Chapter 5: The Woman Who Knew Everything
The abandoned warehouse smelled like dust and rain.
I stood beside my brothers, watching the old woman sitting beneath a single hanging light.
Her hands trembled.
Her eyes filled with tears when she saw me.
"Elena?""
My breath caught.
She knew my name.
Marcus stepped forward.
"How are you alive?""
The woman looked at him.
"I was never supposed to survive.""
Nobody spoke.
Finally, she looked back at me.
"I worked for your parents for twelve years.""
I swallowed.
"Who are you?""
"My name is Clara Bennett.""
She took a shaky breath.
"And I was there the night your parents died.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
All my life, I had imagined that night.
A car accident.
A tragedy.
A painful memory.
But never a crime.
"What happened?"" I whispered.
Clara looked at my brothers.
"You need to hear the whole truth.""
Marcus nodded.
"We're listening.""
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small envelope.
"I kept this because I knew one day Elena would need it.""
Inside was a letter.
My mother's handwriting.
I recognized it instantly.
My hands shook as I unfolded it.
*My dearest Elena,*
I stopped reading.
My vision blurred.
My mother had written to me.
A letter that should have reached me years ago.
"Why didn't I get this?""
Clara looked down.
"Because someone stopped it.""
"Who?""
The woman hesitated.
Then she said:
"Adrian's father.""
The room went silent.
I read the letter.
My mother wrote about betrayal.
About someone close to the family stealing everything.
About a man she feared.
But the final line destroyed me.
*If anything happens to us, do not trust anyone who tells you they are protecting you.*
I looked up.
My brothers looked devastated.
Because they understood.
They had become part of the secret.
Not because they wanted to hurt me.
Because they thought hiding the truth would keep me safe.
My phone suddenly rang.
Adrian.
Again.
I answered.
"What do you want?""
His voice was different.
Not angry.
Panicked.
"Elena, where are you?""
"Why?""
"Because someone is threatening me.""
I almost laughed.
"You sound scared.""
"I am.""
A pause.
Then he said:
"Vanessa lied to me.""
I froze.
"What?""
"She knew things about your family.""
The rain outside grew louder.
"Adrian...""
His breathing became uneven.
"Elena, listen to me.""
For the first time in years, he sounded afraid.
"Vanessa didn't come into my life by accident.""
I gripped the phone.
"What are you saying?""
His voice dropped.
"She was sent to destroy you.""
Nobody moved.
Even my brothers heard him.
Then Adrian whispered the sentence that changed everything.
"Elena... Vanessa is not my mistress.""
A cold feeling spread through me.
"Then who is she?""
There was a long pause.
May you like
And then Adrian answered:
"She's the daughter of the man who killed your parents.""
