CHAPTER TWO: WHAT DOES SHE EVEN KNOW?

I told you this was going to scare her off and now she's panicking.

Rachel didn’t go home.

She got into her car, pulled out of Priska’s driveway, and the moment the gate shut behind her, she drove past a big lorry and parked her small SUV behind it. Hidden.

If Priska looked out the window, she’d think Rachel had driven out of the estate completely.

Rachel picked up her phone, dialed the same number, and said it straight:

“We’re going to keep her away from the warehouse. Three hours from now, she shouldn’t be anywhere near it. She shouldn’t have anything to do with the warehouse right now.”

The voice on the other end didn’t argue. Just said, “Good.”

Rachel hung up and sat still, watching Priska’s house from behind the lorry.

She was scared. But not for Priska.

She was scared Priska would figure it out before the three hours were up.

Inside, Priska wasn’t sitting still.

The moment Rachel’s car disappeared, she went straight to Voy’s office. The room smelled like dust and old paper. She hadn’t been in here since the funeral.

She started tearing through drawers.

Bank statements. Property deeds. All of it had Voy’s name on it.

But one folder at the bottom of the drawer was different.

It was labeled Legal.

Inside was a marriage certificate.

Voy and Rachel dated 8 years ago.

No divorce decree.

Priska’s hands started shaking.

She flipped through faster. Found a court filing from 6 months before Voy “died.” It said Petition for Divorce is Unresolved, meaning it never went through.

Meaning Rachel was still his wife, Priska’s marriage wasn’t legal and this house, the estate, everything… wasn’t hers.

Her phone vibrated and it was a message from voy's number.

“Stop looking. You won’t like what’s in the warehouse.”

Priska stared at the message, then at the clock.

2 hours, 47 minutes left.

She grabbed the folder, shoved it in her bag, and ran for the door.

If Rachel was lying, she’d prove it.

If Rachel was telling the truth, she’d need that warehouse more than ever.

The warehouse was 22 minutes away but Priska made it in 18 minutes.

It was on the edge of the industrial zone, half-abandoned, with a padlock hanging loose on the main gate. Like someone wanted it to look unused.

She parked, her bag clutched tight, and walked in.

Boxes stacked to the ceiling, most of them empty but in the back corner,there was a light was on.

And there was a voice.

“I told you to keep her away! She’s not supposed to be here for another 2 hours!”

Priska froze. That was Rachel’s voice.

She moved quietly, following it to a side office and the door was cracked open. Inside, Rachel stood with her back to the door, talking on the phone.

On the desk behind her was a photo frame.

It was Voy, alive and smiling. That is a recent picture of voy.

There was an inscription on the frame that read "Dated 2 months ago."

Voy was dead since three years ago, how come about the dated two years.

Priska’s breath caught.

Rachel turned, saw her, and the phone dropped.

“Priska,” she said. “You weren’t supposed to come.”

Priska stepped forward, folder in hand. “You lied about everything including Voy, about me, about that 3 hours.”

Rachel didn’t deny it. She just said, “You don’t understand what’s at stake.”

“Then make me understand,” Priska said. “Why is my husband alive? Why am I not his wife on paper? And why do you want me out of here before the 3 hours are up?”

Rachel looked at the door, then back at Priska.

“Because in 2 hours, 11 minutes, people worse than me are going to walk through that door. And if you’re here when they do, you won’t walk out.”

"I know it’s you, Voy. You text me from old lines. You send those recorded conversations. You’re the one doing this."

"Priska, this is not what we’re handling right now. Something bigger is coming. The earlier you leave, the better for you."

"Shut it. You can’t keep doing this to me."

"You know you were never married to Voy. Even if you were married to him, you found what you were looking for. I don’t need to explain it to you. You know what I’m talking about."

"I’m still heated. You barely have an hour left to evacuate where I asked you to. You just need to leave. You don’t belong there."

Priska stepped closer, "And if I don’t?"

Rachel didn't flinch "And if you don’t... and if you don’t... and if you don’t."

"I don’t know. We won’t tell you anything. But I just hope your strength is enough to carry you for what’s ahead of you."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and it was the school.

“Mrs. Ricks? It’s St. Mary’s. Both your kids are running a high temperature. You need to come now.”

Priska’s blood went cold. The warehouse, the folder, Rachel, it all fell away. She dropped everything and headed to her car.

She grabbed her bag and moved for the door, past Rachel without another word.

“Deal with this later,” she muttered. “My kids come first.”

She had to get to the hospital now.

And whatever was in this warehouse would have to wait.

Rachel didn’t stop her. She just said it quietly, like she knew Priska had no choice.

“Don’t bother rushing, Priska. They already know which hospital.”

Priska froze, hand on the door. Do not say that to me again or else...

Or else what? Rachel asked

“What did you say?”

Rachel’s mouth curved, not kind at all. “You heard me right. One hour was never about the warehouse. It was about them getting to your kids before you do.”

Priska stood outside and was vibrating and sweating profusely.

Priska’s phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn’t the school.

One message

" It's too late, don't bother going to the school again".