Who Has My Father’s Key?

The voice belonged to Adrian. Or at least, it sounded like him. My entire body locked. The private corridor remained empty, but I could feel someone standing just beyond the doorway. Adrian moved closer to me. His hand found mine. This time, I didn’t pull away. Who is that? I whispered. He didn’t answer.

The voice came again. Elena, you need to leave. My stomach dropped. That was the sentence. The exact sentence I had remembered. Five years ago. The night I disappeared. The night I thought Adrian had sent someone to kill me. But Adrian was standing beside me now. His face had gone pale. He knows my voice, I thought. He knows what happened.

Adrian raised one finger, silently telling me to stay behind him. Then he stepped toward the corridor. Who’s there? My question hung unanswered. He took another step. I caught his sleeve. Don’t. He glanced back. Why? Because that’s how it started.

Five years ago, I had heard that same voice behind me. Then I had run. Then everything had changed.

Adrian’s expression softened for half a second. You don’t have to be afraid of me. I almost laughed. I’m not afraid of you. It was a lie, he knew it. The footsteps began again. This time, they moved away.

Adrian’s assistant appeared from the opposite entrance with two security guards. Sir? Adrian pointed toward the corridor. Check every exit. The guards rushed away. I stood frozen. Adrian turned toward me. Are you hurt? No.

Did you recognize the voice? Yes. His jaw tightened. Me? I nodded. He looked away. For the first time, I saw uncertainty. Not the controlled uncertainty of a businessman making a decision. This was personal.

What aren’t you telling me? He didn’t answer.

Adrian, i need the truth. So do I. His eyes met mine. I have heard that voice before. My pulse quickened.

When? The night you disappeared. My throat tightened. You heard it? Yes. Where? Outside your bedroom. I stared at him. Why didn’t you tell me? Because I didn’t know whether I was hearing something real. He hesitated. Or whether someone wanted me to believe I heard you. The room seemed to spin. Someone was playing us both.

Adrian reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone. He opened an old recording. I recognized the date immediately. Five years ago.

The night I disappeared. My breathing stopped. I had never seen the recording. Adrian pressed play.

Static filled the room. Then his own voice came through.

Elena, you need to leave. I closed my eyes. The memory crashed over me. A hallway, darkness. My father’s envelope in my hand, a hand on my shoulder, the smell of smoke. Then Adrian’s voice. Leave now… I opened my eyes. That’s it.

Adrian stopped the recording. What? That’s the voice. He stared at me, the recording is real. I shook my head. No, he looked confused. I heard you say those words. I know. But you weren’t there. His expression changed. What do you mean? I stepped closer to him.

The night I heard that voice, I was standing inside my apartment. You were downstairs. His eyes narrowed. How do you know? Because I saw you. The memory became clearer. Adrian standing at the bottom of the staircase. His face turned toward me. His phone in his hand. He had looked up. We had locked eyes.

Then someone had spoken behind me. Leave. I had turned. And when I looked back, Adrian was gone. My heart raced. You weren’t the one who told me to run. Adrian said nothing. You were downstairs. Yes.

I looked at the recording. Then someone copied your voice. His expression hardened. Someone wanted you to think it was me. And they wanted you to disappear. He nodded slowly. But why? I don’t know. The answer sounded wrong. We both knew there was more.

A security guard hurried into the lobby. Mr. Blackwood, we checked the cameras. Adrian turned. And? Nobody entered through the main doors. Nobody left through the private corridor. I stared at him. Then how did the voice get there? The guard swallowed; There’s something else. Adrian’s face hardened. Show me.

The guard held out a tablet. On the screen was a security image. A man stood at the end of the corridor. His face was hidden, but his clothes were unmistakable. Dark coat, black gloves and around his neck hung a silver chain. My breath caught. I knew that chain. My father had one exactly like it.

Adrian noticed my reaction. What? I pointed at the screen. My father owned that necklace. Adrian stared at the image. Daniel died five years ago. I nodded. I know. Then why is his necklace on a man inside my building? Neither of us had an answer. The guard zoomed in. A small object hung from the chain. A key.

My heart began pounding. The key my father mentioned in his letter. The key I had forgotten. Adrian looked at me. You said you didn’t know where it was. I don’t. Then who has it? The image flickered. The man slowly raised his hand. He was holding something. A photograph.

The screen went black. The guard looked confused. The power had gone out, the lights suddenly died.

I heard Noah scream. Mommy! I reached for him. But another hand caught mine first. Adrian. Stay close. I pulled Noah toward me and grabbed Nate with my other hand. The darkness swallowed us. Then a phone screen lit up across the lobby. Not Adrian’s, not mine. A message appeared on the screen.

YOU BROUGHT THEM BACK TO HIM.

My heart stopped. Then another line appeared.

NOW HE’LL LOSE THEM TOO.