Chapter 4: The Woman With The Necklace
Natalie felt the entire hallway become colder.
The stranger’s words hung in the air like a blade.
“Ask her who she really is.””
Everyone looked at Natalie.
Even Lucas.
The little boy slowly stepped closer to her, his fingers wrapping around the edge of her uniform.
Daniel’s expression changed first.
Not anger.
Suspicion.
“What did you mean by that?””
The woman with the necklace lowered her eyes.
“I mean exactly what I said.””
Daniel stepped forward.
Security guards appeared behind him, but he lifted one hand.
Nobody moved.
The woman looked older than she had in the photograph, but Natalie noticed the similarities immediately.
The same eyes.
The same necklace.
The same sadness.
“You knew my wife,” Daniel said.
The woman nodded.
“I did.””
“Who are you?””
“My name is Claire Bennett.””
Daniel’s face tightened.
The name meant something.
Natalie saw it.
“You know her.””
Daniel remained silent.
Claire looked toward Lucas.
“I knew your mother before she married Daniel.””
Lucas stared.
“You knew my mommy?””
Claire’s eyes softened.
“Yes.””
The boy took another step.
“Is she coming back?””
The question broke something in Claire’s expression.
She looked away.
Daniel noticed.
“Answer him.””
Claire swallowed.
“I don’t know.””
Lucas’s face fell.
Natalie immediately crouched beside him.
“Lucas.””
But he pulled away.
“No.””
His voice trembled.
“Everyone says they don’t know.””
He looked at Daniel.
“Everyone leaves.””
Daniel flinched.
Claire looked at Natalie.
“You’re the maid?””
Natalie nodded.
“Yes.””
Claire’s expression changed.
“You don’t know, do you?””
“Know what?””
Claire looked at Daniel.
Then back at Natalie.
“That you were never hired to clean this house.””
Silence.
Natalie frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Claire.””
But Claire continued.
“Three years ago, before Lucas’s mother disappeared, she made one final request.””
Daniel looked furious.
“Stop.””
“She asked me to find someone.””
Natalie felt her heartbeat change.
“Find someone?””
Claire stepped closer.
“You.””
The hallway went completely silent.
Natalie stared at her.
“That’s impossible.””
Claire shook her head.
“No. It isn’t.””
Daniel turned toward Natalie.
“You knew?””
Natalie looked shocked.
“No.””
For the first time, Daniel believed the fear in her eyes.
She truly didn’t know.
Claire reached into her coat and removed a small envelope.
She handed it to Natalie.
“This was left with your name.””
Natalie hesitated.
“I don’t understand.””
“You will.””
Her fingers trembled as she opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Not of Lucas.
Not of Daniel.
Of Natalie.
A younger Natalie.
Standing beside a woman she had never met.
Except the woman was Lucas’s mother.
Natalie’s breath stopped.
“That’s not possible.””
Claire watched her carefully.
“Your memories were taken from you.””
Natalie looked up.
“What?””
Daniel’s expression darkened.
“What are you saying?””
Claire turned toward him.
“I’m saying your wife didn’t disappear because she wanted to leave.””
Daniel stared.
“She was running from someone.””
“Who?””
Claire looked at Lucas.
Then at Natalie.
“Someone who wanted the boy hidden.””
Lucas grabbed Natalie’s hand.
“Why?””
Claire’s eyes filled with pain.
“Because Lucas was never supposed to survive.””
The words shattered the room.
Daniel moved instantly.
“What did you say?””
Claire looked at him.
“You heard me.””
Daniel’s voice became dangerous.
“Explain.””
Claire looked toward the locked bedroom.
“Your wife discovered something about Lucas’s birth.””
Natalie looked down at the photograph again.
A strange feeling moved through her.
Like a door inside her mind was slowly opening.
A memory.
A hospital.
A woman crying.
A baby’s hand holding her finger.
Then pain.
Darkness.
She dropped the photograph.
Daniel caught it before it hit the floor.
“Natalie?””
She pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“I…”
The hallway spun.
Lucas looked terrified.
“Are you okay?””
Natalie looked at him.
And suddenly, she remembered something.
Not everything.
Just one sentence.
A woman’s voice whispering:
“Protect him.””
Natalie looked at Lucas.
Then at Daniel.
“I knew your mother.””
Nobody spoke.
Claire closed her eyes.
“Now you remember.””
But before Natalie could ask another question, the mansion lights suddenly went out.
A sound came from downstairs.
Glass breaking.
Daniel immediately moved in front of everyone.
Security alarms started screaming.
Then a voice echoed through the darkness.
“Lucas Brooks.””
The boy froze.
Because he recognized the voice.
May you like
And he whispered:
“He found me.””
