Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Carried My Memories
The woman on the security screen looked directly into the camera.
She whispered: "Clara... you finally found me."
My entire body went cold.
I couldn't move.
I couldn't speak.
Because the woman standing in the lobby wasn't just someone who looked like me.
She looked like a version of myself that I had forgotten.
The same eyes.
The same scar on her hand.
The same necklace.
The necklace that was supposed to be mine.
But she was wearing it.
Adrian stared at the screen.
For the first time since I met him, he looked completely uncertain.
"Who is she?"
Nobody answered.
Daniel looked like he had seen a ghost.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because Daniel was a man who always had an explanation.
A reason.
A story.
But now...
He had nothing.
"Evelyn."
Adrian's voice was low.
"Tell me who she is."
Evelyn didn't respond immediately.
She looked at the screen.
Then at me.
And the sadness in her eyes told me the answer before she said anything.
"She's the reason you survived."
My heart stopped.
"What does that mean?"
Evelyn walked closer.
"Clara, three years ago, you weren't alone."
I looked at the woman on the screen.
"Then who was she?"
Evelyn took a deep breath.
"Your sister."
The room went silent.
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was impossible.
"I don't have a sister."
Evelyn looked at me.
"You did."
The word hurt.
Did.
Not do.
Not have.
Did.
Like she was talking about someone who no longer existed.
"No."
My voice became stronger.
"My parents never told me I had a sister."
Evelyn lowered her eyes.
"Because they weren't supposed to."
I looked at Adrian.
Then Daniel.
Everyone knew something except me.
Again.
That feeling returned.
The feeling of being trapped inside my own life.
"Enough."
I stepped back.
"I want the truth."
Nobody spoke.
I pointed at the screen.
"Bring her here."
Adrian immediately looked at me.
"Clara."
"No."
I looked at him.
"You all keep protecting me from the truth."
My voice shook.
"But the truth is the only thing that can actually hurt me now."
Adrian watched me for a moment.
Then he nodded.
He turned to his men.
"Bring her up."
Daniel suddenly moved.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
He froze.
Because he had revealed too much.
Adrian noticed.
"Why not?"
Daniel swallowed.
"Because she isn't who you think she is."
The elevator sound echoed through the apartment.
Ding.
Everyone turned.
The doors opened.
The woman stepped out.
She looked exactly like me.
But older.
Maybe by a few years.
Her eyes immediately found mine.
And I saw something there.
Pain.
Relief.
Fear.
All at once.
She walked slowly toward me.
Neither of us spoke.
It felt like looking into a mirror that had a different life.
Then she whispered:
"I thought I would never see you again."
My throat tightened.
"Who are you?"
She looked at me.
"My name is Lily Bennett."
The name meant nothing.
But something inside me reacted.
A memory.
A sound.
A voice calling that name.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
Lily noticed.
"You remember."
I shook my head.
"No."
She stepped closer.
"You do."
"I don't."
"You just don't know that you do."
Adrian watched her carefully.
"Explain."
Lily looked at him.
"You were there too."
Adrian's expression changed.
"What?"
She looked at him.
"Marcus trusted you."
The room became tense.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"I never worked with Marcus."
Lily shook her head.
"Not officially."
Nobody spoke.
She continued.
"But Marcus knew if anything happened to him, you were the only person powerful enough to keep Clara alive."
I looked at Adrian.
"You knew Marcus?"
He didn't answer.
That was enough.
I felt betrayed again.
"How many secrets are there?"
Adrian looked at me.
"Too many."
I almost smiled.
"At least you're honest."
Lily walked toward the table.
She placed a small envelope down.
Another one.
Just like the first.
My stomach tightened.
"What's that?"
She looked at me.
"The reason Marcus disappeared."
I opened it.
Inside was a document.
The first line immediately caught my attention.
CONFIDENTIAL IDENTITY TRANSFER.
I looked confused.
"What is this?"
Lily answered quietly.
"The day Clara Bennett died."
I looked up.
"What?"
She continued:
"The world thinks Clara Bennett survived an accident."
My hands started shaking.
"But she didn't."
The room became silent.
"Three years ago, the woman everyone knew as Clara Bennett disappeared."
I stared at her.
"Then who am I?"
Lily looked at me.
And her answer destroyed everything.
"You are the person they tried to erase."
My breathing became uneven.
"No."
Lily reached into her bag.
She pulled out an old photograph.
She placed it beside the first one.
This time, I recognized the place.
A restaurant.
My restaurant.
But I wasn't wearing a waitress uniform.
I was wearing a black suit.
Standing beside Marcus.
Holding a folder.
And beside me...
Was Lily.
"You worked with Marcus."
I shook my head.
"I don't remember."
"You were his closest ally."
"No."
"You were the person who discovered the truth."
I looked at Daniel.
"Why did you marry me?"
The question came out suddenly.
Everyone became quiet.
Daniel looked broken.
"I was assigned to protect you."
The words hurt.
Assigned.
Not loved.
Not chosen.
Assigned.
"But then?"
Daniel looked at me.
"Then I fell in love with you."
I looked away.
Because part of me wanted to believe him.
And part of me hated that I did.
Adrian picked up the documents.
He scanned them quickly.
Then his expression changed.
"What?"
I asked.
He didn't answer.
"Adrian."
He looked at Lily.
"Who else knows she survived?"
Lily's face became pale.
"Nobody was supposed to know."
Adrian held up the document.
"Someone signed this yesterday."
My heart dropped.
"Who?"
Adrian turned the page.
A signature was written at the bottom.
A name.
A name I recognized.
Because I had seen it on Daniel's papers.
On the hidden documents.
On the notebook.
Daniel stepped back.
"No."
Adrian looked at him.
"You know this person."
Daniel didn't speak.
I looked between them.
"Who?"
Adrian handed me the page.
My fingers trembled as I read the name.
MARCUS HALE.
Impossible.
He was dead.
Everyone said he was dead.
Then why was his signature dated yesterday?
Before anyone could speak, Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed instantly.
"What happened?"
A pause.
Then:
"Boss..."
The voice on the other side sounded terrified.
"We found the person who signed Marcus Hale's name."
Adrian looked at me.
"And?"
Silence.
Then the voice said:
"They're standing outside the building."
The apartment became completely silent.
Adrian slowly walked toward the window.
He looked down at the street.
Then he stopped.
Because standing outside the building was someone holding a photograph.
A photograph of me.
And underneath it was written:
"Return Clara Bennett."
Adrian turned back.
His face was colder than before.
Because the person waiting downstairs wasn't coming for me.
May you like
They were coming to take me back.
The elevator doors opened again. And the person standing inside whispered my forgotten name.
