Chapter 3 - The Man Who Knew My Past
The man at the entrance smiled when he said my name.
"Riley Mercer."
Two words.
Two words that made every instinct inside me scream.
Because the way he said it wasn't like he was introducing himself.
It was like he was confirming something.
Like he had spent years searching for me.
Vincent moved slightly in front of me.
Not enough to draw attention.
Just enough to block the man's view.
That was when I knew something.
Vincent Voss was afraid.
Not the kind of fear ordinary people felt.
Not panic.
Not hesitation.
Something deeper.
The fear of someone who knew exactly what kind of danger was standing in front of him.
The older man slowly walked into the restaurant.
His gray coat was simple.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
People like him were the ones I worried about most.
The loud ones were easy.
The ones who shouted.
The ones who threatened.
They wanted you to know they were dangerous.
The quiet ones were different.
They already knew.
"Vincent," the man said.
His voice was low.
"You haven't changed."
Vincent didn't answer.
The man looked around the restaurant.
Then his eyes returned to me.
"And neither has she."
My stomach tightened.
I stepped out from behind Vincent.
"Who are you?"
The man studied me.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he smiled.
A small smile.
Almost sad.
"My name is Adrian Cross."
The name meant nothing to me.
But Vincent reacted.
And that was enough.
"Riley," Vincent said quietly.
"Stay behind me."
I looked at him.
"No."
His eyes narrowed.
"This is not the time."
"You don't get to decide that."
A few years ago, maybe I would have listened.
Maybe I would have stepped away.
Maybe I would have allowed powerful people to make decisions for me.
But that version of me was gone.
I spent too many years fighting to survive.
I wasn't going back to being helpless.
Adrian watched us.
Then he laughed softly.
"Interesting."
His eyes moved between us.
"I expected anger."
He looked at Vincent.
"I did not expect you to protect her."
Vincent's expression hardened.
"Leave."
Adrian ignored him.
Instead, he looked at me.
"Your mother would be proud."
The world stopped.
I felt the words before I understood them.
My mother's name.
My mother's memory.
Everything I had buried came rushing back.
I stepped forward.
"What did you say?"
Adrian tilted his head.
"You heard me."
"You knew my mother?"
The restaurant became silent again.
Not the silence from fear.
The silence from people realizing they were witnessing something they weren't supposed to see.
Adrian looked at Vincent.
"You never told her."
Vincent's jaw tightened.
"Because she deserved a normal life."
Adrian smiled.
"Normal?"
He glanced around.
"Working six nights a week. Living alone. Changing cities every few years. Pretending nobody is looking for her."
My blood ran cold.
Because he knew.
He knew things nobody should know.
"Who are you?" I asked again.
This time, my voice was different.
Not curious.
Demanding.
Adrian looked at me.
"I was someone your mother trusted."
I waited.
"And then?"
His expression changed.
"Then she discovered the wrong people were listening."
The words hit harder than I expected.
I looked at Vincent.
He looked away.
That was when I understood.
He knew more.
Much more.
"You lied to me."
Vincent looked back.
"Riley—"
"No."
My voice became sharper.
"You knew about her."
"I knew pieces."
"Pieces?"
I laughed quietly.
"My entire life disappeared."
The anger I had carried for ten years finally found somewhere to go.
"Everyone told me she left."
Vincent said nothing.
"They told me she didn't want me."
Still nothing.
"They let me believe she abandoned me."
Adrian looked down.
And for the first time, I saw something human in his expression.
Regret.
"She didn't abandon you."
I looked at him.
"Then where was she?"
Nobody answered.
That was the worst part.
Not the silence.
The fact that they both knew.
I took a step back.
"You both know."
Vincent finally spoke.
"Your mother was involved with people who would do anything to get what they wanted."
"Who?"
His eyes met mine.
"People like Adrian."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Careful."
Vincent didn't move.
"You don't get to come here after ten years and pretend you're the hero."
Adrian looked at him.
"You still blame me."
"I blame everyone who put her in danger."
The tension between them felt older than me.
Like this argument had been waiting years to happen.
I looked between them.
"Enough."
Both men stopped.
"I want the truth."
Nobody spoke.
So I continued.
"Not tomorrow."
"Not later."
"Now."
Vincent looked at me for a long moment.
Then he reached inside his jacket.
He pulled out a small envelope.
My heart stopped.
"Your mother left this."
I stared at it.
"What is it?"
"Something I was supposed to give you if they ever found you."
The words made my skin crawl.
"If they ever found me?"
Vincent nodded slowly.
"Riley, your mother knew this day might come."
I didn't take the envelope.
Not yet.
Because suddenly I was afraid.
Not of Adrian.
Not of Vincent.
Of what was inside.
Because some truths didn't fix your life.
Sometimes they destroyed the version you had learned to survive with.
Adrian stepped closer.
"Don't open it."
I looked at him.
"Why?"
His face became serious.
"Because once you know what your mother hid, there is no going back."
Vincent immediately looked at him.
"You don't get to warn her."
Adrian ignored him.
"She spent ten years keeping you safe."
I swallowed.
"Safe from what?"
Neither man answered.
And that was the answer.
I reached for the envelope.
My fingers touched the paper.
It was old.
Worn.
Like someone had held it many times.
There was writing on the front.
Not my name.
Not Vincent's.
Just three words.
My hands started shaking.
Because I recognized the handwriting instantly.
My mother's.
"For Riley. Alone."
I opened my mouth.
But before I could open the envelope, every phone in the restaurant rang at the same time.
Every single one.
The guests looked confused.
The staff froze.
Vincent's face changed immediately.
He looked at the phones.
Then at me.
"No."
I turned toward him.
"What?"
He didn't answer.
Because Adrian was already staring at the envelope in my hand.
And for the first time that night, he looked terrified.
"Riley..."
I looked down.
The envelope was no longer sealed.
May you like
Someone had opened it before me.
And inside was a single photograph of my mother standing beside a man I knew was supposed to be dead.
