Chapter 12: The Place Where It Started
I didn’t go alone.
That was the first promise I made to myself.
The second was that Daniel would never get near Lily again.
Vanessa and I followed the location Daniel sent.
An abandoned research building outside the city.
The same place listed in my wife’s files.
The place where everything began.
The building looked empty.
But I knew better.
People like Daniel didn’t disappear.
They waited.
We entered through the broken front doors.
The air smelled old.
Dust.
Metal.
Memories.
Vanessa walked beside me.
“I owe you an explanation.””
I didn’t look at her.
“Not now.””
“I need you to hear it.””
“Why?””
“Because if we survive this, you need to know I tried to fix it.””
I stopped.
“Fix what?””
Her eyes filled with regret.
“My mistake.””
She took a breath.
“Six years ago, Daniel approached me.””
I looked at her.
“What did he want?””
“He told me Lily had a condition.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He said she was in danger.””
My anger returned.
“And you believed him?””
“I was desperate.””
She looked down.
“My daughter was sick. He promised he could help her.””
I softened slightly.
Not because I forgave her.
Because I understood desperation.
“What happened?””
“He asked me to watch your wife.””
I froze.
“You were spying on her?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“I discovered she knew about Daniel.””
We reached a hallway.
A door stood at the end.
Vanessa pointed.
“That room.””
“How do you know?””
“Because your wife kept her final recordings there.””
I opened the door.
Inside was a small office.
A computer sat on the desk.
Still connected.
I pressed the power button.
The screen turned on.
A video file appeared.
Created six years ago.
The title:
*For Ethan and Lily.*
My hands shook.
I clicked play.
My wife appeared on the screen.
Older.
Tired.
But smiling.
“Ethan…”
I stopped breathing.
Her voice filled the room.
“If you’re watching this, then I’m probably not there to explain everything myself.””
I covered my mouth.
She looked directly into the camera.
“I’m sorry.””
A tear fell from my eye.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“The person you think betrayed you…”
She paused.
“…is not the person you should fear.””
The screen flickered.
A shadow moved behind her.
My wife looked toward the door.
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then she whispered:
“He found me.””
The video ended.
The room went dark.
Vanessa and I stared at the screen.
Because the last person my wife saw before she died…
May you like
was standing behind the camera.
And we both knew who it was.
