Chapter 4 - The Person Who Watched From The Shadows
Dominic Serrano had seen people disappear before.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
He had watched powerful men lose themselves after betrayal.
He had watched families destroy each other over money, pride, and secrets.
But he had never seen anything like the photo on his phone.
Because the person standing in the background of that picture was impossible.
The image was dark.
Taken from inside the house.
A figure stood near the hallway.
Only half of the face was visible.
But Dominic knew.
He knew before his mind was willing to accept it.
His hand tightened around the phone.
“Dominic?”
His mother’s voice sounded distant.
He didn’t answer.
He zoomed in.
The image became clearer.
The same eyes.
The same posture.
The same cold expression.
Someone who should have been gone.
Someone everyone believed had left this world years ago.
His father’s former assistant.
Adrian Vale.
The man who disappeared after a scandal that nearly destroyed the Serrano family.
The man who supposedly died in a car accident five years earlier.
The man his father had spent years calling a traitor.
Dominic looked up slowly.
His mother was watching him.
“You know him.”
It wasn’t a question.
His mother looked away.
That was all the confirmation he needed.
“You knew he was alive.”
Her lips parted.
“Dominic…”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
But everyone in the room felt the danger behind it.
“You don’t get to say my name like nothing happened.”
His mother sat down.
“I thought he was gone.”
“But you recognized him.”
Silence.
That silence was enough.
Dominic turned toward Celeste.
She looked terrified now.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
And that told him something else.
This was bigger than the dresses.
Bigger than Elena.
Bigger than cruel comments and family pride.
Someone had been hiding something for years.
And somehow, Elena had become part of it.
His phone vibrated again.
Another message.
This time, only words.
You finally noticed.
Dominic stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
Ask your wife what she remembers about the night she first met your family.
His breathing stopped for a second.
Because Elena had never mentioned anything strange about that night.
Never.
He looked toward the door.
He needed to find her.
Immediately.
Elena was back at the old apartment when Dominic arrived.
She knew something was wrong before he even spoke.
The moment she opened the door, she saw his expression.
Not anger.
Not frustration.
Fear.
That scared her.
Because Dominic Serrano was not afraid easily.
“What happened?”
He walked inside.
Closed the door.
Then looked at her.
“Do you remember the first night you met my family?”
Elena frowned.
“Why are you asking that?”
“Just answer me.”
She became quiet.
Then slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
She looked uncomfortable.
“Nothing.”
“Elena.”
She looked away.
“Dominic, why are you asking me this?”
“Because someone sent me a message.”
Her face changed.
“What kind of message?”
He showed her the phone.
She read the words.
Her expression slowly disappeared.
“You know something.”
“No.”
“You do.”
She stepped back.
“I don’t.”
“Elena.”
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
Dominic’s heart sank.
“What didn’t matter?”
She sat down.
For a few seconds, she said nothing.
Then:
“The first time I met your family, your father wasn’t supposed to be there.”
Dominic froze.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“My father was there?”
She nodded.
“He came in near the end of dinner.”
Dominic stared at her.
“That never happened.”
Elena looked confused.
“What do you mean?”
“My father died before we met.”
The room became silent.
Elena’s face changed.
“No.”
She whispered.
“He was alive.”
Dominic felt the ground shift beneath him.
“Elena.”
“I remember.”
She looked at him.
“He walked into the room. Everyone became quiet.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“How did he look?”
She closed her eyes, trying to remember.
“Older.”
A pause.
“Angry.”
Dominic said nothing.
“And he looked at me like he already knew who I was.”
A cold feeling moved through him.
“What did he say?”
Elena hesitated.
Then:
“He said…”
She stopped.
“Say it.”
Her voice became quieter.
“He said, ‘So this is the woman Dominic thinks can save him.’”
Dominic felt his stomach tighten.
“Save me from what?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because after that night, your family acted like it never happened.”
She looked down.
“I thought I imagined it.”
Dominic walked away slowly.
Not because he was angry at her.
Because he was trying to understand.
His father.
A dead man.
A hidden assistant.
A family that knew more than they admitted.
And Elena.
The woman everyone tried to make feel like she didn’t belong.
Maybe she was never the target.
Maybe she was the reason.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
No one spoke at first.
Then a voice.
Older.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Dominic.”
His blood turned cold.
Because he recognized it.
“Who is this?”
A quiet laugh.
“You always were your father’s son.”
Dominic gripped the phone.
“Adrian Vale.”
Silence.
Then:
“So you remember.”
Elena looked at him.
Dominic stepped away.
“You’re alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Another pause.
“Because someone had to watch what your family was becoming.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“You sent the photos.”
“Yes.”
“You hurt my wife.”
“No.”
The answer came immediately.
“I showed you who hurt her.”
Dominic looked at Elena.
“What do you want?”
The voice became quieter.
“The truth.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You shouldn’t.”
A pause.
“Your family has been lying to you for years.”
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“Why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn’t trust me.”
The voice lowered.
“But you should ask your mother why she kept Elena’s first letter.”
Dominic froze.
“What letter?”
No answer.
The call ended.
Twenty minutes later, Dominic stood inside his childhood home.
His mother followed behind him.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
He turned.
“You knew about the letter.”
Her face changed.
Only slightly.
But he saw it.
“You knew.”
She looked away.
“Dominic.”
“Where is it?”
“I don’t have it.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
His voice echoed through the room.
His mother looked broken.
Not guilty.
Broken.
“There are things you don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
She shook her head.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
She looked toward the staircase.
“From your father.”
Dominic stared.
“My father has been dead for five years.”
His mother whispered:
“That’s what everyone was supposed to believe.”
The silence after those words was unbearable.
Dominic stepped closer.
“What are you saying?”
Before she answered, a sound came from upstairs.
A door opening.
Slowly.
Everyone stopped.
His mother looked terrified.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
Dominic noticed.
“You know someone is here.”
She whispered:
“No.”
But her face said yes.
He walked toward the stairs.
Each step felt heavier.
The hallway above was dark.
Empty.
Or it looked empty.
Then his phone vibrated.
A final message appeared.
One sentence.
Don’t go upstairs alone. He’s been waiting for you.
Dominic stopped at the bottom of the staircase.
Because from the darkness above, someone spoke his name.
May you like
“Dominic…”
And he knew the voice.
