Chapter 12: The Woman Who Survived Him
Rebecca agreed to meet at a small café outside the city.
She chose the location.
She chose the time.
She chose the table near the exit.
The first thing I noticed was not her appearance.
It was the way she watched the door.
Like someone who spent years preparing to run.
When she saw me, she stood.
“Elena?””
I nodded.
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she whispered:
“I’m sorry.””
I sat down.
“For what?””
Her eyes filled.
“For not finding you sooner.””
I didn’t know what to say.
Because I had spent years imagining Adrian’s other women.
I imagined them as confident.
Beautiful.
Powerful.
I never imagined they were survivors too.
Rebecca placed a folder on the table.
“Your father contacted me six months before he died.””
“Why?””
“Because he discovered what Adrian did to me.””
I opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
Police reports.
My stomach tightened.
“He hurt you?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Not at first.””
The same words.
The same story.
“He was charming.””
I looked down.
“Of course.””
“He made me feel special. He told me I was the only person who understood him.””
I almost smiled sadly.
“That’s what he told me.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Because that’s what he does.””
She looked at me.
“He doesn’t fall in love.””
A pause.
“He studies people.””
The same words my father used.
“What happened?””
Rebecca looked out the window.
“I discovered he was stealing money from my family.””
My breath caught.
“Like mine.””
“Yes.””
“He convinced everyone I was unstable. He made my friends question me. My family stopped believing me.””
My hands tightened.
“He does it slowly.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Until one day you wake up and realize you don’t know yourself anymore.””
The words hurt because they were true.
“Why did you leave?””
Her expression changed.
“Because I found something.””
“What?””
She opened another document.
A birth certificate.
I looked at the name.
Rebecca’s hand trembled.
“Adrian had another child before Lily.””
My eyes widened.
“What?””
She nodded.
“A son.””
The room felt colder.
“Where is he?””
Rebecca looked at me.
“That’s the problem.””
My stomach tightened.
“He disappeared.””
I stared.
“What do you mean disappeared?””
Rebecca’s voice lowered.
“Adrian told me he died.””
The silence between us was heavy.
“But?””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“But I never believed him.””
I thought about Lily.
About the lies.
About Adrian rewriting reality.
“How many people has he done this to?””
Rebecca didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
Too many.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A message.
From Adrian.
I opened it.
*I met with Rebecca too.*
My heart stopped.
Another message appeared.
*You should ask her why she really came back.*
Then a third.
*Because she’s not on your side.*
I looked at Rebecca.
She had seen my expression.
“What did he say?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I noticed something.
A small movement.
Her eyes shifted toward the window.
Fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“Rebecca.””
She looked at me.
“What?””
I lowered my voice.
“Why are you really helping me?””
Her face changed.
For a moment, she looked like she wanted to tell me everything.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
And all the color disappeared from her face.
“What is it?”” I asked.
She whispered:
“He found my son.””
My heart stopped.
“Who?””
Rebecca looked at me.
And said the name.
The name that connected every lie Adrian had ever told.
“Lily’s brother.””
I froze.
May you like
Because Adrian hadn’t just hidden one child.
He had hidden an entire family.
