Chapter 5 - When the lights returned, Lucas was gone.Harris chased him through the maintenance tunnels.
I stood frozen.
First husband?
What did that even mean?
Daniel was my husband.
The only man I had married.
We had wedding photographs.
A marriage certificate.
Years of memories.
Madison.
A whole life.
How could someone say Daniel wasn't the first man I married?
Then I remembered something.
My first wedding photograph.
There had always been one missing page in our wedding album.
I had never thought about it.
Until now.
I called my mother.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Renee?”
“Mom, where are my old wedding records?”
Silence.
“Mom?”
“Why?”
“I need them.”
Another pause.
“They're in the attic.”
I went home immediately.
Madison stayed with a neighbor.
The attic smelled like dust and old paper.
I searched boxes until I found one labeled with my maiden name.
Inside were photographs.
Letters.
Medical records.
A marriage certificate.
I unfolded it.
My hands began shaking.
The man's name wasn't Daniel Carter.
It was Daniel Hayes.
Same name as the passport.
Same man.
But the date was seven years earlier.
Before I met Daniel Carter.
Before Madison was born.
I stared at the photograph attached to the certificate.
It showed me.
And Daniel.
I looked almost ten years younger.
My mother had lied.
Everyone had lied.
Or maybe I had forgotten.
I turned the page.
A handwritten note was taped behind it.
You chose to forget because remembering would have killed you.
I felt dizzy.
The attic door creaked.
I turned.
My mother stood there.
She looked devastated.
“You found it.”
“Who was Daniel Hayes?”
She closed her eyes.
“Your husband.”
“Which husband?”
She stepped inside.
“You married him twice.”
“What?”
“The first time, he disappeared.”
“Why?”
“He told us you had died.”
“I was standing there.”
“You were alive.”
“What happened?”
My mother sat down.
“You were attacked.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
“By whom?”
“Michael.”
My blood froze.
“What?”
“Michael wanted Daniel's research.”
“What research?”
“My mother looked at me.
“Project Orpheus.”
I backed away.
“What was Daniel researching?”
“He had discovered a system used to erase people.”
“Erase?”
“Financial identity. Medical records. Legal records. Everything.”
My mother reached into the box.
She pulled out a newspaper clipping.
A photograph showed a young woman.
The headline read:
LOCAL WOMAN PRESUMED DEAD AFTER CAR CRASH.
I stared at the photograph.
It was me.
Underneath the article was another photo.
A little girl.
Madison.
The caption said:
SURVIVING INFANT LEFT WITHOUT IDENTIFIED FATHER.
My hands went numb.
“Madison wasn't seven years old when I met Daniel.”
My mother's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
“How old was she?”
“Two months.”
I stumbled backward.
“Then why don't I remember?”
“Because you were drugged.”
“Who?”
“Daniel.”
I stared at her.
She whispered:
“He made you forget because he was trying to save you.”
The room suddenly felt too small.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
“Renee?”
“Who is this?”
“Elena.”
The missing nurse.
“What happened to Daniel?”
“He's with me.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Why did you take him?”
“Because the men hunting him also killed my sister.”
My heart pounded.
“What do you want?”
“I want to help him.”
“Then bring him back.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because Michael has already hired someone to kill Madison.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“Where is my daughter?”
Silence.
Then Elena whispered:
“Don't go home.”
The call ended.
I ran downstairs.
My mother's face was pale.
“Renee?”
I grabbed my keys.
“Madison.”
We rushed out.
When we reached the street, I saw a black SUV parked across from the house.
Its engine was running.
A man sat behind the wheel.
I recognized him.
Michael.
He rolled down the window.
May you like
And smiled.
Then Madison's little backpack appeared on the passenger seat.
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