Chapter 3 - The hidden room was smaller than I expected.That somehow made it worse.

The walls were concrete.

There was one narrow bed.

One chair.

A small metal sink.

No windows.

No clock.

No way out except the door.

The detective stood in the center, staring at the bloodstains beneath the bed.

I remained at the doorway.

“Was someone held here?”

He nodded.

“Possibly.”

“Recently?”

“We don't know yet.”

The officer beside him pointed toward a wall.

There were scratches.

Thousands of them.

Some were deep enough to expose the cement beneath the paint.

I stepped closer.

The scratches formed letters.

Names.

Dates.

One sentence had been carved over and over.

PLEASE DON'T LET HIM COME BACK.

My stomach twisted.

“Who wrote that?”

The detective looked at Maya.

She had returned.

Her face was wet from tears.

She stared at the sentence.

Then whispered,

“Evelyn.”

Adrian was escorted into the room.

The detective turned.

“Adrian, you need to explain this.”

Adrian looked at the scratches.

His expression collapsed.

“I didn't do this.”

The detective stared at him.

“You expect me to believe your father built a hidden room in his basement, kept evidence of your former wife's disappearance, and you had nothing to do with it?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Adrian looked toward Charles.

His father didn't look back.

“Because I was fifteen when they found Evelyn's body.”

The detective frowned.

“That's impossible. You were twenty-eight.”

Adrian swallowed.

“I meant when Evelyn disappeared.”

Silence.

“You lied about her death?”

Adrian rubbed his forehead.

“They told me she was dead.”

“Who?”

“My parents.”

Charles finally spoke.

“Adrian.”

“No.”

Adrian looked at him.

“I'm done protecting you.”

Charles's face hardened.

“Be careful.”

Adrian laughed bitterly.

“Careful?”

He pointed toward me.

“You nearly destroyed my marriage tonight.”

Charles said nothing.

Adrian continued.

“You told me Claire would eventually hand everything over.”

I stared at him.

“You knew?”

He looked at me.

“They told me you were temporary.”

The words struck harder than the plate.

“What?”

Eleanor began crying again.

Adrian continued.

“They said you would be easier to manipulate after we were married.”

My chest tightened.

“Why?”

He looked at the hidden room.

“Because you were supposed to replace her.”

I felt cold all over.

“Replace who?”

“Evelyn.”

The detective stepped closer.

“Explain.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

“Evelyn had money.”

“So?”

“She had information.”

“What information?”

“She discovered what my father had been doing.”

Charles shouted,

“That is enough.”

Adrian ignored him.

“She found financial accounts.”

“What accounts?”

“Offshore accounts.”

“Whose?”

“My father's.”

Charles lunged forward.

The detective stopped him.

“Stay back.”

Adrian continued.

“Evelyn threatened to expose him.”

“And then she disappeared.”

“Yes.”

“And your parents told you she died.”

“Yes.”

“But you never saw her body.”

Adrian shook his head.

“No.”

The detective turned toward Maya.

“You knew?”

Maya looked broken.

“I found out years later.”

“Why didn't you report it?”

“I was afraid.”

“Of Charles?”

Maya nodded.

“Why?”

She stared at the hidden room.

“Because I saw Evelyn here.”

I could barely breathe.

“When?”

“Eleven years ago.”

Adrian looked at her.

“You never told me.”

“I tried.”

“When?”

“The night before she disappeared.”

Adrian's face changed.

“What did she say?”

Maya swallowed.

“She said Charles was going to kill her.”

Charles shouted,

“Enough!”

The detective raised his hand.

“Charles Sterling, you're done speaking unless I ask you a question.”

Maya stepped closer to me.

“I didn't know who to trust.”

“Why me?” I asked.

“Because you were the first person Charles couldn't fully control.”

My phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

I answered.

A text appeared.

I didn't hear the detective speaking anymore.

I only saw the message.

YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE CALLED THE POLICE.

A second message arrived.

YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT THE PERSON YOU NEED TO FEAR.

Then a third.

A photograph.

It showed the basement.

The hidden room.

Taken from inside.

Someone had been watching us.

The timestamp was from two minutes earlier.

My blood ran cold.

The detective looked at my face.

“What happened?”

I handed him the phone.

He stared at the image.

Then immediately turned toward the officers.

“Lock the house down.”

“What is it?” I asked.

He looked at me.

“There may still be someone inside.”

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