Seraphina stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the empty space where the stranger had disappeared.
The photograph was gone with him.
But the words he had left behind remained in her mind.
Ask your grandfather about this.
She looked at Lucien.
“What was in that photograph?”
Lucien didn’t answer immediately.
“You saw it.”
“I saw enough.”
Seraphina frowned.
“Then tell me.”
Lucien walked toward the window and looked outside.
The street was empty now, but his attention remained fixed on the darkness.
“There was a building behind your grandfather.”
“What building?”
“I don’t know.”
She stared at him.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
“You looked at it like you recognized something.”
“I recognized the people in the photograph.”
Seraphina’s expression changed.
“Who?”
Lucien turned toward her.
“Your grandfather was standing beside two men.”
“Do you know them?”
“No.”
She lowered her eyes.
“Then why would someone tell me to ask Grandpa about it?”
Lucien didn’t answer.
Seraphina immediately picked up her phone.
She called Alexander.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No answer.
She tried again.
Still nothing.
Her expression slowly changed from frustration to worry.
“He always answers.”
Lucien watched her quietly.
“When did you last speak to him?”
“Three days ago.”
“And what did he say?”
“That everything was fine.”
She stared at the phone.
“Maybe he’s just busy.”
Lucien didn’t respond.
Seraphina looked at him.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t give me that look.”
“What look?”
“The one that says you think something is wrong.”
Lucien remained silent.
That was enough.
Seraphina tried calling again.
This time, the call went straight to voicemail.
She lowered the phone.
“That’s strange.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“You agree?”
“I do.”
For some reason, that frightened her more than if he had dismissed it.
The next morning, Seraphina arrived at Alexandria Corporation with barely enough sleep.
She spent most of the morning staring at her phone.
No message from Alexander.
No missed call.
Nothing.
She tried to concentrate on her work, but the photograph kept returning to her mind.
Her grandfather had always been straightforward with her.
At least, that’s what she believed.
Now she wasn’t sure.
Lucien sat across the room, quietly reading something on his phone.
She looked at him.
“Do you think he lied to me?”
Lucien raised his eyes.
“About what?”
“His business trip.”
“I don’t know.”
“That answer again.”
“Because I don’t know.”
Seraphina leaned back in her chair.
“I hate not knowing things.”
“I noticed.”
She gave him an annoyed look.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“No.”
“You’re smiling.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
The corner of Lucien’s mouth lifted slightly.
Seraphina shook her head.
“Unbelievable.”
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then her phone vibrated.
She immediately picked it up.
It wasn’t Alexander.
It was an unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice came through.
“Miss Vale?”
“Yes. Who is this?”
“My name is Darius.”
Seraphina looked toward Lucien.
Lucien had already stopped reading.
Darius continued.
“I work with Mr. Silva.”
Seraphina frowned.
“What happened?”
“We found something concerning.”
Lucien stood.
“Put him on speaker.”
She did.
Darius spoke again.
“We traced the photograph from last night.”
Seraphina’s heart beat faster.
“And?”
“There is a location in the background.”
Lucien walked closer.
“Where?”
“An old Alexandria facility.”
Seraphina froze.
“Alexandria?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Lucien.
“Do you know where it is?”
“No.”
Darius continued.
“The facility was closed several years ago. The records surrounding it are incomplete.”
“Why?” Seraphina asked.
“We don’t know yet.”
Lucien’s expression hardened.
“Find out.”
“Yes, sir.”
The call ended.
Seraphina remained silent.
An old Alexandria facility.
Her grandfather.
Two unknown men.
A photograph.
None of it made sense.
She stood and grabbed her bag.
“I’m going there.”
Lucien looked at her.
“No.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you don’t know what’s there.”
“That’s exactly why I need to go.”
“Seraphina.”
“My grandfather worked for Alexandria his entire life. If there’s something connected to him, I want to know.”
Lucien stared at her.
Then he sighed.
“I’ll go with you.”
She smiled slightly.
“I knew you would.”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
“What?”
“Of course.”
She walked toward the door.
Lucien followed.
They didn’t reach the facility that day.
Darius warned them that the area had been abandoned for years and that someone had recently accessed the property.
That information made Lucien change his mind.
They needed more information first.
Instead, they returned home.
Seraphina sat quietly on the sofa, staring at Alexander’s contact.
She called again.
This time, the phone rang longer.
Then someone answered.
Her heart jumped.
“Grandpa?”
There was silence.
Seraphina sat upright.
“Grandpa, is that you?”
The call disconnected.
She stared at the screen.
“Grandpa?”
She called back.
No answer.
Lucien looked at her.
“Something’s wrong.”
She swallowed.
“You think so too?”
“Yes.”
Seraphina looked down.
“I just want him to come home.”
Lucien sat beside her.
For once, he didn’t have a clever answer.
He simply remained there.
After a while, Seraphina whispered,
“Do you think people can hide things from someone they love?”
Lucien looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because sometimes they believe the truth will hurt more than the lie.”
She looked at him.
“Have you done that?”
Lucien’s eyes remained on hers.
“Many times.”
She didn’t ask another question.
Neither of them noticed the faint glow beginning beneath the sleeve covering Seraphina’s left hand.
Hundreds of miles away, Alexander Vale sat alone in a quiet room.
A medical file rested on the table before him.
He stared at it without touching it.
A knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
A doctor entered carrying another folder.
Alexander looked up.
“Did you find anything?”
The doctor hesitated.
Alexander immediately understood that the answer wasn’t good.
“Just tell me.”
The doctor placed the folder on the table.
“We’ve reviewed everything.”
Alexander’s eyes dropped to the papers.
“And?”
The doctor took a slow breath.
“We need to discuss your condition.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
For five months, he had traveled from one specialist to another, searching for someone who could give him the answer he desperately wanted.
A cure.
Anything.
Something that would allow him to return home without Seraphina ever knowing how serious his illness had become.
He opened his eyes.
“Is there still a chance?”
The doctor didn’t answer.
And Alexander finally realized that his five-month journey might not end with the answer he had been praying for.
Back at home, Seraphina placed her phone beside her and looked toward the window.
She had no idea where her grandfather really was.
She had no idea why someone had a photograph of him.
And she certainly didn’t know what secret he had been carrying all this time.
But one thing was becoming clear.
Her grandfather’s business trip wasn’t the only thing she needed to investigate.
Something had happened before he left.
And whatever it was…
someone didn’t want her to find out.