Chapter 9: The House Full of Secrets

I didn’t want Daniel to go alone.

Not after everything.

But I also knew something.

He needed answers.

The family he grew up believing in was collapsing, and he needed to see the truth with his own eyes.

“Promise me something,” I said.

Daniel grabbed his keys.

“What?””

“Don’t let them convince you that you imagined everything.””

He looked at me.

“I won’t.””

“And don’t go there to protect them.””

His expression changed.

“I’m not.””

“Go there to protect yourself.””

He nodded.

Then he kissed Lily’s forehead before leaving.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?””

Lily hugged him.

“Daddy?””

“Yeah?””

“Don’t let Grandma be mean anymore.””

Daniel closed his eyes.

“I won’t.””

The drive to his parents’ house took forty minutes.

I knew because I checked my phone every two minutes.

Finally, a message arrived.

From Daniel.

“I’m inside.””

Then nothing.

Ten minutes passed.

Twenty.

I called.

No answer.

My stomach tightened.

Then my phone rang.

Daniel.

I answered immediately.

“What happened?””

His voice was quiet.

“I found something.””

“What?””

“I’m sending you pictures.””

A few seconds later, my phone filled with images.

A locked cabinet.

Inside were folders.

Dozens of them.

Each folder had a name.

I zoomed in.

My blood went cold.

The first one said:

CLAIRE.

The second:

MICHAEL.

The third:

EMMA.

I stopped breathing.

“They had a file on me?””

Daniel’s voice cracked.

“Yes.””

I stared at the screen.

“What’s inside?””

“I don’t know yet.””

A sound came through the phone.

A door closing.

“Daniel?””

No answer.

“Daniel?””

Then I heard his voice, lower.

“Dad?””

My heart started racing.

“What happened?””

Daniel didn’t respond.

Then Robert spoke.

“He was never supposed to find those.””

I stood up.

“Daniel?””

His voice came back.

“Emma…”

Something was wrong.

“What?””

A long pause.

Then he whispered,

“My parents didn’t just keep records of people.””

My blood ran cold.

“What do you mean?””

Daniel breathed heavily.

“They created them.””

The call went silent.

And then one final message appeared on my phone.

A picture.

A document.

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With my name at the top.

And a date from three months before I ever met Daniel.