What Did I Lie About At The Chapel?

The old chapel looked smaller than I remembered.

Maybe everything from my past had. The white stone walls were stained with age, and the roses that once climbed around the entrance had grown wild, twisting over the windows like fingers.

I stood beside Adrian, staring at the place where I had once promised to love him forever. Five years ago, I had left this chapel carrying a secret. Tonight, I was returning to find my son. Adrian looked at me.

You said you lied to me here. I nodded. What did you lie about? I couldn’t answer. Not yet. It wasn’t yet the time.

A black SUV waited behind us. Adrian had brought two security vehicles despite my insistence that we come alone. He hadn’t listened. Apparently, he had never learned. We walked toward the entrance. The chapel doors were unlocked. My stomach tightened. Someone had been expecting us. Adrian caught my wrist. Stay behind me. I gave him a tired look. You really need another sentence. His mouth almost curved. Not tonight. We entered.

The chapel was dark except for several candles burning near the altar. My breath caught. I remembered them. Not the candles themselves.

The smell, vanilla. My wedding night had smelled exactly like this. Adrian noticed my expression.

What is it? I don’t know. I walked farther inside.

The pews were empty. A white envelope sat on the altar. My name was written across it. Elena.

Adrian moved first. Don’t touch it. I stopped. He examined the altar, the floor, the candles. Found nothing. Then he opened the envelope. Inside was a photograph. I took it from him. I went still. It showed me sitting in this exact chapel. But I wasn’t alone.

My father stood beside me. And in his hand was a small black box. I stared at the photograph. I don’t remember this. Adrian studied my face. When was it taken? The night before our wedding.

My fingers tightened around the photograph. That’s impossible. Why? Because my father wasn’t here that night. He was supposed to be out of town. Adrian looked at the photograph again. Then someone wanted you to believe he was.

A sound came from behind the altar. I spun around.

Nothing. Adrian moved in front of me. Show yourself.

Silence… Then a phone began ringing. Not mine. Adrian’s. He answered. Nobody spoke. Then a child’s breathing filled the chapel. Noah. My heart slammed against my ribs. I reached for the phone.

Noah? A tiny voice whispered. Mommy. Where are you? The line crackled. Then Noah said something that made me freeze. Mommy, Uncle Marcus says you remember now. The call ended. I stared at Adrian. He was already dialing the number back.

Disconnected. I covered my mouth. He knows I remember. Adrian looked at me. Remember what?

I shook my head. I don’t know. But I did.

Something was moving inside my memory. A locked door opening one inch at a time. The black box. My father. This chapel. And a promise I had made before my wedding. Adrian stepped closer.

Elena, tell me. I closed my eyes. The memory came suddenly. My father had placed the black box in my hands. You cannot let Adrian open this. I had frowned. Why? Because if he does, everyone dies.

I opened my eyes. Adrian was staring at me. What did your father give you? I looked toward the altar.

A black box. His expression changed. Where is it?

I don’t know. You must know. I don’t!

The memory had ended there. But another image surfaced. Marcus standing in the doorway, watching us. My father turning toward him. And saying something I couldn’t hear. I pressed my fingers against my temple. Adrian touched my shoulder. What happened? Marcus was here.

Adrian went still. With your father? I nodded.

Then my father said something. What? I don’t know.

I can’t remember. A sharp pain cut through my head. I staggered. Adrian caught me. Elena. I’m fine.

You’re not. His arms tightened around me. For one dangerous second, I rested against his chest. His heartbeat was steady. Mine wasn’t. Then I noticed something. His wedding ring. Adrian still wore it. Even after five years. I stared at his hand. You kept it.

He looked down. Of course. Why? His eyes lifted to mine. Because you were still my wife. The words broke something inside me. I looked away.

Adrian’s phone vibrated. A message. He read it. His face went cold. What? He handed me the phone. There was a photograph. Noah was sitting inside a dark room alive. Behind him stood Marcus. But someone else was in the photograph. A woman.

My breath stopped. I knew her! She stood beside Marcus with one hand resting on Noah’s shoulder.

Victoria!! Adrian stared at the image. His sister. I looked at him. Why would Victoria be with my son?

He didn’t answer. Because another message appeared.

ASK ADRIAN WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT HE MARRIED YOU.

I looked at him. He went pale. You know something.

He didn’t deny it. Elena— Tell me. He swallowed. The night we married… I wasn’t the one who left the chapel with you. I stared at him. What do you mean? I thought I was taking you home. But when we reached the car, you were already unconscious.

Then who was with you? He shook his head. I don’t know. When I woke the next morning, you were gone. I thought you had betrayed me. And you never told me? Because everyone I trusted was dead, missing, or lying. I looked at Victoria’s photograph. Maybe she was making sure he never came back.