All Chapters of I Died Once to Become Her Nightmare: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

"Say that again."Elena's voice was barely above a whisper.Her father stood across the room, watching her carefully."You're not Virelli Seven," he said. "You're Virelli Zero."The lights remained off.Only the screens around the room gave the office a cold glow.VIRELLI ZERO.The words repeated across every monitor.Elena stared at them until the letters began to blur."No."Her father didn't move."No," she repeated, louder this time. "You don't get to change my name and expect me to believe you.""I am not changing your name.""Then what are you doing?""I'm telling you the truth."Elena laughed bitterly."Truth?"She pointed toward the screens."Six years ago, you were dead. Then I discovered you were alive. I found out my memories might not belong to me. I learned that another woman was called the first Elena. Now you're telling me I'm not even Seven."Her voice cracked."How many more lies are there?"Her father lowered his eyes."Too many."The answer hurt more than she expect

The elevator doors opened.Elena stopped breathing.For one terrifying second, nobody moved.The corridor beyond the elevator was empty.No soldiers.No scientists.No escaped subjects.Nothing.Just darkness.Then a man's hand appeared around the edge of the elevator door.Adrian raised his weapon immediately."Stay back."The hand disappeared.A second later, someone stepped out.Elena's heart dropped.She knew him.Not from her memories.From the files.VIRELLI-6.The man looked pale and exhausted. His dark hair was longer than it had been in the photograph, and a thin scar ran from his left temple down to his jaw.But there was no mistaking him.Elena stared."Six."The man looked directly at her.Then he smiled."Finally."Adrian's weapon remained raised."Don't come any closer."Virelli-6 ignored him.His eyes stayed on Elena."You look exactly like I remember."Elena stepped forward despite Adrian's warning."You were supposed to be dead.""I was."Her stomach tightened."Then

"Now you know who I am."Elena couldn't move.The voice was inside her head again.Clearer this time.Closer.Almost like someone was standing directly behind her and whispering into her ear.She looked around the dark laboratory.Nothing.Only the sound of alarms and the slow dripping of water from the shattered chamber.Adrian reached for her."Elena."She stepped away."Don't touch me."He stopped immediately.The words on the screen remained burned into her mind.ELENA VIRELLI IS NO LONGER THE SUBJECT.SHE IS THE OBSERVER.Elena stared at them."What does that mean?"Nobody answered.She looked at her father.He looked terrified.Not surprised.Terrified."You knew."He swallowed."I suspected.""That's not what I asked.""I didn't know it would happen this way."Elena laughed bitterly."Nothing ever happens the way you expect, does it?"Her father lowered his eyes."Elena...""No."She pointed toward the screen."Explain it.""It means the Observer has transferred its primary con

"He's already here."Elena stopped breathing.Her mother's voice had barely left the room when the lights went out completely.Darkness swallowed the hallway.For a few seconds, Elena couldn't see anything.She could only hear her mother's breathing.Fast.Uneven.Terrified.Then a second sound joined it.Footsteps.Slow.Measured.Coming from somewhere behind her mother.Elena's heart hammered against her ribs."Mom?""Elena, don't move."Her mother's voice trembled."Whatever you hear, don't move."Elena swallowed."Where is he?"A pause."Behind me."The footsteps stopped.Silence.Then a man's voice filled the darkness."She always was good at protecting you."Elena's blood ran cold.She knew that voice.Not personally.But from her memories.The same voice that had spoken through the screens.The Observer.Her uncle stepped forward."Show yourself."A quiet laugh answered him."You still give orders as if you own this place."A light flickered on at the end of the hallway.A man

Elena stared at Adrian.For a moment, she couldn't understand the words he had just spoken.Then they sank in."I was the one who killed you."The chapel seemed to grow colder.Her fingers slowly tightened around the edge of the pew beside her."You?"Adrian nodded."I killed you."Elena took a step backward."No.""I know what it sounds like.""It sounds like a lie.""I wish it was."Her mother stepped forward."Adrian, don't."He looked at her."You promised she would never find out this way.""I promised I would protect her.""And you failed."Elena looked between them."You both knew?"Neither answered.Her chest tightened."Everyone knew."Her voice cracked."Everyone except me."Adrian lowered his eyes."I'm sorry."Elena laughed bitterly."Sorry?"She stepped closer."You watched me die.""Yes.""You let them bring me back.""Yes.""You let me believe you were protecting me.""I was."Her eyes hardened."How?"Adrian looked at her."Because if I hadn't killed you that night, th