Chapter 5 - Victoria's SecretI barely escaped.
Victoria chased me through the service halls.
The hotel was still under evacuation.
Smoke blurred everything.
I finally reached the underground parking garage.
I climbed into an abandoned maintenance vehicle and slammed the door.
Victoria passed without seeing me.
I waited.
Five minutes.
Then ten.
When the garage was silent, I drove out.
I didn't go home.
Someone had already proven they could find me.
I went to the only place my mother had always told me was safe.
Her private lake house.
The house had been untouched since her death.
I entered using an emergency key hidden beneath a loose stone.
Inside, everything smelled like cedar and old books.
For the first time in weeks, I felt safe.
Then I found the blood.
It was on the study floor.
Fresh.
I froze.
Someone had been there.
I searched the room.
Drawers were open.
Files were scattered.
A painting had been removed from the wall.
Behind it was a steel safe.
I opened it.
Inside was a key.
A black envelope.
And a photograph.
The same man from the archive.
Daniel Cross.
My father.
But this time he wasn't alone.
Beside him stood my mother.
And between them was a little girl.
Not me.
Another child.
The back of the photo said:
CHARLOTTE'S SISTER.
I stared.
“No.”
A second envelope contained an adoption record.
The girl's name was Amelia Cross.
My sister.
A note was attached.
Charlotte,
You were never the only child.
Daniel had another daughter.
She disappeared eleven years ago.
Your mother spent the rest of her life looking for her.
My hands shook.
Then I heard footsteps outside.
I grabbed the key.
Someone entered the house.
I hid behind the study door.
A man walked inside.
Richard.
He looked exhausted.
“Charlotte?”
I stayed silent.
“Please.”
I stepped out.
He exhaled.
“I knew you'd find this.”
“You knew about Amelia.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“I don't know.”
“You've lied to me about everything.”
Richard looked down.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You protected the people who destroyed my family.”
His eyes filled with regret.
“No.”
He looked directly at me.
“I protected one person.”
“Who?”
Richard hesitated.
“Your mother.”
I shook my head.
“She would hate what you've done.”
“She would hate what they forced me to do.”
Then he gave me another folder.
Inside were financial records.
Payments from Evelyn to a private security company.
Payments from Victoria's family.
And one payment that made my blood run cold.
A monthly transfer.
Still active.
To an account under the name Amelia Cross.
My sister was alive.
Richard saw my expression.
“Yes.”
“She is alive.”
“Where?”
He looked toward the window.
“Somewhere they can never find her.”
A phone rang.
Richard's phone.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Who is this?”
Silence.
Then he whispered:
“That's impossible.”
He handed me the phone.
A woman's voice came through.
“Charlotte?”
I stopped breathing.
“Amelia?”
The voice cried softly.
“Yes.”
Then she said four words.
“Don't trust your uncle.”
The call ended.
Richard stared at me.
I stared at him.
May you like
Then every light in the lake house went out.
And someone locked the front door from the outside.
