038: A Visitor from the Past

Damian remained seated long after the phone call ended.

Victor Carter.

The name meant nothing to him, yet the man's calm voice lingered in his mind.

"I've been watching over Elena for years."

Those words refused to leave him.

He looked down at the old photograph still resting on his desk. Elena stood happily between her parents, unaware that someone in the background had silently become part of a mystery that would follow her into adulthood.

Who was Victor Carter?

Why had he waited until now to reveal himself?

And most importantly...

Could he be trusted?

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

His assistant stepped inside.

"Sir, your two o'clock meeting is ready."

Damian slipped the photograph back into the envelope.

"I'm on my way."

But for the rest of the meeting, his attention kept drifting back to Victor's words.

Something told him this wasn't a coincidence.

Someone had decided it was finally time to step out of the shadows.

Meanwhile, Elena was completely unaware of the conversation that had taken place upstairs.

She spent the afternoon with the charity team, reviewing budgets for their next outreach program.

"You've become everyone's favorite problem solver," one of her colleagues joked.

Elena laughed.

"I think you're giving me too much credit."

"No," another replied.

"You've earned it."

Hearing those words still felt strange.

Not long ago, she had doubted everything about herself.

Now people valued her opinions.

Respected her ideas.

Trusted her judgment.

The change wasn't sudden.

She had worked for it.

And she was proud of herself.

As she organized a stack of files, Damian appeared at the doorway.

"You look busy."

She smiled.

"I am."

He noticed the spark in her eyes.

It was different now.

She wasn't forcing herself to smile anymore.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

She checked the time and nodded.

"Give me two minutes."

Her colleagues exchanged knowing smiles as the two of them walked away together.

The drive back to Blackwood Mansion was quieter than usual.

Elena noticed Damian seemed distracted.

"You've hardly said a word since we left."

"I'm just thinking."

"About work?"

He hesitated.

"Something like that."

She studied him for a moment but decided not to push.

If Damian wanted to talk, he would.

Instead, she turned her attention to the view outside the window.

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable.

It was simply filled with thoughts neither of them was ready to share.

Across the city, Adrian sat alone in his office.

His investigator entered carrying another folder.

"We found a name."

Adrian immediately looked up.

"What name?"

"Victor Carter."

The room fell silent.

"Who is he?"

"We're still investigating."

"But one thing is certain."

"He worked in private security years ago."

"Mostly for wealthy families."

Adrian frowned.

"What does that have to do with Elena?"

"We don't know yet."

"But his name keeps appearing whenever we trace records connected to her childhood."

Adrian leaned back slowly.

"So he isn't a coincidence."

"No."

"Not at all."

Adrian looked toward the city skyline outside his office window.

The deeper he searched into Elena's past...

The more complicated everything became.

That evening, Vanessa arrived at Adrian's apartment carrying dinner.

She smiled as he opened the door.

"I thought we could eat together."

Adrian barely looked at the food.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm busy."

Again.

Vanessa forced a smile.

"It's only dinner."

"I know."

"But I have work."

She noticed the file lying open on his coffee table.

Elena's name appeared across the top page.

Her smile disappeared.

"You've been looking into her again."

Adrian didn't answer.

His silence told her everything.

She quietly placed the food on the kitchen counter.

"I'll leave you to it."

As she walked toward the door, her hands clenched tightly.

She could feel Elena slipping back into Adrian's thoughts.

And she hated it.

Night had already fallen over Blackwood Mansion.

Elena retired to her room early while Damian remained in his study.

His eyes returned once more to the old photograph.

Then he picked up his phone.

He considered calling Elena.

Telling her everything.

But something stopped him.

Victor had contacted him.

Not Elena.

Until he knew whether the man could be trusted...

He couldn't risk frightening her.

He locked the photograph inside his desk drawer.

"For now," he murmured.

"I'll keep this to myself."

On the opposite side of the city, a black SUV pulled to a stop in front of an old countryside house.

Victor Carter stepped out.

For the first time, his face was clearly visible beneath the porch light.

He looked to be in his late fifties.

His hair was streaked with gray, and the lines on his face spoke of years spent carrying burdens few people knew about.

He walked to the front door and knocked three times.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Elena's grandfather stood there.

The moment their eyes met, both men fell silent.

"You..." her grandfather whispered.

Victor lowered his head respectfully.

"It's been a long time."

"What are you doing here?"

Victor glanced into the darkness behind him before answering.

"I wouldn't have come unless it was necessary."

Her grandfather's expression grew serious.

"What happened?"

Victor met his eyes.

"They've started moving again."

A chill passed through the old man's body.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Finally, her grandfather stepped aside.

"Come in."

As Victor crossed the threshold, he quietly closed the door behind him.

Neither of them realized...

Someone hidden beyond the trees was watching the house.

And this time...

Victor Carter wasn't the only one who had stepped out of the shadows.