"That is exactly the problem."
Samuel's words wouldn't leave my mind.
I stood there, staring at him.
My entire body felt numb.
"Richard is alive," I whispered.
Samuel nodded.
"And Lily knows why."
I shook my head slowly.
"This doesn't make sense."
"It will."
"When?"
"When you stop believing everything you've been told."
I looked around me.
The burning remains of the car illuminated everyone's faces.
My mother was crying.
My father looked terrified.
Adrian was staring at Samuel.
And I—
I felt like my entire life had become a lie.
I turned toward Samuel.
"You said Lily has been hiding from me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because she doesn't know who to trust."
My heart cracked.
"Not even me?"
Samuel looked at me sadly.
"Especially you."
I swallowed.
"Why?"
"Because she believes you are the reason all of this started."
My eyes filled with tears.
"That's impossible."
"Is it?"
I looked at Adrian.
He stepped closer.
"Don't listen to him."
Samuel turned toward him.
"Why? Because the truth will hurt?"
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"You don't know her."
"I know what her family did."
I looked between them.
"Stop."
Both men went silent.
I couldn't take another argument.
I couldn't take another secret.
I wiped my tears.
"I want to see Lily."
Samuel nodded.
"You will."
"When?"
"Tonight."
My heart jumped.
"Where?"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
An address.
My hands trembled.
"Is she there?"
"Yes."
I looked at Adrian.
He shook his head.
"It's too dangerous."
"I don't care."
"You should."
"She is my sister."
"And whoever has been manipulating you knows you're going there."
I stared at him.
"How do you know?"
He didn't answer.
My stomach dropped.
"You know something."
"I have a suspicion."
"About what?"
"The messages."
"What about them?"
Adrian looked at Samuel.
"I don't think Lily sent them."
Samuel's expression changed.
"I agree."
My heart sank.
"Then who has been sending them?"
Nobody answered.
Suddenly, my mother's phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her face went pale.
"Who is it?"
She didn't answer.
I reached for the phone.
She pulled it away.
"Mom."
"Don't."
"Give it to me."
She shook her head.
The phone kept ringing.
Finally, she answered.
"Hello?"
She listened.
Her face slowly drained of color.
Then she whispered,
"No…"
She ended the call.
I stepped toward her.
"What happened?"
She looked at me.
"Your father is missing."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
"He went back to the house."
Adrian immediately pulled out his phone.
He called my father.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
I felt panic rising inside me.
"No."
I grabbed my mother's shoulders.
"Call him again."
She did.
Straight to voicemail.
My chest tightened.
"Someone took him."
Samuel looked toward the road.
"Probably."
"Who?"
He didn't answer.
Then my phone vibrated.
I looked down.
A message.
ONE FAMILY MEMBER GONE.
My blood froze.
Another message appeared.
HOW MANY MORE WILL YOU SACRIFICE?
I stared at the screen.
My hands began shaking.
Then a photograph appeared.
My father.
He was sitting in a chair.
His hands were tied.
His face was bruised.
I gasped.
"Dad…"
My mother screamed.
"No!"
She tried to grab the phone.
I pulled it away.
Another message appeared.
COME TO THE OLD CHURCH.
Below it:
COME ALONE.
I looked at Samuel.
"The old church."
His expression changed.
"The vault."
I looked at Adrian.
"That's where we're going."
"No."
"My father is there."
"I know."
"Then I'm going."
Adrian stepped in front of me.
"You're not going alone."
The message said alone.
I showed him the phone.
He stared at it.
"They're expecting you."
"I know."
"Then it's a trap."
"I know."
"Then why would you go?"
I looked at him through my tears.
"Because it's my father."
His expression softened.
"I'll come with you."
I shook my head.
"No."
"I won't let you face this alone."
"You don't understand."
"What?"
"If I bring you, they might kill you."
He stared at me.
"You're worried about me?"
I looked away.
"Yes."
He reached for my hand.
This time, I didn't pull away.
"I've spent my whole life losing people," I whispered.
His fingers tightened around mine.
"I don't want to lose you too."
He stared at me.
"I won't let that happen."
Samuel cleared his throat.
"Then we're all going."
I looked at him.
"You too?"
He nodded.
"Someone has to make sure you survive long enough to learn the truth."
We reached the old church at 10:41 p.m.
The building looked abandoned.
Broken windows.
Cracked walls.
An overgrown entrance.
The kind of place nobody would visit after dark.
I stepped out of the car.
My heart was pounding.
Adrian grabbed my hand.
"Stay close."
I nodded.
Samuel walked ahead.
He pushed open the door.
It creaked loudly.
Inside, it was completely dark.
Then a light came on.
One single bulb.
My father was sitting in a chair.
Alive.
But injured.
"Dad!"
I ran toward him.
Adrian grabbed me.
"Wait."
I stopped.
Something felt wrong.
My father lifted his head.
"Don't come closer."
My heart broke.
"Dad?"
He looked at me.
His eyes were filled with fear.
"It's a trap."
Suddenly, the church doors slammed shut.
I turned.
Locked.
A slow clap echoed through the darkness.
Then a voice spoke.
"Finally."
My blood ran cold.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it before.
In the messages.
In the shadows.
In my nightmares.
A figure stepped forward.
My heart stopped.
It was a woman.
She removed the scarf covering her face.
I stared at her.
"No…"
Adrian stepped closer.
"What?"
I couldn't speak.
The woman smiled.
And then she said my name.
"It's been a long time."
My legs weakened.
Because I knew her.
I had trusted her.
I had loved her.
I had never once suspected her.
My mother gasped.
"Christel…"
I stared at the woman.
My childhood friend.
The person I thought had disappeared from my life years ago.
The person who had always claimed to love me like a sister.
Christel smiled.
"You finally found the truth."
My heart shattered.
"You…"
She stepped closer.
"I've been watching you for years."
"Why?"
Her smile disappeared.
"Because your family destroyed mine."
I shook my head.
"What are you talking about?"
She looked toward my father.
"He knows."
My father lowered his head.
Christel's eyes returned to me.
"And now you're going to hear everything."
She pointed toward the floor.
A hidden door slowly opened.
Beneath it was a staircase.
And from somewhere below came a faint sound.
A woman's voice.
Crying.
I froze.
I knew that voice.
"Lily?"
Christel smiled.
"Yes."
She stepped aside.
"Go see your sister."
Then she whispered,
"Before you find out what she did."