Chapter 7 - The Red Door Behind The Lie
The photograph on Sadie's phone remained on the screen.
Roman standing inside the old house.
Standing in front of the red door.
The same door she remembered from a childhood memory that shouldn't exist.
Her hands went cold.
Because the picture wasn't old.
It wasn't a forgotten moment.
It was happening now.
Someone was inside the house.
Someone was watching.
And someone had access to a number that had been disconnected for eight years.
"Give me the phone."
Roman's voice was low.
Sadie didn't move.
"No."
His eyes met hers.
"Nora."
She tightened her grip.
"You don't get to take things from me anymore."
The words hurt him.
She saw it.
But she didn't care.
Not this time.
Too many people had taken pieces of her life.
Her memories.
Her choices.
Her truth.
She looked at the photograph again.
"How did you get inside?"
Roman didn't answer.
That was enough.
"You were already there."
A silence followed.
Daniel looked at Roman.
"You went without telling us."
Roman ignored him.
Sadie's eyes narrowed.
"You knew."
"I needed to check something."
"You needed to check something?"
Her voice rose.
"My mother's house has been empty for eight years, and you just happened to be there?"
Roman stepped closer.
"I wasn't looking for secrets."
"Then what were you looking for?"
He stopped.
Because he couldn't answer.
And Sadie knew.
There was still another part of the story he wasn't telling her.
She turned toward the car.
"I'm going there."
Roman immediately followed.
"No."
She looked back.
"You're not stopping me."
"I didn't say I was."
"Then move."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Roman nodded.
"Fine."
That surprised her.
But then he continued.
"But you stay beside me."
Sadie almost refused.
Almost.
But she knew something now.
The danger was real.
And whatever was inside that house had been waiting for her longer than she understood.
They arrived twenty minutes later.
The old house looked exactly like her memories.
That was the terrifying part.
The same white paint.
The same cracked steps.
The same front window where her mother used to stand every morning.
Sadie stepped out of the car slowly.
Her chest tightened.
She remembered running across that yard as a child.
She remembered her mother's voice.
She remembered laughter.
But there were also missing pieces.
Pieces someone had removed.
Roman stood beside her.
"Are you okay?"
She almost laughed.
"No."
A small pause.
"But I think I'm finally tired of pretending I am."
The front door was already open.
Everyone noticed.
Roman's hand moved immediately.
Daniel whispered:
"It was locked when I left."
Sadie looked at him.
"You were here before?"
Daniel looked away.
Another secret.
Another lie.
She walked toward the entrance.
Roman stopped her.
"I go first."
"No."
His eyes met hers.
She continued:
"Together."
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he nodded.
They entered.
The house smelled old.
Not abandoned.
Old.
Like someone had been living there.
The furniture was covered with sheets.
The walls held family photographs.
But something felt wrong.
Sadie walked through the hallway.
Every step brought back another memory.
A birthday cake.
Her mother's singing.
Daniel running through the rooms.
Then she saw it.
The red door.
At the end of the hallway.
Exactly where she remembered.
Her breathing changed.
Roman noticed.
"You know this door."
She didn't answer.
Because she did.
But she didn't know how.
She walked closer.
Her fingers moved toward the handle.
Then stopped.
A memory appeared.
Her mother kneeling in front of her.
Tears in her eyes.
"Promise me, Nora."
Young Sadie looked confused.
"What?"
Her mother held her shoulders.
"If someone ever tells you to open this door..."
A pause.
"Don't believe them."
The memory disappeared.
Sadie stepped back.
Roman watched her carefully.
"What did you remember?"
She looked at the door.
"My mother was afraid of this room."
Daniel came closer.
"She was afraid of what was inside."
Sadie turned.
"What was inside?"
Daniel didn't answer.
Her anger returned.
"Why does everyone know except me?"
Daniel looked broken.
"Because your mother wanted it that way."
"No."
Sadie shook her head.
"She wanted me safe."
Roman looked at the red door.
"She wanted you to forget."
The words made Sadie turn.
"What?"
Roman sighed.
"There was something behind this door."
"What?"
"A file."
Nobody moved.
"A file about everyone involved."
Sadie's eyes narrowed.
"Everyone?"
Roman nodded.
"Me."
Daniel looked away.
"Elias."
A pause.
"And your mother."
Sadie stared at the door.
"Why would my mother keep information about herself hidden?"
Roman looked at her.
"Because she wasn't hiding from us."
He paused.
"She was hiding from someone else."
Before Sadie could respond, a sound came from inside the room.
A soft movement.
Everyone froze.
Someone was inside.
Roman immediately stepped in front of Sadie.
Daniel moved toward the other side.
The handle moved.
Slowly.
The red door opened slightly.
Nobody spoke.
Then a voice came from behind it.
A woman's voice.
A voice Sadie hadn't heard in eight years.
"Nora..."
Her entire body froze.
The door opened wider.
Roman looked shocked.
Daniel looked terrified.
And Sadie...
couldn't breathe.
Because the woman standing behind the red door was holding a photograph of Sadie as a child.
And she whispered:
"I'm sorry I left you..."
The woman took one step forward.
"Because I was trying to save you from the man standing beside you."
Sadie's eyes moved toward Roman.
Roman didn't move.
Didn't speak.
But his face changed.
Because he recognized the woman.
And she wasn't supposed to be alive.
Her mother raised the photograph.
Then pointed at Roman.
"Ask him what happened the night he killed my trust..."
Roman's phone suddenly vibrated.
One message.
One name.
May you like
The name that made him lose all color from his face:
"Victor."
