Chapter 7: The Enemy Inside the Foundation
Adrian's office smelled like expensive cologne and fear.
The police had already cleared the area by the time I arrived.
Caleb walked beside me, his expression unreadable.
"Are you sure you want to do this?""
I looked at the closed office door.
Eight years ago, I would have said no.
I would have waited for Adrian to explain.
I would have searched for excuses.
Not anymore.
"Open it.""
Caleb nodded.
Inside, everything looked normal.
Too normal.
A clean desk.
A perfect view of the city.
Family photographs arranged carefully.
A performance.
Just like our marriage.
Marcus entered behind us.
"The message on his hand was written before he lost consciousness.""
"By him?""
"No.""
Julian examined the room.
"Someone wanted us to find it.""
I walked toward Adrian's desk.
A picture caught my attention.
It was from our wedding.
Adrian and me smiling.
Happy.
Or at least I was.
I picked it up.
"You know what's the worst part?""
My brothers looked at me.
"I don't know which memories were real.""
Nobody answered.
Because they knew.
That was the cruelest part of betrayal.
It didn't just destroy the future.
It poisoned the past.
Julian opened a drawer.
"Elena.""
Something in his voice made me turn.
He held a small notebook.
"What is that?""
"Adrian's.""
Marcus took it.
Inside were handwritten notes.
Dates.
Names.
Payments.
And one name appeared repeatedly.
*E. Vale.*
Me.
My stomach tightened.
"He was tracking me.""
Caleb's jaw clenched.
"Since when?""
Julian flipped through pages.
"Since before the wedding.""
I stepped back.
"No.""
Marcus looked at the notebook.
"Elena...""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"That can't be true.""
But it was.
The evidence was right there.
Adrian didn't accidentally enter my life.
He found me.
The man I thought rescued me had hunted me.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A message.
*You finally understand.*
Attached was a photo.
Adrian.
Before we met.
Standing beside Vanessa.
And beside them...
A third person.
A man.
Older.
Gray hair.
My hands went cold.
Because I recognized him.
"Who is that?"" Julian asked.
I couldn't answer.
Marcus stared at the image.
Then whispered:
"That's not possible.""
"What?""
He pointed at the man.
"That's your father.""
My breath stopped.
"My father is dead.""
Marcus looked devastated.
"I know.""
The photograph shook in my hand.
A thousand questions crashed together.
How?
Why?
Where had he been?
Then another message arrived.
This time with a location.
And four words.
*Come alone, Elena.*
Caleb immediately shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
Marcus took the phone.
"No.""
Julian looked at me.
"Don't even consider it.""
But I already knew.
Because whoever sent this knew something none of us knew.
Something about my father.
Something about my mother.
Something about the night everything changed.
I looked at my brothers.
"I have to go.""
Caleb stepped forward.
"No.""
"Caleb—"
"No.""
His voice cracked.
"You spent eight years protecting everyone else's feelings. Don't do this again.""
I looked at him.
"I'm not going alone.""
The three brothers stared at me.
Then Marcus understood.
"You want us nearby.""
I nodded.
Not hiding.
Not saving me.
Standing with me.
For once.
Julian closed his laptop.
"Where are we going?""
I looked at the location.
An old private estate outside the city.
The place where my parents used to spend summers.
The place that was sold after their deaths.
The place nobody should have access to.
May you like
But someone did.
And they were waiting.
