Chapter 9
I was still clutching my phone with trembling hands. Daniel's last message kept replaying in my mind. Don't get out of the car.
I stared at the rearview mirror. The black car was still several yards behind me. My heart began pounding faster. I tried to remember whether I'd seen that car before.
No. I didn't recognize it at all. My phone vibrated again. Another message from Daniel. Don't look back too often. They might realize you're aware of them.
I typed back immediately. Who are they? His reply didn't come right away. A few seconds later, my phone screen lit up again. I'll explain later. For now, follow my instructions.
I bit my lip. I didn't know whom to trust. Just a few minutes ago, Adrian had told me not to trust Daniel. Now Daniel was warning me that someone was following me.
I glanced at the rearview mirror once more. The black car was still there. I took a deep breath. Where should I go? Daniel sent me an address.
It was a hotel that, as it turned out, was still under the Blackwood Corporation umbrella. I frowned. Why did I have to go there? I typed again.
Why do I have to go there? Daniel's reply came quickly. It's safe. There are plenty of people and security cameras. I didn't have many options.
Finally, I started the engine and pulled the car onto the road. The black car moved as well. I tried to stay calm. Don't panic. Don't make any suspicious movements.
I followed the main road, occasionally checking the rearview mirror. The car was still there. Fifteen minutes passed. I turned left. The car followed.
I turned again. It was still following me. My palms began to sweat. I wanted to call Daddy. But then I remembered that Daddy wasn't home. And I didn't want to make him panic before I knew what was really going on.
I kept driving until I finally saw the hotel Daniel had mentioned. I sped up slightly. But when I looked in the rearview mirror...
the black car was gone. I frowned. Where had they gone? I slowed down and looked behind me. Nothing.
I let out a relieved breath. Maybe I was just being paranoid. Maybe the car had simply happened to take the same route. I drove into the hotel parking lot.
As soon as I turned off the engine, I took a deep breath. My hands were still trembling. I picked up my phone. The car was gone. Message sent.
Daniel replied a short while later. Don't get out yet. I frowned. Why? There was no response. I waited.
One minute.
Two minutes.
I began to feel irritated. I opened the car door. But before I could get out, something on the back seat caught my eye. A brown envelope.
I froze. I was sure there hadn't been anything there earlier. I hadn't even opened the back door. Slowly, I turned around. My hand reached for the envelope. My name was written on the front.
ELENA.
My heart began pounding again. I opened the envelope. Inside was a photograph. I stared at it, and my entire body immediately turned cold.
It was a picture of me.
I was leaving the house that morning. I was wearing the same clothes I had on now.
That meant...
The photo had been taken today. Someone really was watching me. I turned it over. There was writing on the back. Stop digging into Adrian.
I swallowed hard. My hands began trembling even more violently.
Who had done this?
Why were they watching me?
And how had they gotten into my car?
Suddenly, there was a knock on the window. I almost screamed. I turned my head. A man was standing beside the car. It wasn't Daniel.
The man was dressed in black. He stared at me for a few seconds before walking away. I immediately locked all the doors.
My phone vibrated.
Daniel: I'm here.
I looked ahead. A black car had stopped not far from mine. The door opened, and Daniel got out. He walked toward me at an unhurried pace. When he reached the side of my car, he knocked on the window.
I lowered the window a little.
“How did you get here?”
Daniel looked at me.
“I told you I would make sure you were safe.”
I held up the photograph.
“What is this?”
Daniel's expression changed the moment he saw the photo. He took it from my hand. His face grew more serious.
“Where did you get this?”
“It was on the back seat.”
Daniel stared at the photograph for several seconds.
“Don't touch it again.”
I looked straight at him.
“Why?”
“Because I need to examine it.”
I got out of the car.
“No. You're going to explain everything to me now.”
Daniel looked at me.
“What?”
“How did you know I was being followed?”
He fell silent.
“How did you know I met Adrian?”
Still no answer.
“And why did you suddenly show up here?”
Daniel slipped the photograph into the folder he was carrying.
“Because I'm monitoring this situation.”
I froze.
“Monitoring it?”
“Yes.”
“So you're watching me?”
“I'm protecting you.”
I laughed in disbelief.
“I never asked you to protect me.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Daniel looked at me intently.
“Because someone has started to see you as a threat.”
I fell silent.
“A threat?”
Daniel nodded.
“To whom?”
He didn't answer.
I grew even more frustrated.
“Daniel, I have the right to know.”
“I know.”
“Then explain it!”
Daniel sighed.
“It's not time yet.”
I glared at him.
“It's always the same with you.”
“What?”
“You always speak in half-truths. You give me documents, tell me to be careful, and then when I ask whom I should be afraid of, you just say it's not time yet.”
Daniel didn't deny it.
I continued.
“Adrian also told me not to trust you.”
For the first time, Daniel's expression changed.
“He said that?”
“Yes.”
Daniel stared at me for a few seconds.
“And you believed him?”
I was silent.
“I don't know.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Good.”
I frowned.
“Good?”
“Because you shouldn't trust anyone so easily.”
I fell silent.
Daniel stepped closer.
“But there's one thing you need to understand.”
“What?”
“If I intended to hurt you, I wouldn't have gone to the trouble of warning you.”
I couldn't reply. He had a point. Even so, there were still far too many unanswered questions. Daniel walked toward his car.
“Get in.”
I looked at him.
“Where are we going?”
“I'll take you home.”
“I can get home by myself.”
“Not tonight.”
His tone was firm. I almost argued. But then I looked again at the photograph in my hand. Someone really had been watching me.
In the end, I got into Daniel's car. There wasn't much conversation during the drive. I stared out the window. My thoughts returned to Adrian's words.
Don't trust Daniel. You don't know who he really is. Then I remembered Daniel's words. Don't trust everyone.
Two men.
Two warnings.
And I had no idea which one was telling the truth.
When the car began approaching my house, I finally worked up the courage to ask.
“Daniel.”
“Hmm?”
“If you really know so much about Adrian...”
I looked at him.
“Why don't you just tell me everything?”
Daniel fell silent.
A few seconds later, he answered.
“Because there's something even I can't confirm yet.”
“What?”
He kept his eyes on the road ahead.
“Who is really behind all of this.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
“All of this?”
Daniel nodded.
“Adrian isn't the only person keeping secrets.”
I looked at him.
“Then who else?”
Daniel didn't answer right away. The car stopped in front of my house. He turned off the engine.
Then he turned toward me.
“Your father.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Don't be so quick to believe that your family knows nothing.”
I stared at Daniel, holding my breath.
“Daddy?”
Daniel only nodded.
“Find out for yourself.”
He unlocked the doors.
I still didn't move.
“Daniel...”
But the man had already turned his gaze away. I finally got out of the car. Before closing the door, I looked at him once more.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Because sooner or later, you'll find out.”
The car door closed. I stood in front of the house, watching Daniel's car slowly drive away. My chest felt tight.
I didn't want to believe what he had said. There was no way Daddy was hiding something from me. No way. I went inside the house. It was still quiet.
I walked toward the family room. But I suddenly stopped when I saw something on the table. A small black box.
I'd never seen it before. I approached it. There was no name. No writing. Slowly, I lifted the lid.
Inside was an old photograph. I picked it up, and my entire body instantly froze. Daddy was in the photo. Beside him was a man I didn't recognize.
And next to them...
Adrian. I turned the photo over. A date was written on the back. Five years ago.
But...
Five years ago, I hadn't even introduced Adrian to Daddy. My hands began to tremble.
If that was true...
how could they have already known each other?