Chapter 6: The Woman in the Room
Darius stared at the bracelet.
His breathing became shallow.
“No.””
He crouched and picked it up.
The metal was warm.
Almost as if someone had been holding it.
Zoe whispered, “That's not Amara's.””
Darius looked at her.
“How do you know?””
“Because Amara showed me something.””
Camille's head snapped toward Zoe.
“What did she show you?””
Zoe pointed at the wall.
“A picture.””
Darius followed her finger.
There was a second photograph hidden behind the portrait.
He pulled it free.
His stomach dropped.
The photograph showed Naomi.
But she wasn't holding Amara.
She was standing beside another little girl.
A girl who looked exactly like Zoe.
Darius looked at Zoe.
Then the photograph.
Then Zoe again.
“Where did you get this?””
Zoe shook her head.
“I didn't.””
Camille rushed forward.
“Give me that.””
Darius stepped away.
“No.””
“You don't know what you're holding.””
“I know enough.””
Camille reached for it.
Darius pulled it against his chest.
“Who is Zoe?””
Camille froze.
The little girl looked up at them.
“That's my name.””
Darius's eyes narrowed.
“Why are you in this picture?””
“I don't know.””
Camille whispered, “Because she wasn't supposed to exist.””
Darius stared at her.
“What?””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Camille…”
She shook her head.
“It's over.””
“No,” Darius said.
“It isn't.””
He held up the photograph.
“Tell me why an eight-year-old girl at my engagement party is in a photograph from seven years ago.””
Camille looked at Zoe.
Tears streamed down her face.
“Because she was there.””
Zoe's expression changed.
“Where?””
Camille couldn't answer.
Darius did.
“The fire.””
Camille nodded.
Zoe took a step backward.
“What fire?””
Nobody responded.
Darius crouched in front of her.
“Zoe, do you remember a fire?””
She stared at him.
“I remember smoke.””
Camille covered her mouth.
Zoe continued.
“I remember somebody carrying me.””
Darius's face tightened.
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“Was it a man?””
She nodded.
“Did he look like me?””
Zoe stared at him.
“Yes.””
Camille suddenly screamed.
“Stop!””
Everyone jumped.
She rushed toward Zoe.
Darius blocked her.
“Don't touch her.””
Camille stopped.
Her eyes were wild.
“You don't understand what she is.””
Darius's voice became cold.
“She is a child.””
“No.””
Camille shook her head.
“She is the reason Naomi died.””
Darius went completely still.
“What did you say?””
Camille started crying.
“Naomi found out what my father was doing.””
“What was he doing?””
“He was testing something.””
Marcus looked away.
Darius noticed.
“What was he testing?””
Camille whispered:
“Memory.””
Darius's expression hardened.
“My memory?””
“Everyone's.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“He wanted to prove memories could be removed, replaced, controlled.””
Darius looked at him.
“And Naomi discovered it.””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Camille looked at Zoe.
“She tried to get Zoe out.””
Darius stared at the child.
“Zoe was there?””
Camille nodded.
“She wasn't supposed to survive.””
The ballroom beyond the doorway had fallen silent again.
Darius looked at the photograph.
Then at Zoe.
“Why does she look exactly like the girl in this picture?””
Camille whispered:
“Because that picture was taken yesterday.””
Darius's eyes widened.
“What?””
Camille pointed toward the photograph.
“Look at the date.””
He turned it over.
The date printed on the back was yesterday.
Darius stared.
The photograph wasn't old.
It was new.
Naomi stood beside Zoe.
Alive.
Darius's hands began shaking.
“That's impossible.””
Camille whispered, “No.””
She looked toward the dark hallway.
“What's impossible is that she came back.””
Darius turned.
“Who?””
Camille's lips trembled.
“Naomi.””
A woman's footsteps echoed from somewhere beyond the ballroom.
One.
Two.
Three.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
A woman's voice came from the darkness.
“Darius?””
His face went white.
Camille stepped backward.
Zoe whispered:
“That's her.””
Darius couldn't move.
The footsteps stopped.
Then a woman slowly appeared beneath the chandelier light.
She looked directly at him.
And smiled through tears.
“I'm sorry I'm late.””
Darius dropped the photograph.
“Naomi?””
She nodded.
Behind her, the ballroom doors slammed shut.
And Camille whispered the final words Darius was never supposed to hear:
“She was the one who locked herself in that room seven years ago.””
Naomi's smile disappeared.
She looked at Camille.
“No.””
May you like
Her voice hardened.
“I was the one who locked *you* in.””
