Chapter 11: The Woman With Two Lives
Emily stared at the DNA report.
She read it again.
Then again.
The words refused to change.
MATCH CONFIRMED.
The body in the morgue belonged to Nadia Rahman.
The living woman who had appeared in the abandoned station also belonged to Nadia Rahman.
Same genetic profile.
Same identity.
Same person.
But that was impossible.
A person could hide a name.
A person could fake a death.
A person could steal another identity.
But DNA did not lie.
At least...
That was what Emily had always believed.
She slowly looked at the technician.
"Who else saw these results?"
The technician swallowed.
"Only me."
"Good."
Emily immediately took the folder.
"Because nobody else can know yet."
The technician looked confused.
"Why?"
Emily looked through the glass window toward the morgue.
Because suddenly she understood something terrifying.
The DNA wasn't proof.
It was a trap.
Someone wanted them to find this.
Someone wanted them to believe Nadia was impossible.
Someone wanted everyone chasing the wrong mystery.
"Because the person who created this..."
She whispered.
"...wanted us to ask this question."
Twenty minutes later.
Emily returned to the abandoned station.
The others were waiting.
Adam stood near the entrance.
Marcus sat against a wall, exhausted.
Sara remained silent.
Nadia stood alone.
Watching the city outside.
When Emily entered, everyone looked at her.
Adam immediately asked:
"What did you find?"
Emily placed the DNA report on the table.
Nobody spoke as they read it.
Then Adam looked up.
His face was pale.
"No."
Nadia picked up the paper.
For the first time...
Emily saw genuine fear in her eyes.
"This is impossible."
Emily stared at her.
"Is it?"
Nadia looked at her.
"Yes."
A pause.
"Because I know exactly what this means."
Emily crossed her arms.
"Then explain."
Nadia slowly placed the report down.
"Someone created a second Nadia Rahman."
The room went silent.
Marcus stood.
"Cloning?"
"No."
Nadia shook her head.
"Not a biological clone."
She looked at Emily.
"A manufactured identity."
Emily frowned.
"That doesn't explain DNA."
Nadia's expression became darker.
"It does."
Everyone waited.
"Years ago, the Circle discovered something."
She continued:
"Most people think identity is about a name."
She touched the DNA report.
"But governments, banks, hospitals..."
She looked at Emily.
"They believe identity is biology."
A cold feeling entered Emily's stomach.
"What are you saying?"
Nadia answered:
"Someone created a person who could legally become me."
Silence.
Marcus whispered:
"Impossible."
Nadia looked at him.
"Not for the Circle."
Emily felt sick.
"So someone created another Nadia?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Nadia looked at the wedding invitation still sitting on the table.
"Because the person controlling everything needed a ghost."
"A ghost?"
"Someone who could take the blame."
Emily understood.
"If something went wrong..."
"They could say Nadia did it."
Nadia nodded.
"The dead woman takes the crime."
She looked toward the city.
"The living woman disappears."
Adam suddenly walked away.
Emily noticed.
"Adam."
He didn't stop.
"Adam."
He turned.
His face was filled with anger.
"You want the truth?"
Emily nodded.
"I do."
He laughed bitterly.
"The truth is I don't know who my family is anymore."
He pointed at Nadia.
"My mother disappeared."
He pointed at the DNA report.
"Now she might not even be the only one."
Then he looked at Sara.
"And everyone keeps hiding things."
Sara looked down.
Adam's voice broke.
"I spent eight years believing I failed to protect my family."
A pause.
"But maybe..."
He looked at Nadia.
"Maybe I never knew my family at all."
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone understood.
The Rahman family was not built on love.
It was built on secrets.
Suddenly, Marcus's phone rang.
Everyone looked at him.
He checked the screen.
His face changed.
"What?"
Emily asked.
Marcus didn't answer.
He slowly turned the phone around.
A live broadcast was playing.
A news channel.
The headline filled the screen:
"MISSING BRIDE FOUND DEAD: FAMILY MEMBER SUSPECTED."
Emily's heart stopped.
The image appeared.
A photo of Adam.
Below it:
PRIME SUSPECT: ADAM RAHMAN
Adam stared.
"What?"
The news reporter continued:
"Police have identified evidence connecting Amina Rahman's disappearance to her older brother..."
Emily grabbed the phone.
"This is fake."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
He pointed at the screen.
"Look closer."
Emily froze.
Because the evidence shown on television...
was real.
Photos.
Messages.
Security footage.
Everything pointed toward Adam.
The report continued:
"Authorities are searching for Adam Rahman, believed to be responsible for the murder of his sister."
Adam slowly stepped back.
"I didn't do this."
Emily believed him.
But then...
The station door opened.
Police lights flashed outside.
Dozens of officers surrounded the building.
A voice shouted:
"Adam Rahman!"
Everyone froze.
"Come out with your hands visible!"
Adam looked at Emily.
His eyes were desperate.
"I swear to you..."
He whispered.
"I did not hurt Amina."
Then another voice came from behind the police.
Calm.
Familiar.
Daniel Voss.
"Of course he didn't."
Everyone turned.
Daniel stood among the officers.
Smiling.
"Because Adam didn't kill his sister."
Emily stared.
"Then why frame him?"
Daniel looked directly at her.
"Because I didn't."
A pause.
"The person who framed Adam..."
Daniel smiled.
"...was Amina."
Nobody moved.
Emily felt the world collapse again.
"Why would she do that?"
Daniel looked toward the building.
Toward the hidden cameras.
Toward someone watching.
Then he said:
"Because Amina knows the truth."
A pause.
"The truth about who killed her mother."
Emily whispered:
"Who?"
Daniel's smile disappeared.
"The person standing right next to you."
Everyone turned.
Slowly.
May you like
Toward Nadia.
End of Chapter 11
