Chapter 4 - The Sealed Floor
The elevator stopped between floors.
Nora felt Roman's arm tighten around her.
“What happened?”
His security man checked the panel.
“The elevator has been overridden.”
Roman pressed the emergency button.
Nothing.
Then the lights went out.
Nora gasped.
Roman immediately pulled her against him.
“Stay close.”
“I can't see.”
“I know.”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
A metallic sound echoed above them.
Then the elevator began moving upward.
Nora whispered:
“Roman?”
“I'm here.”
The doors opened.
A dark hallway waited outside.
No hotel signs.
No cameras.
No lights.
Just a long corridor covered in dust.
Roman stepped out first.
His men followed.
Nora stayed behind him.
“Where are we?”
“The sealed floor.”
“Why does the hotel have this?”
“It belonged to my father.”
Nora looked at him.
“You knew?”
“I knew there was a sealed floor.”
“You didn't know what was inside?”
“No.”
They moved slowly.
A door stood at the end.
Room 17.
The number was painted over.
Roman approached.
Nora noticed something on the wall.
A photograph.
Her mother.
Nora stopped.
“She was here.”
Roman stared at the picture.
Beneath it was another photograph.
A baby.
And another woman.
Nora touched the frame.
“Who is she?”
Roman didn't answer.
His man whispered:
“Sir.”
Roman turned.
“What?”
“There are footprints.”
Fresh footprints.
They led toward the door.
Roman drew his weapon.
Nora's heart raced.
“Don't.”
He looked at her.
“I need you behind me.”
The door opened before he touched it.
A woman stood inside.
She was thin.
Older.
Her hair was streaked with gray.
But Nora knew her face.
Nora stopped breathing.
“Mom?”
Celeste Bellamy stared at her daughter.
Then her eyes moved to Roman.
“You shouldn't have brought her here.”
Roman stepped forward.
“You're alive.”
Celeste nodded.
“Barely.”
Nora rushed toward her.
Celeste caught her.
They held each other.
Nora cried into her shoulder.
“Why?”
Celeste closed her eyes.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“For six years?”
“I had no choice.”
“You let me bury an empty coffin.”
Celeste began crying.
“I know.”
Roman stepped closer.
“Who did this?”
Celeste looked at him.
“Your father.”
Roman froze.
“My father died.”
“His body did.”
Silence.
Nora stared between them.
“What does that mean?”
Celeste wiped her tears.
“Your father built this floor to hide something.”
“What?”
“The truth about your birth.”
Roman looked at Nora.
Celeste continued.
“You weren't the only child born that night.”
Nora's face went pale.
“What?”
“There were two babies.”
Roman's expression hardened.
“Twins?”
Celeste nodded.
“One was taken.”
“Who?”
Celeste looked at Nora.
Then at Roman.
“The other child belongs to the family that has been hunting you.”
Nora's stomach tightened.
“Where is she?”
Celeste opened her mouth.
A gunshot exploded somewhere in the hallway.
Everyone froze.
Roman shoved Nora behind him.
Another shot hit the door.
Celeste screamed.
Roman's men raised their weapons.
Then a voice came through the darkness.
“Celeste.”
Roman recognized it.
May you like
His face went white.
“Dad?”
