Chapter 7: The Face In The Missing Memory
The video played on Luca Moretti's office screen at 2:13 in the morning.
Nobody spoke.
Not Luca.
Not Vanessa.
Not me.
The only sound in the room was the faint hum of the computer and the rain tapping against the windows.
I stood there staring at the frozen image.
A hallway.
A closed door.
A timestamp from three years ago.
And three people who were never supposed to be in the same place.
Me.
Victor.
And someone else.
"Play it again.""
My voice sounded distant.
Luca looked at me.
"Natalie—"
"Please.""
He nodded to Daniel.
Daniel restarted the footage.
The video moved slowly.
Black and white.
Grainy.
But clear enough.
Victor walked down the hallway first.
I followed behind him.
I was holding the same folder from the lobby footage.
My younger self looked nervous.
Lost.
Like someone who had no idea why she was there.
Then Victor stopped.
He opened a door.
I entered.
Thirty seconds later...
Another person appeared.
The camera angle caught only part of their face.
A shoulder.
A hand.
A ring.
Then the person entered the room.
The door closed.
I held my breath.
"Zoom in.""
Luca's voice was calm.
Daniel adjusted the footage.
The image became blurry.
But the ring became clearer.
A diamond ring.
A familiar one.
My eyes moved slowly toward Vanessa.
She had stopped pretending.
She knew.
"You recognize it.""
Luca's words were directed at her.
Vanessa didn't answer.
I looked at her hand.
The same diamond ring she had worn every day since announcing her engagement to Luca.
The same ring she had touched while lying about my injury.
The same ring now appearing in a three-year-old security video.
"No.""
The word left my mouth quietly.
Because my brain refused to accept it.
"No, that's not possible.""
Vanessa looked at me.
For the first time, there was no smile.
No performance.
Only irritation.
"You really don't remember.""
I stepped back.
"What happened that night?""
She didn't answer.
"Vanessa.""
Luca's voice carried warning.
But Vanessa wasn't looking at him.
She was looking at me.
"You were never supposed to be part of this.""
The same words.
Again.
I felt a chill.
"What does that mean?""
She sighed.
"You were always too trusting.""
My hands tightened.
"Answer me.""
For a moment, I thought she wouldn't.
Then she smiled sadly.
Not the fake smile she showed guests.
Something colder.
"You want the truth?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
"Fine.""
She walked toward the window.
Rain reflected against the glass behind her.
"Three years ago, Victor came to me.""
Luca's expression hardened.
"Why?""
"Because he needed money.""
"And you gave it to him?""
Vanessa laughed softly.
"No.""
She looked back.
"I offered him something better.""
My stomach turned.
"What?""
"Access.""
The room went silent.
Luca's eyes narrowed.
"Access to what?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
We all knew.
My breathing became shallow.
"Moretti Holdings.""
She looked at me.
"Your brother wasn't smart enough to destroy this company alone.""
Luca stepped forward.
"You were involved in an attempt to manipulate my family's business?""
Vanessa's expression changed.
"Don't make it sound so dramatic.""
His eyes became colder.
"You used someone inside my company.""
"No.""
She looked at me.
"I used someone who was already involved.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
Vanessa walked closer.
"You really don't remember, do you?""
I shook my head.
"Remember what?""
Her eyes moved over my face.
Almost like she was studying a stranger.
"That you came to me.""
The words made no sense.
"I never came to you.""
"Yes, you did.""
"No.""
"You begged me for help.""
I felt dizzy.
"I don't know what you're talking about.""
Vanessa tilted her head.
"That's the problem with memory.""
She tapped her temple.
"People think forgetting means something didn't happen.""
A sharp pain moved through my head.
Images flashed.
A hallway.
A room.
A glass of water.
Vanessa sitting across from me.
My hands shaking.
I grabbed the desk for support.
Luca immediately moved toward me.
"Natalie.""
"I'm okay.""
I wasn't.
I knew it.
He knew it.
Everyone knew it.
But I forced myself to stand.
"What did you do to me?""
Vanessa looked surprised.
Then amused.
"Finally.""
Luca's expression changed.
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa looked at him.
"Ask your employee what she signed.""
"I don't know.""
"Natalie.""
Her voice softened.
Almost kind.
That was worse.
"You came to my office because you were scared.""
I shook my head.
"I didn't know you.""
"You knew enough.""
"No.""
"You were desperate.""
My breathing became uneven.
Because one small piece of memory was returning.
Not enough.
Just fragments.
I remembered being afraid.
I remembered crying.
I remembered saying:
I don't want to lose everything.
But I couldn't remember why.
Luca noticed.
"What are you remembering?""
I looked at him.
"I don't know.""
"Try.""
I closed my eyes.
The memory came again.
A room.
A table.
Papers.
Vanessa's voice.
This is the only way to protect yourself.
My eyes opened.
"She told me she was helping.""
Nobody moved.
Vanessa smiled.
"There you are.""
I looked at her.
"You lied to me.""
"Everyone lies when they're desperate.""
"You made me sign something.""
"Yes.""
My stomach dropped.
"What?""
Vanessa walked back to the table.
"You signed an agreement.""
"An agreement for what?""
She looked at Luca.
Then at me.
"For temporary control of certain accounts connected to Moretti Holdings.""
Luca's face became unreadable.
"Why would she have access to my accounts?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
I did.
Or at least I tried.
"I don't know.""
But then another memory appeared.
A conversation.
A name.
A voice.
My voice.
I can't do this.
A man's voice.
You have no choice.
I looked at Luca.
"Someone threatened me.""
His expression changed.
"Who?""
I shook my head.
"I don't know.""
Vanessa laughed.
"You still don't remember the most important part.""
"What?""
She leaned closer.
"The man who threatened you wasn't Victor.""
The room went completely still.
My heartbeat became louder.
"Who was it?""
Vanessa looked toward Luca.
And for the first time, I saw hesitation.
Not fear.
Calculation.
Like she was deciding whether saying the truth would destroy everything.
Then she whispered:
"It was someone from your family.""
Luca's face changed.
Impossible.
A Moretti.
Someone close enough to access the company.
Someone close enough to manipulate the investigation.
Someone close enough to know what happened that night.
"Who?"" Luca demanded.
Vanessa looked at him.
"I think you already know.""
"No.""
His voice was sharper.
"Say the name.""
She smiled faintly.
"Your uncle.""
The silence afterward was absolute.
I didn't know Luca's family.
I didn't know his uncle.
But I knew that reaction.
The way his body went still.
The way his eyes changed.
He believed her.
Not completely.
Not yet.
But enough.
"Impossible.""
Vanessa looked away.
"Is it?""
Luca walked toward her.
"You have ten seconds to explain why I shouldn't call security.""
She laughed softly.
"Because if you do, you'll never find out what really happened.""
"Try me.""
Her eyes moved to me.
"Ask Natalie about the missing file.""
My forehead tightened.
"What file?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"The one you took from Moretti Holdings three years ago.""
I froze.
"I didn't take anything.""
"Yes, you did.""
"No.""
"You handed it to Victor.""
"I don't remember.""
"Exactly.""
My body went cold.
Because the scariest part wasn't Vanessa accusing me.
It was the possibility that some part of me believed her.
Luca picked up the folder from the desk.
His voice was quiet.
"What file?""
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His face changed.
"Sir.""
Luca looked at him.
"What?""
Daniel swallowed.
"The security system found an archived message attached to the old footage.""
"From who?""
Daniel looked at me.
And I knew before he spoke.
Because everyone was looking at me.
"It was sent from your old phone number, Natalie.""
My blood turned cold.
"That's impossible.""
Daniel shook his head.
"No.""
He looked at the screen.
"The message was sent three years ago.""
A pause.
Then:
"At exactly the same time you entered that room.""
Luca stared at me.
"What did the message say?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then read it aloud.
"*I have the file. I know what happened. Meet me alone.*"
The room disappeared around me.
Because suddenly I remembered something.
Not everything.
Just one terrifying detail.
That night.
Three years ago.
I hadn't been tricked into walking into Moretti Holdings.
I had gone there because I was meeting someone.
Someone I trusted.
Someone whose name I had forgotten.
And when the memory finally came back...
I whispered:
"It wasn't Victor.""
Everyone turned toward me.
I looked at Luca.
"It wasn't Vanessa either.""
My voice shook.
"The person who called me there...""
May you like
I swallowed.
"...was you.""
