Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Mrs. Thornbury.
The name hung between us.
Impossible.
That was my first thought.
Impossible.
She had been the woman who gave me a job when nobody else would.
The woman who helped me find cheap medicine for Fern.
The woman who told me which hospitals had the lowest fees.
She was strict.
Cold sometimes.
But she had helped me survive.
"No."
I shook my head.
"You're wrong."
Stellan didn't react.
"You want her to be innocent."
"Because she is."
"How do you know?"
I opened my mouth.
Then stopped.
Because the truth was...
I didn't.
I knew what she showed me.
Not who she really was.
Stellan stepped closer.
"Selene, dangerous people don't always look dangerous."
I hated how much sense that made.
"She gave me this job."
"Exactly."
I stared.
"What?"
"Think about it."
His voice was calm.
"How did you find this job?"
I didn't answer.
Because suddenly I remembered.
A flyer.
A number.
A message.
Everything had happened too easily.
"She found me."
Stellan nodded.
"Why?"
My stomach tightened.
"She knew I needed money."
"How?"
I went silent.
Because nobody knew.
Nobody except...
The hospital.
My landlord.
And Mrs. Thornbury.
A terrible thought entered my mind.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying someone guided you here."
I looked around the mansion.
"No."
"Yes."
"Why would she?"
Stellan's expression became darker.
"Because this house was the closest place she could watch you."
I felt sick.
"Watch me?"
"Watch Fern."
I grabbed the edge of the table.
"Stop."
Stellan stopped talking.
"You're making everything sound like a conspiracy."
"It is."
"No."
My voice broke.
"I am tired."
The anger disappeared.
Only exhaustion remained.
"I am tired of everyone knowing things about my life except me."
For a moment, Stellan said nothing.
Then something unexpected happened.
He lowered his voice.
"I'm sorry."
I looked at him.
The apology shocked me.
Because powerful men like Stellan Cross probably didn't apologize.
Not often.
Not sincerely.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there."
The words hurt.
More than anger.
"I missed her first word."
His eyes moved to Fern.
"I missed her first smile."
A pause.
"I missed everything."
I looked away.
Because I didn't want to see the pain in his face.
It made things harder.
Then his phone rang.
Again.
He answered.
"Yes?"
His expression changed.
"What do you mean she's gone?"
My body froze.
"Who?"
Stellan looked at me.
The call ended.
"Mrs. Thornbury."
My heart dropped.
"What?"
"She disappeared."
I shook my head.
"No."
"Security checked her apartment."
"And?"
"Empty."
I couldn't speak.
Then Stellan added:
"She left something behind."
"What?"
He handed me a small envelope.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
Inside was an old photograph.
A photograph of Adrian.
My breath stopped.
But that wasn't the worst part.
Because beside him...
was Mrs. Thornbury.
Years younger.
Standing next to him.
Smiling.
I dropped the photo.
"No..."
Stellan picked it up.
His eyes narrowed.
"She knew him."
I looked at him.
"How?"
Nobody answered.
Then I noticed something written on the back.
A message.
Not to Stellan.
To me.
My fingers shook as I read it.
Selene,
I tried to keep you safe.
But Stellan will tell you the truth too late.
The man you loved never disappeared.
He was taken.
My heart stopped.
I looked at Stellan.
"What does this mean?"
For the first time...
the most feared man in Chicago looked completely broken.
Because he knew something I didn't.
Something he had hidden for two years.
"Stellan?"
His voice was barely a whisper.
"Adrian didn't leave you."
I waited.
"He was kidnapped."
The room went silent.
"And I know who took him."
My heartbeat stopped.
"Who?"
Stellan looked toward the window.
Toward the city.
Toward the people who had been hiding the truth from me.
May you like
Then he said:
"The same person who tried to take your daughter."
