Chapter 7: Phase Two
For five seconds, nobody spoke.
Not me.
Not Emily.
Not even Daniel.
The words hung between us like a threat carved into stone.
*Begin phase two when Claire discovers the truth.*
I looked at Emily.
The color had drained from her face.
"Daniel," I said slowly, "what is phase two?""
"I don't know.""
His voice sounded different.
Not defensive.
Not controlled.
Terrified.
"Where are you?""
"I'm at my apartment.""
"Alone?""
"Yes.""
Emily shook her head immediately.
"No.""
I covered the phone.
"What?""
She whispered, "Don't trust him yet.""
I wanted to argue.
I wanted to say she was wrong.
But that was the problem.
A few hours ago, I would have defended Daniel without hesitation.
Now I couldn't tell which memories were real and which ones had been carefully constructed.
I put the phone back to my ear.
"Daniel, how did you find the file?""
"I went back to the room.""
My stomach tightened.
"You went back?""
"I needed answers.""
"And your parents?""
"They weren't there.""
A pause.
"Claire, there was something else.""
I waited.
"Someone else.""
The forest suddenly felt too quiet.
"What do you mean?""
"I found another folder.""
"Whose?""
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Then:
"My name.""
Emily stepped closer.
"What did it say?"" she mouthed.
I shook my head.
I didn't know.
"Daniel, open it.""
"I already did.""
His breathing became uneven.
"Claire, my entire life is in there.""
The pain in his voice sounded real.
And that scared me.
Because if Daniel was also a victim, then what had I been fighting against?
And if he wasn't...
Then he was better at pretending than I ever imagined.
"What did you find?""
He was quiet for a moment.
"Pictures.""
"Of what?""
"Me.""
I frowned.
"Just pictures?""
"No.""
His voice dropped.
"Pictures from before I met you.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't know.""
Then he said something that made my heart stop.
"But Claire...""
"What?""
"There are pictures of me with Natalie.""
Emily stepped forward.
"What did he say?""
I lowered the phone.
"He found pictures of Daniel and Natalie.""
Emily's face changed.
Not surprise.
Fear.
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
"Because those pictures were taken after she disappeared.""
The words barely left her mouth before Daniel spoke again.
"Claire?""
I returned the phone to my ear.
"Yes?""
"There's one more thing.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
"The person who created the file wasn't my mother.""
The air left my lungs.
"What?""
"I recognized the handwriting.""
"Whose?""
A long pause.
Then:
"My father's.""
Emily went completely still.
Richard.
The quiet man with the whiskey glass.
The man who barely spoke.
The man who seemed like the least involved.
Maybe that was exactly why he was dangerous.
"Daniel, leave your apartment.""
"Why?""
"Just leave.""
"Claire—"
"Please.""
Something in my voice made him stop.
"Okay.""
The call ended.
Emily stared at me.
"You believe him.""
I looked at the phone.
"I don't know.""
That was the honest answer.
She nodded.
"Good.""
I looked at her.
"Good?""
"Because the moment you believe someone completely is the moment they can control you.""
The words were painful.
But true.
We walked back toward my car in silence.
Before we reached it, Emily stopped.
"What?""
She pointed.
A piece of paper was tucked under my windshield wiper.
My heart sank.
I walked closer.
Emily grabbed my arm.
"Don't touch it.""
But I already knew.
Someone had left it for me.
Slowly, I pulled the paper free.
Three sentences.
No signature.
No explanation.
Only:
*YOU ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.*
*DANIEL IS NOT THE ONLY SECRET.*
*ASK EMILY WHY SHE REALLY CHOSE YOU.*
I looked up.
Emily's face had gone pale.
"What does that mean?""
She didn't answer.
"Emily?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I was hoping you would never find out.""
The night suddenly became colder.
"What?""
She looked away.
"Claire...""
I stepped closer.
"What did you do?""
She whispered:
"I didn't choose you because you were brave.""
My heart started pounding.
"Then why?""
Emily looked directly at me.
May you like
And the fear in her eyes was worse than before.
"Because you were the only person who could expose them.""
