Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT THE TRUTH DISAPPEARED
The emergency lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the entire mansion went dark.
For three seconds, nobody knew what was happening.
Then came the scream.
A woman’s scream.
Sharp.
Terrified.
Coming from inside the house.
“Amelia!”
Daniel Cross moved before anyone else.
He pushed through the crowd and ran toward the entrance.
“Security! Lock every door!”
The guards immediately reacted.
But the damage was already done.
Because when the emergency lights finally turned back on…
Amelia Brooks was gone.
Daniel stopped in the middle of the hallway.
His heart dropped.
“No…”
He looked around.
The living room.
The kitchen.
The staircase.
Nothing.
She had disappeared in less than a minute.
Michael followed him inside.
“This is what they wanted.”
Daniel turned sharply.
“What?”
Michael’s face was serious.
“The blackout wasn’t random.”
Daniel looked toward the security guards.
“Check every camera.”
A guard ran toward the security room.
Vanessa slowly entered behind them.
And for the first time that night…
she wasn’t smiling.
Daniel noticed.
“You know something.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“I have no idea where she is.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Don’t lie to me.”
His voice was cold.
“You lied about the stroller.”
“You lied about Amelia.”
“You lied about Michael.”
His eyes narrowed.
“And now my son’s savior is missing.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“You think I took her?”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“Would anyone blame us?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“You’re alive because she saved you.”
Michael’s expression hardened.
“And you spent eight years trying to destroy her.”
Before Vanessa could answer, the security guard rushed back.
“Mr. Cross!”
Daniel turned.
“What happened?”
The guard looked nervous.
“The cameras were disabled.”
“How?”
“Someone entered the security room five minutes before the blackout.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“Who?”
The guard hesitated.
Then handed him a piece of paper.
“We found this on the desk.”
Daniel unfolded it.
There were only six words written.
STOP LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH.
His hand tightened around the paper.
Michael looked over his shoulder.
“They’re scared.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Who?”
Michael didn’t answer.
Because he already knew.
Someone who had spent years hiding.
Someone who had power.
Someone who believed they could control everyone forever.
Meanwhile…
Amelia opened her eyes.
The first thing she felt was pain.
A sharp pain in her head.
The second thing she noticed was the smell.
Dust.
Old wood.
A forgotten place.
She tried to move.
But her wrists were tied.
Her breathing became faster.
“Hello?”
No answer.
“Is anyone there?”
Her voice echoed through the dark room.
She pulled against the rope.
Nothing.
Then she remembered.
The blackout.
The hallway.
A hand covering her mouth.
Someone whispering in her ear.
“You should have stayed dead.”
Amelia froze.
That voice.
She knew that voice.
Slowly, a figure stepped out of the darkness.
Amelia’s heart stopped.
“No…”
The person smiled.
“You remember me.”
Amelia stared.
Because standing in front of her was someone she thought she would never see again.
Someone connected to the night everything changed.
“You’re dead.”
The person laughed softly.
“So many people have said that.”
Amelia shook her head.
“How?”
The figure walked closer.
“Eight years ago, everyone thought you lost your memory.”
A pause.
“But the truth is…”
The person leaned down.
“You remembered everything.”
Amelia’s eyes widened.
“No.”
“Yes.”
The person smiled.
“You remembered who caused the accident.”
Amelia’s breathing became heavier.
“Why are you doing this?”
The figure looked at her.
“Because you never should have survived.”
Back at the mansion, Daniel was losing patience.
“Find her.”
The security team searched every room.
Every hallway.
Every camera angle.
Nothing.
Then suddenly, Michael noticed something.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at him.
He pointed toward the security monitor.
“Go back.”
The guard rewound the footage.
The screen showed the moment before the blackout.
Guests running.
Lights shutting off.
People panicking.
Then something appeared.
A shadow moving behind Amelia.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Zoom in.”
The image became clearer.
A person standing behind her.
Wearing black gloves.
Holding something in their hand.
Michael stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What?”
Michael’s face turned pale.
“Because that person…”
He stopped.
Daniel grabbed his shoulder.
“Who?”
Michael looked at the screen.
“The person who kidnapped Amelia…”
He swallowed.
“Is the same person who killed my father.”
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at him.
He answered.
“Where is she?”
A voice came through.
Calm.
Cold.
“You want Amelia back?”
Daniel gripped the phone.
“What do you want?”
A pause.
Then:
“The truth.”
Daniel frowned.
“What truth?”
The voice replied:
“The truth about what your family did.”
Daniel’s face changed.
The person continued.
“Bring Michael to the old Cross factory.”
Michael immediately looked at him.
“No.”
Daniel ignored him.
“What happens if I refuse?”
The voice became colder.
“Then Amelia learns what happened to her family…”
A pause.
“And this time, she won’t survive it.”
The call ended.
Daniel stood frozen.
Michael looked at him.
“You can’t go.”
Daniel turned.
“She’s my responsibility.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
His voice was heavy.
“She’s not just your employee.”
Daniel looked confused.
Michael stared at him.
“She’s the reason you still have a son.”
Daniel looked toward the upstairs room where his child was sleeping.
Then back at Michael.
“What are you saying?”
Michael took a deep breath.
“The night Amelia saved me…”
He looked away.
“She wasn’t the only one who survived.”
Daniel felt a chill.
“Who else survived?”
Michael looked at him.
“Someone who should have died.”
A pause.
“Someone who has been living inside your house for years.”
Daniel’s face changed.
Because suddenly…
the enemy wasn’t outside.
May you like
The enemy had been standing beside him the entire time.
TO BE CONTINUED...
