Chapter 15 — The Old Blackwood Estate

Lena stared at Adrian.

“Blood?”

He nodded once.

Her chest tightened.

“My mother…”

“We don't know if it's hers.”

“But the car—”

“Lena.” Adrian stepped closer. “Look at me.”

She forced herself to meet his eyes.

“We're going to find her.”

“How?”

“I'll handle it.”

She shook her head. “You can't handle everything.”

His expression softened for a moment.

“No. But I can make sure you don't face this alone.”

Before Lena could answer, Daniel rushed back into the room.

“The police are already on their way to the estate.”

Adrian grabbed his coat.

“Then we're going there.”

Daniel looked at him sharply.

“Adrian, this could be exactly what they want.”

“I know.”

“And you're still going?”

Adrian looked at Lena.

“Yes.”

Lena followed him.

“I’m coming too.”

“No.”

She stopped.

“You don't get to tell me to stay behind when it's my mother.”

Adrian turned.

“This isn't about control.”

“Then what is it?”

“Keeping you alive.”

Her anger faltered.

Adrian lowered his voice.

“Someone already tried to kill your mother. Someone took her from a guarded hospital room. I don't know what we're walking into.”

“Neither do I.”

“Exactly.”

Lena stepped closer.

“Then don't leave me behind.”

Their eyes locked.

For a second, neither spoke.

Finally, Adrian nodded.

“Stay beside me.”

“I can do that.”

The old Blackwood estate stood on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by tall trees and a rusted iron fence.

Lena had never been there before.

But Adrian had.

The moment they stepped through the gates, something changed in him.

His shoulders stiffened.

His eyes moved across the dark windows.

“This place hasn't changed.”

Lena glanced at him.

“You used to live here?”

“Until I was twenty-four.”

She looked toward the massive house.

“That's where your mother died?”

Adrian didn't answer.

He didn't have to.

They reached the entrance.

Police cars were already parked outside.

A detective approached them.

“Mr. Blackwood.”

“What do you have?”

The detective hesitated.

“We found the vehicle about thirty minutes ago.”

“And the blood?”

“Inside the driver's seat.”

Lena's heart dropped.

“Was it my mother's?”

“We're waiting for confirmation.”

Adrian looked toward the house.

“What about inside?”

The detective's face became serious.

“We found signs that someone had been staying here recently.”

Lena frowned.

“Who?”

“We don't know.”

Adrian suddenly stopped.

“What?”

He was staring at the ground.

There were footprints in the mud.

Fresh ones.

They led around the side of the house.

Adrian followed them.

Lena stayed close.

They reached an old wooden door.

It was slightly open.

Adrian pushed it.

The door creaked.

Inside was a narrow hallway covered in dust.

Except for one thing.

A fresh trail of dirt crossed the floor.

Someone had entered recently.

Lena's pulse quickened.

Then she saw something on the wall.

A photograph.

She stepped closer.

It was the same photograph from the hospital.

Adrian's mother.

Lena's mother.

Damian Cross.

And Michael Carter.

But this time, Lena noticed something she'd missed before.

There was a child in the background.

A little girl.

She was standing beside Michael.

Lena stared at her.

“Adrian…”

He came beside her.

“What?”

Lena pointed.

“That girl.”

Adrian studied the photograph.

His face slowly changed.

“I've seen her before.”

“Where?”

He looked at Lena.

“In my mother's old diary.”

A sound came from upstairs.

Both of them froze.

Someone was walking above them.

Slowly.

Then a woman's voice called from the darkness.

“Lena?”

Her heart nearly stopped.

“Mom?”

She started toward the stairs.

Adrian grabbed her hand.

“Wait.”

The voice came again.

“Lena, don't come upstairs.”

Lena's blood ran cold.

Because it wasn't her mother's voice.

It was a recording.

And then another voice followed.

A man's voice.

One Lena had heard before.

Damian Cross.

“You finally came.”

The lights suddenly turned on.

And at the top of the stairs stood a man holding a gun.

It wasn't Damian.

It was Michael Carter.