Chapter 9: The Memory Buried For Twenty Years
I couldn’t speak.
The room felt unreal.
Three years old.
That was the age Daniel said.
But I had no memories from that time.
Nothing.
No images.
No voices.
No moments.
Just emptiness.
“What do you mean someone made sure I wouldn’t remember?””
Daniel looked at Victoria.
She closed her eyes.
“I was hoping you would never have to know.””
My anger returned.
“Know what?””
Victoria sat down slowly.
“The night your father disappeared…”
She stopped.
Her hands trembled.
“You were there.””
The words hit me harder than anything before.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“I don’t remember.””
“I know.””
Victoria looked at me.
“Because you were traumatized.””
I felt cold.
“What happened?””
Daniel sat beside me.
“When I discovered what your grandfather was doing, I planned to expose him.””
He paused.
“But he found out.””
I listened.
“That night, he came to our house.””
Victoria whispered:
“He wasn’t alone.””
My heart raced.
“Who was with him?””
She didn’t answer.
Daniel did.
“Someone you trusted.””
The room became silent.
“Who?””
Daniel looked toward the door.
Then he said:
“Your uncle.””
I frowned.
“I don’t have an uncle.””
“You do.””
Victoria looked at me.
“But we erased him from your life.””
“Why?””
“Because he was dangerous.””
I stood up.
“You’re telling me my entire family is built on secrets?””
Nobody disagreed.
That was the worst part.
Daniel continued.
“Your uncle was the one who convinced your grandfather to attack us.””
“And what happened that night?””
Daniel looked down.
“He came to take documents from me.””
“What documents?””
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That your grandfather had been stealing from the company for years.””
I looked at the photograph.
“And I saw it?””
Daniel nodded.
“You saw everything.””
My head started hurting.
Fragments appeared.
A loud voice.
A broken glass.
A woman crying.
A door slamming.
But they disappeared before I could catch them.
“I remember something.””
Everyone looked at me.
“What?””
I touched my forehead.
“A red carpet.””
Victoria’s face changed.
“Where?””
“I don’t know.””
Daniel leaned closer.
“Think.””
I closed my eyes.
The memory came slowly.
A hallway.
A painting.
A man shouting.
Then a voice.
A voice I hadn’t heard in twenty years.
“You didn’t see anything.””
My eyes opened.
I was shaking.
“I heard that.””
Daniel’s face became serious.
“Whose voice?””
I swallowed.
“I don’t know.””
Then suddenly…
A loud alarm echoed through the mansion.
Everyone jumped.
The security system.
A guard rushed inside.
“Mrs. Collins!””
Victoria stood.
“What happened?””
The guard looked terrified.
“The main entrance camera captured someone.””
Alexander stepped forward.
“Who?””
The guard handed over a tablet.
On the screen was a man standing outside the mansion.
Older.
Gray hair.
Expensive suit.
But I had never seen him before.
Until Daniel whispered:
“No…”
Everyone looked at him.
His face had lost all color.
“Who is that?”” I asked.
Daniel stared at the screen.
Then slowly said:
“That’s your uncle.””
The room froze.
The man outside lifted his head toward the camera.
As if he knew we were watching.
Then the security screen went black.
A second later, every light in the mansion turned off.
Darkness surrounded us.
And from somewhere inside the house…
a voice whispered:
“Samantha.””
May you like
I stopped breathing.
Because the voice was coming from behind me.
