Chapter 7 - My Sister's Truth
Darkness swallowed the corridor.
Roman moved immediately.
"Everyone stay together."
My mother grabbed my arm.
I heard Elena breathing behind me.
Then a metallic click.
The vault door opened.
Natalya stepped out.
Her hair was disheveled.
Her dress was torn at the sleeve.
She looked nothing like the polished woman from the dinner table.
I stared.
"You're alive."
She nodded.
"I'm sorry."
My mother rushed toward her.
I stopped her.
"Tell me everything."
Natalya looked at me.
For once, there was no superiority in her expression.
Only exhaustion.
"I knew Roman wasn't marrying me because he loved me."
I said nothing.
"I knew he wanted something."
"What?"
"Information."
She looked at Roman.
"About our family."
Roman remained silent.
Natalya continued.
"Six months ago, Mrs. Volkov approached me."
My mother closed her eyes.
"She told me Roman was investigating our father."
I felt cold.
"Why?"
"Because she wanted me to find out what he knew."
Natalya's voice cracked.
"I agreed."
I stared at her.
"You spied on him?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because she promised to protect our family."
I laughed bitterly.
"She used you."
"I know."
Natalya looked down.
"I found out later that she had been manipulating me."
Roman asked:
"What did she want?"
"The letter."
He looked at me.
Natalya nodded.
"She believed Paulina had it."
I swallowed.
"Why me?"
"Because you're the one who cataloged the collection."
I remembered the old ledger.
Natalya continued.
"Mrs. Volkov thought you had secretly copied the evidence."
"I didn't."
"I know."
She stepped closer.
"That's why she became desperate."
My mother whispered:
"Where is she?"
Natalya looked toward the hallway.
"Here."
We all turned.
Mrs. Volkov stood at the far end.
She wore a dark coat.
Her expression was calm.
Almost gentle.
"Hello, Paulina."
My mother stepped in front of me.
"Stay away from my daughter."
Mrs. Volkov smiled.
"After all these years, you're still pretending you're protecting her."
Roman moved forward.
"You've lost."
"No."
Mrs. Volkov looked at him.
"You've only found the letter."
She raised a small device.
"A recording."
She pressed a button.
My father's voice filled the corridor.
"If anything happens to Roman, Paulina must never know."
I looked at my father.
He wasn't there.
Mrs. Volkov smiled.
"Your father knew more than he admitted."
Roman stared at her.
"What do you want?"
"The original ledger."
I shook my head.
"I don't have it."
"You do."
"No."
"You just don't remember."
My mind raced.
The museum.
The archive.
The old ledger.
Then I remembered something strange.
Three years earlier, I had scanned several pages before archiving them.
The digital file had been saved under my personal catalog number.
I had forgotten it existed.
But someone else hadn't.
I whispered:
"The backup."
Mrs. Volkov's expression changed.
Roman noticed.
"Where?"
I looked at him.
"My apartment."
Mrs. Volkov raised the device.
"Then we're going there."
Roman stepped in front of me.
"No."
She smiled.
"Then I'll take your sister instead."
Natalya froze.
Mrs. Volkov pulled out her phone.
A video appeared.
It showed Natalya entering the hotel three nights earlier.
Then the image changed.
It showed someone else.
My father.
Then my mother.
Then me.
All being watched.
Mrs. Volkov lowered the phone.
"Everyone you love is already part of this."
Roman looked at me.
"We leave now."
We hurried toward the exit.
But when we reached the museum lobby, every door was locked.
Roman tried his phone.
No signal.
Elena looked toward the windows.
"Someone is outside."
I moved closer.
A black vehicle waited across the street.
The driver's door opened.
A man stepped out.
My father.
He looked directly at me.
Then he raised one hand.
May you like
In it was a small flash drive.
And behind him stood someone I never expected to see.
