Chapter 8: The Night My Memory Disappeared
Emma stared at the photograph.
She wanted to throw it away.
She wanted to scream that it wasn't real.
But the woman in the picture was her.
Her face.
Her clothes.
Her hands.
And the blood.
There was no mistaking it.
A dark stain covered the sleeve of her coat.
Daniel Cross was standing beside her.
Alive.
Seconds before everything changed.
"That's impossible.""
The words came out barely above a whisper.
Adrian didn't move.
His eyes stayed on the photograph.
Leo stood behind them, confused.
"Mom?""
Emma immediately turned.
The fear in his voice pulled her back.
She lowered the phone.
"Hey.""
Leo looked at the picture.
"Are you okay?""
Emma forced a smile.
"I'm okay.""
But she wasn't.
Not even close.
Because for five years, she believed someone had stolen her life.
Now she was staring at evidence that maybe she had been part of losing it.
Adrian took the phone from her hand.
"Who sent this?""
"I don't know.""
He looked at the message again.
Then the photograph.
His expression hardened.
"They want you to believe this.""
Emma looked at him.
"Do you?""
The question hurt him.
She saw it.
But she needed to ask.
Adrian looked at the photo again.
"No.""
The answer came quickly.
"Why?""
"Because I know you.""
Emma looked away.
"You barely know me.""
"I know enough.""
"You knew me five years ago.""
Adrian was silent.
"Tell me.""
His eyes met hers.
"What?""
"What was I like?""
The question surprised him.
Emma swallowed.
"I need to know who I was.""
Adrian looked down.
Then he sat on the edge of the bed.
For the first time, he didn't look like a powerful man.
He looked like someone remembering a person he thought he had lost.
"You were stubborn.""
Emma almost smiled.
"That sounds right.""
"You argued with everyone.""
"Definitely sounds right.""
"You hated being told what to do.""
"Also true.""
A quiet sadness crossed his face.
"You cared too much.""
Emma looked at him.
"What?""
"You would stop for strangers.""
A pause.
"You would give away your last dollar if someone needed it.""
His eyes moved to her injured back.
"Like today.""
Emma looked down.
Adrian continued.
"You loved Daniel.""
The name still felt strange.
But it hurt less now.
"You really loved him.""
Emma closed her eyes.
"Why don't I remember?""
Adrian didn't answer.
Because he couldn't.
Nobody could.
A sudden sound came from downstairs.
A crash.
All three of them froze.
Adrian stood immediately.
"Stay here.""
Emma almost laughed.
"You're still doing that?""
His eyes were serious.
"Emma.""
Something in his voice made her stop.
He wasn't ordering her.
He was begging.
"Please.""
She nodded.
Adrian left the room.
Emma grabbed Leo's hand.
"Come here.""
They moved away from the doorway.
Leo whispered:
"Is someone bad here?""
Emma looked at him.
"I don't know.""
The honesty seemed to surprise him.
Adults always lied to children.
She decided she wouldn't.
"But your dad is going to protect us.""
Leo nodded.
"He always does.""
The simple trust in his voice hurt.
Because Adrian had been the person there for every nightmare.
Every fever.
Every birthday.
Every first day of school.
Emma couldn't hate him for that.
She couldn't.
A minute later, Adrian returned.
No one.
The house was empty.
But something had been left behind.
On the floor near the front door was an envelope.
Emma saw Adrian's expression.
"What?""
He picked it up.
"No name.""
"Open it.""
He hesitated.
Then handed it to her.
Inside was another photograph.
This one was older.
Much older.
Emma and Daniel.
Together.
But this time, there was something else.
A baby ultrasound.
Her name written beside it.
And a message.
*The truth was never that Daniel was Leo's father. The truth is why Emma chose to forget.*
Emma felt sick.
"What does that mean?""
Adrian looked at her.
"I don't know.""
But his voice sounded different.
Because he was afraid he did.
Emma looked at the flash drive.
The necklace.
The photograph.
Everything was pointing toward one moment.
The night Daniel died.
The night her memory disappeared.
"I need to see what is on that.""
Adrian nodded.
They moved downstairs.
The house suddenly felt unfamiliar.
Like every room contained a secret.
Adrian connected the memory card to a laptop.
A single video file appeared.
No title.
No date.
Just one word.
*Emma.*
Her hands tightened.
"Play it.""
Adrian pressed the button.
The screen flickered.
Static.
Then a voice.
Daniel.
Emma covered her mouth.
His face appeared.
Older than the photograph.
Tired.
Afraid.
"Emma, if you're watching this...""
He paused.
Like he was struggling to find the right words.
"...then something happened.""
Emma stared.
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
"I need you to understand something.""
He leaned closer.
"Nobody can know the truth about Leo.""
Adrian frowned.
"Why?""
Daniel continued.
"The people after me believe the child is valuable because of his bloodline.""
Emma looked confused.
"Bloodline?""
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"But that's not why.""
He looked away from the camera.
"Leo is dangerous because of what he knows.""
Adrian froze.
"What?""
The video continued.
"He won't remember now. He's too young.""
Emma felt cold.
"But one day, he might.""
Daniel reached off-screen.
Then he placed something on the table.
A small red toy car.
The same one.
Emma's breath caught.
"The memory is hidden here.""
Adrian looked at the toy.
"What memory?""
Daniel continued.
"Proof.""
The screen flickered.
"Proof that someone inside the Vale family destroyed lives.""
Emma looked at Adrian.
His face was pale.
Daniel continued.
"Adrian, if you're watching this, I'm sorry.""
Adrian stepped closer.
The sound of his name from Daniel's mouth shocked him.
"I know you will think you failed.""
A pause.
"But you didn't.""
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
"You are the only person who can keep him safe.""
Adrian's eyes filled.
Then Daniel said the words that changed everything.
"Because the person who hurt Emma was not my enemy.""
The video glitched.
Static.
Then:
"It was hers.""
Emma stopped breathing.
The screen went black.
Nobody spoke.
Then the video restarted.
A second clip.
This one was different.
A hospital room.
Emma.
Five years younger.
Sitting on a bed.
Crying.
Daniel was there.
Alive.
She watched herself speak.
"I can't do this.""
Daniel held her hand.
"You have to.""
Young Emma shook her head.
"He'll kill us.""
Daniel looked terrified.
"Who?""
The younger Emma whispered:
"My father.""
The room went silent.
Adrian stared at Emma.
She stared back.
"My father?""
She didn't remember saying it.
She didn't remember anything.
The video continued.
Young Emma looked directly at Daniel.
"If he finds out Leo is his grandson, he'll take him.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's why we have to hide the truth.""
Emma's voice trembled.
"I don't want my son near him.""
Daniel squeezed her hand.
"You need to disappear.""
Young Emma looked at him.
"And forget.""
Emma watching the video felt like she was watching a stranger.
Then Daniel said:
"The doctor will help.""
The screen shook.
A door opened.
Someone entered.
The video cut.
Silence.
Adrian slowly looked at Emma.
"Your father?""
Emma couldn't answer.
Because another memory was returning.
A man's voice.
Cold.
Angry.
A hand on her arm.
A warning.
"You don't get to destroy this family.""
Emma backed away.
"No.""
Adrian caught her.
"Emma.""
She looked at him.
"I remember.""
"What?""
Her eyes filled with fear.
"My father.""
A terrible silence followed.
Then the front door opened.
Everyone turned.
A man stood there.
Older.
Gray hair.
A familiar face.
A face Emma had spent five years trying to forget.
He looked at her.
And smiled.
"Hello, Emma.""
Her blood turned cold.
Because she knew him.
Even without remembering.
She knew him.
The man who had been missing from every piece of her past.
The man who had started it all.
Her father.
Richard Collins.
And behind him stood two men in suits.
Richard looked at Leo.
Then at Adrian.
"After all these years...""
May you like
His smile widened.
"...you finally found my grandson.""
