching.”

Daniel nodded.

“And they know about Lily.”

Adrian immediately pulled out his phone.

“I'll contact security.”

Richard stopped him.

“Don't.”

Adrian turned.

“Why?”

“Because if you call Blackwood security, you'll be telling the enemy exactly where we are.”

Charles looked at him.

“How do we know the enemy isn't already inside the security system?”

Richard's silence answered.

Adrian slowly lowered his phone.

Elena looked at Daniel.

“Where should we go?”

Daniel hesitated.

“There is one place.”

“Where?”

“The old chapel.”

Richard shook his head.

“No.”

Daniel looked at him.

“You're afraid of that place.”

Richard's expression hardened.

“Yes.”

“Then that's where we need to go.”

They left Room 317 through the service corridor.

The mansion was strangely quiet.

Too quiet.

Elena walked beside Adrian.

Neither said much.

But every few seconds, their eyes met.

There was too much history between them.

Too many unanswered questions.

At the rear entrance, they found Charles waiting.

He held a set of keys.

“We have five minutes.”

“Before what?” Elena asked.

Charles looked at Richard.

“Before the person following us realizes we've left.”

They stepped outside.

A black vehicle waited beyond the gates.

Elena stopped.

The vehicle looked familiar.

Very familiar.

She had seen it before.

Outside Amelia's house.

Outside the old archive.

Outside Lily's school.

Her blood ran cold.

“That's the car.”

Adrian turned.

“What?”

“The car that's been following me.”

Richard's face changed.

“Get inside.”

They moved quickly.

The black vehicle suddenly started its engine.

Its headlights flashed.

Then it sped away.

Charles watched it disappear.

“They know.”

Elena looked at him.

“Who?”

Charles answered quietly.

“The person who wants Lily.”

Adrian's expression hardened.

“They won't get her.”

Elena looked at him.

For the first time in years, she saw the same determination she remembered.

But before she could speak, her phone rang.

Unknown number.

She answered.

Nobody spoke.

Then a woman's voice whispered,

“Elena…”

She froze.

She knew that voice.

It was impossible.

Her mother.

“Mom?”

The line went silent.

Then the woman whispered,

“Don't trust Adrian.”

The call ended.

Elena stared at the screen.

Adrian looked at her.

“What did she say?”

Elena couldn't answer.

Because the voice had sounded exactly like Margaret.

And the final message arrived seconds later.

COME TO THE CHAPEL ALONE.

OR LILY DISAPPEARS.