Chapter 4 — The Truth Behind the Door

The door handle moved.

Lena's breath caught.

Adrian stepped in front of her, his body shielding hers as the handle slowly turned again.

“Stay behind me.”

His voice was low.

Lena nodded, barely able to breathe.

The door suddenly opened.

Daniel stood outside.

“Sir!”

Adrian's shoulders relaxed slightly.

“What happened?”

Daniel looked from Adrian to Lena.

“Security caught someone near the restricted records room.”

Adrian's expression hardened.

“Who?”

“We don't know yet. He ran before they could stop him.”

“Did he take anything?”

Daniel shook his head.

“Not that we can tell.”

Adrian glanced at the box on his desk.

“Check the cabinet.”

Daniel stepped inside and inspected it.

“Everything seems untouched.”

“Seems?”

“There are no signs of forced entry.”

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

“Then how did he get inside?”

Daniel didn't answer.

Lena looked at the hospital bracelet still in her hand.

She couldn't stop staring at the words printed on it.

Baby Girl Blackwood.

Her mind was racing.

If the bracelet belonged to her, then everything she knew about her life was a lie.

But there was something else.

The bracelet had a date.

Lena looked closer.

Her heart stopped.

The date was the same day she was born.

“Adrian.”

He turned.

She held up the bracelet.

“This date…”

“I know.”

“My birthday.”

“I know.”

Lena swallowed.

“Then why does it say Blackwood?”

Adrian's face remained tense.

“That's what we're trying to find out.”

Daniel suddenly looked uncomfortable.

“Sir, there's something else.”

“What?”

“The security footage.”

Adrian turned toward him.

“What about it?”

“We recovered part of it.”

“Show me.”

Daniel pulled out his phone and played the recording.

The hallway appeared on screen.

A man in a dark hoodie walked toward the restricted records room.

His face was hidden.

He stopped at the door.

Then he looked directly at the camera.

Lena's stomach twisted.

“He knew where the camera was.”

Adrian nodded.

The man reached into his pocket.

But before he could enter, the recording glitched.

The screen went black.

Daniel cursed under his breath.

“That's all we have.”

Adrian's expression became colder.

“Find him.”

“Yes, sir.”

Daniel left.

Lena turned toward Adrian.

“Someone is looking for those records.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don't know.”

She stared at him.

“You do know something.”

Adrian didn't respond.

“Tell me.”

“Lena—”

“No.”

She stepped closer.

“You've been telling me to stay away from the truth since yesterday. Now someone broke into your building looking for the same records that involve my parents.”

Her voice shook.

“I deserve answers.”

Adrian looked at her for a long moment.

Then he reached for another envelope inside the box.

“This was the last letter your mother ever sent me.”

Lena's heart pounded.

“You never opened it?”

“I couldn't.”

“Why?”

“Because she sent it three days after she disappeared.”

He handed it to her.

Lena carefully opened the envelope.

The handwriting was elegant and familiar.

Her mother's.

She began reading.

Adrian,

If you're reading this, I've already left.

Lena's eyes blurred.

She continued.

I know you will hate me. You have every right to. But I need you to believe one thing. I never stopped loving you.

Lena's fingers trembled.

Adrian looked away.

She kept reading.

The baby is yours.

Her breath stopped.

She looked up.

Adrian was staring at the floor.

“Keep reading,” he whispered.

Lena continued.

But if you ever find her, don't tell her the truth until you know who betrayed us.

The letter ended there.

Lena's heart pounded violently.

“Who betrayed you?”

Adrian shook his head.

“I don't know.”

“Then how can we know if I'm really your daughter?”

“We need your mother's records.”

“I'll ask her.”

“No.”

Lena looked at him.

“Why not?”

“Because someone is already watching.”

As if summoned by his words, Lena's phone vibrated.

A new message appeared.

Unknown Number: You were warned. Stop asking questions.

Lena's face went pale.

Adrian saw the message.

“Give me your phone.”

“No.”

“Lena.”

“I need to know who this is.”

Adrian took the phone from her hand.

He studied the message.

Then his expression changed.

“What?”

He turned the screen toward her.

The number wasn't unknown.

It was saved in her contacts.

Lena stared at it.

Her blood ran cold.

The message had been sent from one of the people she trusted most.

Her mother's number.

“No…”

Adrian's eyes met hers.

“Call her.”

Lena pressed the call button.

It rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then someone answered.

But it wasn't her mother.

A man's voice came through the phone.

“Lena?”

She froze.

Adrian's expression hardened.

The stranger continued.

“Your mother can't talk right now.”

Lena's heart dropped.

“Who are you?”

The man laughed softly.

“You should have listened to her.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“Put him on speaker.”

Lena did.

The stranger's voice filled the office.

“Adrian Blackwood.”

Adrian's face turned cold.

“Who are you?”

“You really don't remember me?”

There was a pause.

Then the man spoke again.

“I was there the night your daughter was born.”

Lena's breath caught.

Adrian went completely still.

The stranger laughed.

“And I'm the reason you never found her.”

The call suddenly ended.

Lena looked at Adrian.

For the first time since she met him, the powerful CEO looked terrified.

And Lena realized—

Someone had just confirmed the truth they were both afraid to believe.

She was Adrian Blackwood's daughter.