The message remained on my screen.
And don't bring your father.
I looked at him.
He noticed immediately.
"What did they say?"
I locked my phone.
"Nothing."
My father frowned.
"You've never been good at hiding things from me."
I almost laughed.
You don't know me anymore.
For the first time, I understood that the man who had raised me was also the man who had kept the biggest secrets from me.
"I need to go home," I said.
Adrian immediately looked at me.
"No."
"We need to get the original agreement."
"That's exactly what they want."
"And my mother is still with them."
He sighed.
"I know."
Daniel stepped forward.
"We should separate."
Everyone looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because whoever sent the message expects all of us to move together."
My uncle nodded.
"He's right."
My father looked at him suspiciously.
"What are you suggesting?"
"She goes with Adrian."
My father's expression hardened.
"No."
I looked at him.
"You don't get to decide everything anymore."
He stared at me.
Then he slowly stepped back.
"Fine."
I wasn't expecting that.
He looked exhausted.
"Go."
I turned toward Adrian.
"We need to find the agreement."
He nodded.
We left the warehouse in a separate car.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then Adrian reached for my hand.
"You don't have to be strong every second."
I looked at him.
"I don't know how to be anything else anymore."
"You can be scared."
"I am."
He squeezed my hand.
"So am I."
I looked at him.
"You're scared?"
"Of losing you."
My eyes filled with tears.
"I thought I had already lost you."
"You didn't."
He leaned closer.
"I came back."
I smiled sadly.
"Why?"
"Because I couldn't live without knowing you were safe."
Before I could respond, his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression immediately changed.
"What?"
He listened.
Then ended the call.
"What happened?"
"The location of your mother changed."
"Where?"
He looked at me.
"An old mansion outside the city."
My heart sank.
"Who owns it?"
Adrian hesitated.
"Your father."
I stared at him.
"That's impossible."
"He sold it years ago."
"To whom?"
He looked at me.
"Victor."
My blood ran cold.
We drove faster.
When we arrived, the mansion was completely dark.
The gate stood open.
No guards.
No cars.
Nothing.
Adrian stopped the car.
"This is wrong."
I looked at the building.
"I know."
We entered carefully.
"Mom?"
My voice echoed through the empty hall.
No answer.
Then we heard something upstairs.
A door slammed.
Adrian grabbed my hand.
"Stay behind me."
We climbed the stairs.
At the end of the hallway, one door was slightly open.
Light spilled through the gap.
I pushed it open.
My mother was sitting in a chair.
Alive.
Unhurt.
But there was someone standing behind her.
Victor.
He smiled.
"You came."
Adrian stepped forward.
"Let her go."
Victor shook his head.
"Not yet."
My mother looked at me desperately.
"Don't give him anything."
Victor placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Your mother is very brave."
Then he looked at me.
"Do you have the agreement?"
I slowly pulled the envelope from my bag.
Victor smiled.
"Good."
But before I could hand it over, my mother suddenly shouted:
"Run!"
A loud crash came from downstairs.
Victor turned.
Adrian grabbed my hand.
We ran.
Behind us, Victor shouted.
But as we reached the staircase, another figure stepped into the hallway.
My father.
He looked at me.
Then at Victor.
And finally at my mother.
His voice was deadly calm.
"Nobody touches my daughter."
Victor smiled.
"You came after all."
My father raised his weapon.
"I came to finish this."
And I realized the trap wasn't designed to kill my father.
It was designed to bring all of us together in one place.