Chapter 9 - ARIANAI refused to believe it.

I told myself it was manipulation.

A trick.

Someone trying to destabilize me.

Then the memories began.

Not all at once.

Fragments.

A red door.

A basement.

A woman wearing white gloves.

A little girl crying.

Ariana.

My sister.

Except I had never remembered having a sister.

The detective stayed with me.

“We can verify your identity.”

But before we could, someone entered the room.

Daniel Harris.

He had somehow passed hospital security.

He looked exhausted.

Older.

Broken.

Emily started screaming.

“Get him away from me!”

Daniel raised his hands.

“I won't hurt you.”

I stepped between them.

“Why are you here?”

“To finish what I started.”

The detective drew his weapon.

“Don't move.”

Daniel laughed softly.

“You still don't understand.”

“I understand enough.”

“No.”

He looked at me.

“You are Ariana.”

I stared.

“Emily is the other girl.”

“What did you do to us?”

“I tried to save you.”

“By ruining our lives?”

“I was trying to protect you.”

Emily screamed.

“You killed my sister!”

Daniel looked at her.

“No.”

Silence.

“I didn't kill Ariana.”

Everyone froze.

“Then who did?”

He swallowed.

“Her parents.”

Emily shook her head.

“You're lying.”

“They sold her.”

The room became silent.

Daniel continued.

“They couldn't pay for the treatment.”

“So?”

“So the hospital offered another arrangement.”

He looked at me.

“You were the replacement.”

I felt sick.

“You mean…”

“Yes.”

“Ariana was taken.”

Daniel nodded.

“You were renamed.”

“Why?”

“Because the network needed the family to disappear.”

“And you?”

“I was seventeen.”

His voice cracked.

“I didn't know what they were.”

He looked at Emily.

“Later, I tried to expose them.”

“But you married me.”

“To keep you close.”

Emily stared at him with hatred.

“You abused me.”

“Yes.”

His answer was immediate.

“I hurt you because they were watching.”

“That doesn't excuse it.”

“I know.”

Daniel pulled a flash drive from his pocket.

“This contains the names.”

The detective took it.

Daniel looked at me.

“But there is one name you haven't seen.”

He hesitated.

“The person who built the entire system.”

“Who?”

Daniel whispered:

“Dr. Richard Vale.”

I almost laughed.

“Vale?”

“He created the program.”

“What program?”

“The medical rehabilitation program.”

Then the hospital doors opened.

Dozens of federal agents entered.

The detective looked relieved.

Until one of the agents approached us.

He looked directly at me.

“Ariana Reed?”

I nodded slowly.

He showed me a badge.

“We need to get you out of here.”

“Why?”

“Because the people you're investigating know where you are.”

The agent's phone rang.

He answered.

His face changed.

“Sir?”

He listened.

Then lowered the phone.

“The safe house has been compromised.”

A gunshot echoed somewhere upstairs.

Then another.

Daniel looked at me.

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