I couldn’t breathe.
My father stood at the top of the theater stairs.
Alive.
Older than I remembered.
But unmistakably him.
For six years, I had imagined his face only in photographs.
For six years, I had remembered the sound of his voice.
For six years, I had visited a grave that now suddenly meant nothing.
—Dad?
The word barely left my mouth.
He looked at me.
And for one terrible second, I thought he was going to smile.
He didn’t.
Instead, his eyes filled with something I had never seen in them before.
Fear.
—Sophia.
I took a step toward him.
Adrian grabbed my arm.
—Wait.
I pulled away.
—Don’t touch me.
He immediately released me.
I couldn’t take my eyes off my father.
—You’re alive.
Daniel Bennett swallowed.
—Yes.
My voice shook.
—You let me believe you were dead.
He looked down.
—I’m sorry.
I laughed.
It wasn’t a happy laugh.
It was the sound of six years of confusion finally breaking apart.
—Sorry?
My father stepped forward.
—Sophia— —No.
I backed away.
—Don’t say my name like everything is normal.
He stopped.
—You disappeared.
—Because I had to.
—You died.
—No.
—There was a funeral.
—Yes.
—A grave.
—Yes.
—Mom cried every day.
His expression broke.
—I’m sorry.
I shook my head.
—You keep saying that.
Adrian stood behind me.
Julian remained near the projector.
Evelyn hadn’t moved.
My father looked at all of them.
Then at me.
—You weren’t supposed to remember me yet.
I stared at him.
—Yet?
That one word terrified me.
—What does that mean?
He took a slow breath.
—It means I was waiting until you were safe.
I looked around the theater.
—I’m obviously not safe.
—Not anymore.
—Then why did you come back?
His eyes moved toward Adrian.
—Because he found you.
Adrian frowned.
—You told me to protect her.
—I did.
—Then why are you hiding from her?
My father looked at him.
—Because I know what happens when people find out I’m alive.
I crossed my arms.
—Apparently everyone knows everything except me.
My father looked at me sadly.
—That’s why I erased your memories.
I felt my anger return.
—You didn’t erase them.
—No.
He shook his head.
—Evelyn did.
I looked at Evelyn.
She nodded.
—But I asked her to.
—Why?
My father looked directly at me.
—Because six years ago, you saw the person who betrayed me.
The room went silent.
—Who?
He didn’t answer.
I stepped closer.
—Who betrayed you?
My father looked at Adrian.
Then Julian.
Then Evelyn.
Finally, he looked toward the empty stage.
—Someone I loved.
My stomach tightened.
—Mom?
He shook his head.
—No.
—Then who?
He didn’t answer.
I was losing patience.
—Dad.
His eyes met mine.
—Your mother was never the traitor.
I exhaled.
At least one thing was clear.
Then he said: —But she knew who was.
My mother appeared at the top of the stairs.
I hadn’t noticed her following us.
She looked at Daniel.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then she whispered: —You weren’t supposed to come back.
Daniel’s expression softened.
—I had to.
—She remembers.
He nodded.
—I know.
My mother looked at me.
—I’m sorry.
I stared at her.
—Did you know he was alive?
She couldn’t answer.
That was enough.
I turned away.
—Everyone knew.
Adrian stepped closer.
—Not everyone.
I looked at him.
—You didn’t?
He shook his head.
—No.
Julian gave a quiet laugh.
—Neither did I.
Adrian turned toward him.
—Then why were you here?
Julian looked at Daniel.
—Because he called me.
Adrian froze.
—You knew him?
Julian nodded.
—I’ve known him for years.
Adrian’s expression hardened.
—Why didn’t you tell me?
—Because your father would have found him.
—So you lied to me too?
Julian looked away.
—Yes.
Adrian took a step back.
I understood how he felt.
Everyone had been lying.
And somehow, everyone claimed it was to protect someone.
I was beginning to hate that word.
Protect.
It seemed to mean hide the truth until someone gets hurt.
My father walked toward the projector.
He pressed a button.
The screen came alive again.
A photograph appeared.
It showed the six people from the old photograph.
Daniel.
Elena.
Evelyn.
Martin.
Adrian.
And another person.
I recognized the face.
A younger version of the man I had seen at the top of the theater.
My father.
I frowned.
—Why are there two photographs of you?
My father didn’t answer.
Instead, another image appeared.
A newspaper clipping.
BLACKWOOD FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE MISSING AFTER PRIVATE INVESTIGATION.
I read the name.
Daniel Bennett.
My heart stopped.
—That’s you.
—Yes.
—You were reported missing?
—Yes.
—Not dead?
—Not officially.
I stared at him.
—Then whose body was buried?
Nobody answered.
I felt sick.
—Dad?
He closed his eyes.
—There was no body.
I looked at my mother.
She nodded.
—The police assumed the worst.
—And you let them?
—We had no choice.
I shook my head.
—You always have a choice.
My father looked at me.
—Not when the people you’re running from can reach anyone you love.
He paused.
—Especially you.
I looked down.
For some reason, the anger was harder to hold now.
Because he sounded like the father I remembered.
The father who used to sit beside my bed when I couldn’t sleep.
The father who always checked the locks twice.
The father who had taught me never to trust strangers.
Maybe he had known this day would come.
Maybe he had always been afraid of it.
—What happened that night?
—I asked.
My father didn’t move.
—You opened the door.
I nodded.
—And someone came inside.
—Yes.
—Who?
He looked at me.
—Yourself.
I frowned.
—What?
—Not literally.
He walked toward me.
—You opened the door because you thought you were letting Adrian in.
I looked at Adrian.
—But it wasn’t Adrian.
My father nodded.
—It was someone pretending to be him.
A chill went through me.
—Who?
—Someone who knew everything about him.
Adrian’s face tightened.
—How?
My father looked at him.
—Because he was part of the same organization.
Julian stepped forward.
—Daniel.
My father looked at him.
—It’s time.
Julian shook his head.
—Not yet.
—She’s remembering.
—She’s not ready.
I turned toward them.
—Stop deciding that for me.
Both men went silent.
I looked at my father.
—Tell me.
He nodded.
—The person who entered that night knew your name.
My stomach tightened.
—They called me?
—Yes.
—And I opened the door.
—Yes.
—Then what?
My father looked down.
—You saw his face.
—Whose?
He hesitated.
—Adrian’s father.
The room went silent.
I looked at Adrian.
His expression was unreadable.
—My father was there?
Daniel nodded.
—Yes.
Adrian’s voice was barely audible.
—Why didn’t you tell me?
—Because I didn’t know if you were safe.
Adrian laughed bitterly.
—You trusted me with Sophia but not with the truth?
—Yes.
—Why?
Daniel looked at him.
—Because your father believed you were still loyal to him.
Adrian’s expression changed.
—He thought I was working for him?
—Yes.
—But I wasn’t.
—Daniel knew that.
Adrian stared at him.
—Then why?
My father looked at me.
—Because your father wasn’t alone that night.
I felt my heart sink.
—Who was with him?
My father didn’t answer.
Instead, the projector changed.
A final photograph appeared.
A woman stood beside Adrian’s father.
I didn’t recognize her.
Until I saw the face.
My mother.
I stared.
—Mom?
She covered her mouth.
Adrian looked at her in shock.
—You were with my father?
My mother shook her head.
—Not willingly.
My father spoke quietly.
—She was trying to find you.
Adrian looked confused.
—Me?
My mother nodded.
—Your father had taken you.
Adrian went still.
—What?
—You were missing for three days.
I stared at him.
—You were missing?
Adrian looked at his mother.
—Nobody ever told me that.
Daniel stepped closer.
—Because you were eight.
Adrian’s face changed.
—Wait.
He looked at Julian.
—You said you were my brother.
Julian didn’t respond.
Adrian’s voice became sharper.
—Why were you with my father?
Julian looked at me.
Then at Daniel.
Finally, he said: —Because I wasn’t protecting Adrian.
He paused.
—I was protecting you.
I froze.
—Me?
Julian nodded.
—Your father asked me to watch you.
Adrian stepped back.
—But you were supposed to be dead.
Julian looked at him.
—I was.
The room fell silent.
I stared at him.
—What does that mean?
Julian looked toward the projector.
—The person you knew as Julian died eleven years ago.
Adrian’s face went pale.
—Then who are you?
Julian looked directly at him.
—The person your father created after Julian disappeared.
Adrian didn’t move.
—What?
Julian took a breath.
—My name isn’t Julian Blackwood.
He looked at me.
—It’s Daniel Carter.
Evelyn gasped.
My father closed his eyes.
Adrian whispered: —Carter?
Julian nodded.
—Martin is my father.
I stared at him.
Everything twisted again.
Martin.
Julian.
Daniel.
Blackwood.
Carter.
Too many secrets.
Too many names.
My father walked toward me.
—Sophia, there is one thing you need to understand.
I looked at him.
—What?
He pointed toward the theater doors.
—The people who were looking for you six years ago aren’t looking anymore.
I swallowed.
—Then what are they doing?
My father’s expression became grim.
—They’re coming for you.
The lights suddenly went out.
Again.
But this time, nobody moved.
Then the theater doors opened.
A man’s voice echoed through the darkness.
—Daniel.
My father froze.
The voice continued.
—You should have stayed dead.
A light flickered on.
A silhouette stood at the entrance.
Adrian stepped in front of me.
My father whispered: —He’s here.
I looked at him.
—Who?
My father stared into the darkness.
And said: —Your father’s oldest friend.
My heart stopped.
Because I knew that voice.
It was the voice that had called me six years ago.
The voice that had whispered my name.
The voice I had been trying to remember.
And now it said: —Hello, Sophia.
Then the lights came back on.
The man stepped forward.
And I recognized him.
He was standing beside my father in one of the photographs.
He was smiling.
As if he had never left.
As if six years hadn’t passed at all.
And my father whispered: —Run.