The voice came from downstairs.
Soft.
Calm.
Almost familiar.
But somehow, it terrified me more than a scream could have.
"Lina…"
My entire body froze.
Malik stood in front of me.
Daniel was beside the wall, his eyes fixed on the staircase.
"Elena," he whispered.
I could hear my own heartbeat.
Then came another sound.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Someone was climbing the stairs.
One step.
Then another.
I grabbed Malik's arm.
"What do we do?"
"Stay behind me."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
Malik looked at him.
"What?"
"She wants Lina to see her."
Daniel's voice was low.
"She wouldn't come here herself if she wanted to hide."
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
"It means this is a trap."
The footsteps stopped.
Silence filled the hallway.
Then a woman's voice floated through the darkness.
"You've grown so much, Lina."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
I knew that voice.
Not from recent memories.
From somewhere buried deep inside me.
A memory.
A woman kneeling in front of me.
A hand touching my hair.
A voice saying—
"Don't be afraid, little one."
I gasped.
"Elena…"
The name left my lips before I could stop it.
Malik turned toward me.
"You remember?"
"Not completely."
The lights suddenly came back on.
And there she was.
Standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Elena.
She looked nothing like the monster I had imagined.
She was elegant.
Calm.
Dressed in a long black coat, with her hair pulled neatly behind her.
There was no fear on her face.
Only sadness.
She looked directly at me.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she smiled.
"Hello, Lina."
My eyes filled with tears.
"Why do I know you?"
Her smile disappeared.
"Because once upon a time, I loved you."
Malik stepped forward.
"Don't go near her."
Elena looked at him.
"You've always been protective of her."
"Stay away."
She laughed quietly.
"You sound exactly like your brother."
Daniel stiffened.
"Don't mention my brother."
Elena's eyes moved toward him.
"Still angry?"
"You destroyed my life."
"I saved your life."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"You took me."
"I kept you alive."
"You made everyone believe I was dead."
"Because if they knew you were alive, they would have killed you."
I looked between them.
"What are you talking about?"
Elena slowly climbed the remaining stairs.
Malik moved to block her.
"Stop."
She stopped.
Then she looked at me.
"Ask him."
"Ask who?"
"Malik."
My stomach dropped.
I turned toward him.
"What does she mean?"
Malik said nothing.
Elena smiled sadly.
"Of course he won't tell you."
I walked toward Malik.
"What aren't you telling me?"
"Lina…"
"Tell me."
He looked at Elena.
Then back at me.
"There are things you still aren't ready to hear."
"I decide what I'm ready for."
Elena nodded.
"Exactly."
She reached into her coat and removed a small envelope.
She held it out.
"This belonged to your mother."
I stared at it.
"What is it?"
"Her final letter."
My hands went cold.
"My mother is alive?"
Elena's expression changed.
"No."
The word shattered something inside me.
I had known my mother was gone.
But hearing it from Elena made the loss feel fresh.
"When did she write it?"
"Two days before she disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
Elena nodded.
"Your mother didn't die the way you were told."
I couldn't breathe.
"What happened to her?"
"She ran."
"From who?"
"Your father."
I stared at her.
"My father killed her?"
"No."
Elena's voice became quieter.
"Your father wanted her dead."
A tear rolled down my cheek.
"And you?"
"I tried to help her."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"You always say that."
Elena looked at him.
"Because it's true."
"You betrayed her."
"I made mistakes."
"You made choices."
Elena looked at me.
"Yes."
I stepped closer.
"Did you betray my mother?"
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
My chest tightened.
"You did."
"Yes."
The admission was so quiet that it almost didn't sound real.
"Why?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"The people your mother was fighting."
"Who were they?"
Elena looked at Daniel.
Then Malik.
Then me.
"You think this is about your family."
She shook her head.
"It is much bigger than that."
I felt a strange anger rise inside me.
"I don't care how big it is. I want the truth."
Elena stared at me for a long moment.
"Your mother discovered that your father wasn't working alone."
"Who was with him?"
She hesitated.
Then whispered,
"Someone you know."
My heart stopped.
"Who?"
Before she could answer, Daniel stepped forward.
"Enough."
Elena looked at him.
"You're still trying to protect her."
"Yes."
"You should tell her what happened that night."
Daniel went silent.
I looked at him.
"What happened?"
His eyes met mine.
"You were supposed to die."
My breath caught.
"I know."
"No."
He shook his head.
"You don't."
He stepped closer.
"The attack wasn't meant to scare you."
My hands began trembling.
"It was an execution."
The room went completely silent.
I stared at him.
"Who ordered it?"
Daniel's eyes filled with something I couldn't understand.
"Your father."
I shook my head.
"No."
"Yes."
"My father wouldn't…"
"He did."
Tears streamed down my face.
"Then why am I alive?"
Daniel looked at Elena.
"Because she stopped it."
I turned toward Elena.
"You saved me?"
She nodded.
"I did."
"Then why did you disappear?"
Her eyes became wet.
"Because your mother made me promise something."
"What?"
"To make sure you never remembered that night."
I felt like the floor had disappeared beneath me.
"You erased my memories?"
"No."
She shook her head.
"Your mother did."
I froze.
"My mother?"
"She believed remembering would put you in danger."
I stared at the envelope in my hand.
"Then what's in the letter?"
Elena's eyes dropped.
"Read it."
My fingers trembled as I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
I unfolded it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
My mother's.
I read the first line.
My darling Lina,
My vision blurred.
I continued.
If you're reading this, then someone has finally told you the truth. But there is one thing I need you to know before you decide whom to trust.
My heart pounded.
I read the next sentence.
The person who saved you that night is not the person you think it was.
I stopped.
Slowly, I looked up.
Daniel was staring at me.
Malik was pale.
And Elena had tears running down her face.
Then I read the final line.
Lina, the person who saved you was someone you have been loving all these years.
My heart stopped.
I looked at Malik.
He immediately looked away.
And suddenly, I understood.
There was still one secret left.
And Malik knew it.