Chapter 7: The First Ceremony
The photograph slipped from my fingers.
It landed face down on the carpet.
I couldn't look at it again.
Not yet.
Because if I did, I knew I would have to accept something my mind had been fighting against since morning.
That I had not lost my memories.
Someone had taken them.
Daniel picked up the photograph.
His hands were shaking.
"I wanted to tell you.""
I stared at him.
"When?""
He looked away.
"Before the wedding.""
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Which one?""
His eyes closed.
"Emma.""
"No.""
I stepped back.
"Don't say my name like you're still the person I thought you were.""
His face fell.
"I know.""
"How many secrets?""
"Too many.""
"How many lies?""
"Too many.""
I looked at the photograph again.
The woman standing beside us.
The baby.
The church.
The date.
July 3, 2020.
The same day everything in my life seemed to begin and end.
"Who is she?""
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
That terrified me.
"Daniel.""
"Her name was Claire.""
I froze.
"Claire?""
My eyes moved toward the doorway.
The same Claire who had been my bridesmaid that morning.
The same Claire who had looked terrified when I mentioned Sarah's name.
"No.""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
My stomach turned.
"She was there?""
"She was there.""
"Why?""
He looked at the photograph.
"Because she was part of the ceremony.""
"What ceremony?""
"The first one.""
The words sounded impossible.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
"Explain.""
Daniel took a breath.
"Six years ago, your father arranged a private ceremony.""
"A wedding?""
"Not exactly.""
"Then what was it?""
He looked at Lucas.
"A transfer.""
Sarah whispered, "Oh God.""
I turned toward her.
"You knew.""
"I knew there was a ceremony.""
"But you didn't tell me.""
"I didn't remember everything.""
I stared.
"What do you mean?""
Sarah looked down.
"Because I was there too.""
Silence.
Daniel looked at her.
"You were?""
Sarah nodded.
"I was supposed to be the mother.""
My chest tightened.
"The mother of what?""
"The child.""
She looked at Lucas.
"Lucas.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
Sarah stepped closer.
"Emma, listen to me.""
"I've listened all day.""
"I was pregnant with him.""
"I know.""
"But he wasn't supposed to be raised as my son.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Your father had another plan.""
Richard suddenly spoke.
"Enough.""
Everyone turned.
He had been silent for too long.
"You are all talking as if you understand what happened.""
Sarah glared at him.
"You don't get to rewrite history.""
"I am trying to prevent her from making the same mistakes.""
I looked at Richard.
"What mistakes?""
He looked at me.
"Trusting the wrong people.""
I almost laughed.
"That is your advice?""
"It should be.""
"You worked with my father.""
"Yes.""
"You helped him.""
"Yes.""
"You helped him erase my life.""
His face tightened.
"I helped him keep you alive.""
"By destroying everything I knew?""
Richard didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
My phone buzzed.
A new message.
From my father.
*Ask Daniel why he signed the first marriage certificate.*
I looked up.
Daniel saw my face.
"What?""
I showed him.
The color disappeared from his face.
Sarah whispered, "No.""
I turned slowly.
"You signed something.""
Daniel didn't deny it.
"What did you sign?""
He sat down.
For the first time all day, he looked exhausted.
"I was twenty-four.""
"That's not an excuse.""
"I know.""
"What did you sign?""
Daniel looked at Lucas.
Then at me.
"A guardianship agreement.""
My voice went quiet.
"For Lucas?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because Sarah disappeared.""
Sarah looked hurt.
"I didn't disappear.""
"You left.""
"I was forced to leave.""
Daniel looked at Richard.
Richard said nothing.
I looked back at Daniel.
"You became Lucas's legal father.""
"Yes.""
"And you never told me.""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because I was told if you knew, you'd be in danger.""
"By who?""
Daniel looked at Richard.
"Your father.""
The room went silent.
My father had controlled everyone.
My mother.
Richard.
Sarah.
Daniel.
Even me.
But there was one thing I still didn't understand.
"Why did my father want me to marry you?""
Nobody answered.
Then Lucas quietly spoke.
"Because Dad was the only one who could protect you.""
Everyone turned.
I looked at him.
"What did you say?""
Lucas held onto Daniel's hand.
"Grandpa told me.""
Richard's expression changed.
"Lucas.""
"No.""
The boy's voice trembled.
"But you said I had to remember.""
Richard went pale.
"Remember what?""
Lucas looked at me.
"The woman in the hospital.""
I knelt.
"What woman?""
"The woman who looked like you.""
My heart stopped.
"Who?""
"She said she was my mom.""
Sarah went still.
"That wasn't me.""
Lucas nodded.
"I know.""
I felt cold.
"Lucas, where did you see her?""
"In the room.""
"What room?""
"The room under the house.""
Richard closed his eyes.
Everyone noticed.
I stood.
"The underground office.""
Richard didn't answer.
"That's where she was?""
"Emma.""
"That's where my father kept her?""
Richard looked at the floor.
That was all I needed.
"Who was she?""
Lucas whispered:
"She said her name was Emma too.""
The room became completely silent.
I couldn't hear the alarms.
The footsteps.
The people outside.
Nothing.
Only those words.
Her name was Emma too.
I turned toward Sarah.
"What does that mean?""
Sarah's face was pale.
"Your father made copies.""
I stared.
"Copies of what?""
She swallowed.
"Of people.""
A cold feeling spread through my body.
"No.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Emma.""
"No.""
I looked at Richard.
"Tell me she's lying.""
Richard didn't.
That was worse.
"What did my father do?""
Richard's voice was barely audible.
"He studied identity.""
"What does that mean?""
"He believed a person was more than memories.""
I shook my head.
"Stop.""
"He believed identity could be transferred.""
My hands started trembling.
"Transferred?""
"Through biological material.""
I looked at Lucas.
Then at myself.
"That's why he needed my DNA.""
Richard nodded.
"And that's why the wedding mattered.""
My voice broke.
"Why?""
"Because Daniel was supposed to complete the final stage.""
Daniel looked confused.
"What final stage?""
Richard turned toward him.
"You were not supposed to marry Emma.""
Everyone froze.
Daniel whispered:
"What?""
Richard continued.
"You were supposed to become her anchor.""
"What does that mean?""
"Your relationship. Your memories. Your connection.""
I felt sick.
"He wanted to use Daniel to stabilize the procedure.""
Daniel stared.
"What procedure?""
Richard said nothing.
Sarah answered.
"The transfer.""
I looked between them.
"The transfer of what?""
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
"Your father's consciousness.""
No one moved.
The words were too impossible.
Too horrifying.
Too absurd.
Yet every secret pointed toward the same nightmare.
My father wasn't just trying to hide his past.
He was trying to continue himself.
Through me.
Through my body.
Through my life.
I whispered:
"He wanted to become me.""
Richard nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
The room went quiet.
Then the door handle moved.
Everyone turned.
Someone was outside.
Daniel stepped in front of me.
"Who is it?""
No answer.
The door opened.
And Claire walked in.
My former bridesmaid.
Her makeup was gone.
Her hair was messy.
And she was holding a folder.
She looked at me.
Then at Daniel.
Then at Lucas.
"I'm sorry.""
My voice was cold.
"Sorry for what?""
Claire's eyes filled.
"For not telling you.""
I stared at her.
"Tell me what?""
She opened the folder.
Inside were dozens of photographs.
Pictures of me.
Over years.
Sleeping.
Walking.
Living.
Watching.
My blood ran cold.
"Where did you get these?""
Claire looked at Richard.
Then at me.
"Your father gave them to me.""
"Why?""
She swallowed.
"Because he needed someone close to you.""
My chest tightened.
"Someone close.""
Claire nodded.
"I wasn't your friend by accident.""
The room went silent.
Six years of friendship.
Six years of trust.
Another lie.
"Then why were you here today?""
Claire looked at my wedding dress.
"Because I was supposed to make sure the ceremony happened.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"You knew?""
Claire nodded.
"I knew enough.""
"Enough to let her marry him?""
Claire looked at me.
"I thought it would save her.""
I stared.
"You thought trapping me would save me?""
Claire began crying.
"No.""
She opened the folder to the last page.
It was a document.
A wedding schedule.
But at the bottom was something else.
A handwritten note.
My father's handwriting.
*Phase Two begins when Emma says "I do.""*
My heart stopped.
I looked at the clock on the wall.
The ceremony time.
Ten minutes away.
Then my phone rang.
My father's number.
Everyone froze.
I answered.
"Hello?""
His voice was calm.
"You're finally learning the truth.""
I said nothing.
"Emma, you have a choice.""
"What choice?""
"Walk away.""
I frowned.
"Or?""
"Or finish what we started.""
"Why would I do that?""
A pause.
Then he said:
"Because if you don't, the first Emma dies.""
My blood froze.
"What?""
His voice softened.
"She's been waiting for you.""
The call ended.
A message arrived immediately.
A location.
A basement level beneath the hotel.
May you like
And three words:
*SHE IS AWAKE.*
