Chapter 7 - The Man Behind the Door
Nobody moved.
The apartment became completely silent.
Annie could hear her own heartbeat.
The door handle moved again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Whoever was outside wasn’t trying to break in.
They were trying not to make noise.
Daniel raised one hand.
Everyone stopped.
Then came three knocks.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
Three slow knocks.
Eleanor’s face changed.
Annie noticed immediately.
“Grandma?”
Eleanor looked scared.
“Do you know who that is?”
Eleanor didn’t answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Eleanor.”
Her hands tightened.
“I thought he was gone.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Before she could answer, a voice came from the hallway.
“Eleanor…”
The old woman closed her eyes.
That voice.
She remembered it.
Daniel moved toward the door.
“Stay behind me.”
But Annie saw something Daniel didn’t.
Her grandmother wasn’t afraid of the man outside.
She was afraid of what his arrival meant.
The door opened.
Standing there was an old man wearing a dark coat.
His hair was gray.
His face was tired.
But his eyes were sharp.
Daniel froze.
“Thomas.”
The man looked at him.
“You’re alive.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You should be too.”
Annie looked between them.
“Who is he?”
Nobody answered.
Thomas stepped inside.
“I’m the reason Daniel Moretti became who he is.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Don’t.”
Thomas ignored him.
“And I’m the reason your grandmother spent thirty years hiding.”
Annie looked at Eleanor.
“Grandma?”
Eleanor lowered her head.
“I’m sorry, little bird.”
Annie felt her chest tighten.
All her life, Eleanor had been the person who protected her.
The person who always told the truth.
But now…
There was an entire part of her life Annie knew nothing about.
Thomas looked at Annie.
“You look just like your mother.”
Annie froze.
“My mother?”
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“Don’t say another word.”
Thomas smiled.
“Why?”
He looked at Annie.
“She deserves to know.”
A pause.
“Especially because her mother didn’t die in an accident.”
The room went silent.
Annie stared at him.
“What did you say?”
Thomas looked at Eleanor.
“Tell her.”
Eleanor started crying.
Because after thirty years…
May you like
The truth was finally coming out.
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