Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Was Buried TwiceRoman drove to the old Callaway estate alone.
Sophia wanted to follow.
He refused.
“You stay with Marcus.”
“Roman.”
“I need to know whether my mother is alive.”
Sophia studied him.
“You don't believe she is.”
“No.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
Roman looked at her.
“Because part of me has been waiting seventeen years to find out I was wrong.”
The estate stood beyond the city, surrounded by dead trees and rusted gates.
Roman entered through the back.
His father's study remained untouched.
The room smelled like dust and old books.
He opened the desk.
Nothing.
He pulled the drawers.
Still nothing.
Then he noticed the floor.
One plank was newer than the others.
He pried it up.
Beneath it was a black metal case.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Birth certificates.
Bank records.
Medical files.
Photographs.
One folder contained a name.
ELENA CALLAWAY.
Roman opened it.
Her supposed death certificate was there.
But so was another document.
A living witness statement.
His mother had been seen alive two years after her funeral.
Roman's hands trembled.
He read the witness account.
A nurse at a private psychiatric facility claimed Elena had been transferred under a false name.
Roman stopped.
Private psychiatric facility.
He knew the place.
He had funded it.
His own company had owned the land.
“How convenient,” he whispered.
His phone rang.
Sophia.
“Roman, come back.”
“What happened?”
“Someone got into the apartment.”
Roman stood.
“Where's Marcus?”
“I don't know.”
Roman's chest tightened.
“Where's Gabriel?”
Silence.
Then Sophia whispered:
“I don't know.”
The call ended.
Roman ran.
By the time he reached the apartment building, the ninth floor was surrounded by security.
The door had been forced open.
Furniture overturned.
Windows shattered.
But there was no blood.
No bodies.
No baby.
Roman walked into the nursery.
The crib was empty.
Then he noticed the blanket.
Gabriel's blanket had been folded neatly on the floor.
On top of it was a note.
Roman picked it up.
YOU KEEP LOOKING FOR THE DEAD.
He turned it over.
LOOK FOR THE WOMAN WHO IS STILL ALIVE.
At that moment, Marcus entered.
Blood ran down his forehead.
“Sir…”
Roman stared at him.
“Where is Sophia?”
Marcus shook his head.
“They took her.”
Roman's voice became almost inaudible.
“Who?”
Marcus swallowed.
“I saw the man.”
“Who was it?”
Marcus looked terrified.
“It was Vincent.”
Roman closed his eyes.
Then he heard a baby crying.
Not from the apartment.
From somewhere behind the wall.
Roman looked toward the nursery.
He touched the wall.
The crying became louder.
Marcus stared.
“There shouldn't be anything back there.”
Roman stepped back.
Then he slammed his shoulder into the wall.
Once.
Twice.
The panel cracked open.
Behind it was a hidden room.
Inside sat Sophia.
Alive.
Terrified.
And holding Gabriel.
But there was someone else in the room.
An elderly woman sat in a chair beneath a single bulb.
Roman stared at her.
The woman slowly lifted her head.
“Hello, Roman.”
He stopped breathing.
May you like
His mother smiled.
“You took long enough.”
