While the fight was raging, Celine noticed a mysterious shadow slipping through the trees. A tall man, wearing a black coat and a hat that partially concealed his face. She did not know who he was, but an old feeling stirred terror in her heart.
The man's voice spoke with calm menace:"
_The time is running out, Selene. There is no escape for you."
At that moment, she realized that this battle was not only about saving Lilia, but about a truth that would change everything.
The man in the black coat stood firm, his piercing eyes tracking every movement Celine made, while darkness poured around him like a curtain closing in on the world. He opened an old briefcase and took out an aged envelope bearing an unfamiliar seal.
He said coldly:"
_Selene, this letter is from Marcus. Marlene never told you about it, but the truth is here, written in ink that does not fade."
He stepped closer and handed her the envelope. Her hand trembled as she opened it slowly. Inside were documents and old photographs. One image stopped her breath: a small photo of three children. One looked strikingly like Lilia, another was Celene herself, and the third was a child she did not recognize.
The man read carefully:"
_The three children are the keys to the past and the future. Lilia is not merely Marcus' adopted daughter; she is part of a larger project… a project to control minds, memory, and time itself."
Celine screamed:"
_How can this be true? Why didn't you tell us?"
The man smiled with a grim smile:"
_Because the truth is painful, and not every heart can bear it. Marcus tried to protect you from this fate, but he failed. And now, the time has come for you to choose: either accept the truth and work with it, or lose everything."
Before Celine could gather herself, Eva's voice came from behind:"
_Celine, there's something else. We found hidden audio recordings on his devices. It seems your father, Marcus, was suffering from a severe inner conflict."
Eva placed the recording device down, and a trembling voice began to speak, heavy with disappointment and pain:"
_I'm afraid that what I created will spiral out of control. Lilia is not just a child; she is the experiment that could destroy everything if it fails."
Celine swallowed her tears and realized that her battle was not only for Lilia, but for the salvation of her family and the secrets that could destroy them all.
To be continued...