The moment the police car disappeared from the driveway, the atmosphere inside the Miller house changed.The warmth that had filled the room only minutes earlier vanished.Brian Miller slowly turned toward his son,his eyes narrowed and didn’t say a word.He simply glared at him and made a subtle gesture with his hand, silently ordering him to leave.The young man immediately understood,he lowered his head and quietly walked toward the hallway.Brian watched until his son disappeared from sight.
Kate noticed the exchange.Her eyes narrowed.
She looked at her husband.
“What are you doing?”
Brian didn’t answer.
“Brian,” she called again, lowering her voice.
“Why did you have to bring Harrison Whitmore into this?”
Brian finally turned toward her.
His expression remained cold.
“Do you know who Harrison Whitmore is?”
Kate frowned.
“Of course I know who he is.”
“He’s one of the richest businessmen in the city.”
Brian’s lips curled into a faint smile.
“And that means something.”
Kate stared at him.
“What are you talking about?” Brian stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“If Harrison is connected to what happened to Luna, we can use that.”
Kate’s expression changed.
“Use what?”
“Our daughter.”
Kate’s eyes widened.
Brian continued calmly.
“If we make it look like Harrison was responsible for what happened to Luna, he won’t want this matter becoming public.”
Kate stared at him in disbelief.
“You want to use Luna to extort money from Harrison?”
Brian shrugged.
“I’m simply looking at an opportunity.”
Kate’s face immediately hardened.
“Do you know how stupid you sound?”
Brian’s smile disappeared.
“Watch your words.”
“No.” Kate shook her head.
“Your greed is going to bring us nothing but trouble.” She lowered her voice when she remembered Luna was upstairs.
“Your son and you have already buried yourselves deep enough in trouble.
Now you want to drag Harrison Whitmore into it too?”
Brian’s face darkened.”You think I’m doing this for fun?”
“Then why?”
Brian suddenly snapped.
“I brought Luna back here because of the money!”
Kate froze.For several seconds, she simply stared at him.
“What did you say?”
“I said I wouldn’t have brought her back if there wasn’t money involved.” His voice was filled with irritation.
“I had already stopped thinking of Luna as my daughter.”
Kate’s expression became pale.She knew Brian had always been cold toward Luna.She knew he had never treated her the same way he treated their son but hearing him say it so openly still shocked her.
“Explain yourself.”
Brian sighed.
“When the news about Luna’s disappearance reached us, our son and I started asking questions.”
Kate stared at him.
“We contacted a reporter who had been covering the case.”
“And?”
“That’s when we learned something interesting.”Brian’s eyes narrowed.
“Harrison Whitmore had offered a reward for information that could help locate Luna’s family.”
Kate’s eyes widened.
“So that’s why…”
“Exactly.” Brian nodded.
“That’s how we found out where Luna was.”
Kate’s face changed.
She suddenly understood.
“You only went looking for her because of the reward.”
Brian didn’t deny it.
“If there was no money involved, I wouldn’t have bothered.”
Kate looked away in disgust.
“But she’s your daughter.”
Brian laughed bitterly.
“Daughter?” He shook his head.
“After everything, you still expect me to care?”
Kate clenched her fists.
“She was missing!”
“And now she’s back.” Brian’s expression became calculating.
“And her return gives us something far more valuable than the reward.”
Kate slowly looked at him.
“Harrison.”
Brian nodded.
“Exactly.” He lowered his voice.
“Think about it.
The man saved her.
He took her to the hospital.
He protected her.
If questions begin to arise about what happened to her, who do you think people will look at first?”
Kate’s eyes widened.
“You don’t know that Harrison did anything.”
“I don’t need to know.” Brian smiled “I only need him to believe that we can make trouble for him.”
Kate stared at him in horror.
“Brian…”
“What?”
“This isn’t just greed anymore.” She glanced toward the staircase.
“Luna is upstairs.”Her voice became a whisper.”If she hears you talking like this…”
Brian waved his hand dismissively.
“She doesn’t remember anything.”
Kate fell silent and that was true.Luna didn’t remember the past and what had happened before she was found.She didn’t even remember most of her own family but that was precisely what frightened Kate.Because if Luna ever remembered…
Kate’s face turned pale.She looked at her husband carefully.
“Brian…”
“What?”
Kate swallowed.”Are you sure we’re safe?”
For the first time, Brian’s confident expression faltered.
“What are you talking about?”
Kate stepped closer.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Brian stared at her.
She lowered her voice.”What if Luna remembers?”
Silence.Neither of them spoke.
Astrange tension filled the room.
Kate looked toward the stairs again.
“What if she remembers what happened that night?”
Brian’s jaw tightened.
“She won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“She has amnesia.”
“Amnesia doesn’t always last forever.”
Brian’s eyes hardened.
“Then we’ll deal with it if it happens.”
Kate stared at him.
“You still don’t understand.” Her voice trembled.
“If Luna remembers everything, it won’t just be our money problem anymore.”
Brian didn’t answer because somewhere deep inside, he knew she was right.
There were things about Luna’s disappearance that neither of them wanted exposed.Things they had never discussed in front of the police,things their son knew and perhaps things Luna herself had once known.Kate slowly lowered herself onto the sofa.She pressed a hand against her forehead.
“What have we done?”
Brian looked at her coldly.
Upstairs, Luna sat alone on her bed still holding the necklace while weeping bitterly.She had no idea what her parents were discussing downstairs and as well connected to her sorrow,but as her fingers brushed against the pendant, another strange sensation passed through her.
A man’s voice.A desperate scream.Rain falling against the darkness,then a familiar name…..
Nicole….
Luna closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Why do I feel like I’m supposed to remember something?”She opened her eyes feeling terrible.And for the first time, she wondered if returning home had really been the right choice.
Because somewhere inside her heart…
Something was telling her that her real nightmare had not ended,It had only brought her back home.