Chapter 6: My Father’s Hidden War
My father’s words stayed in the air long after he said them.
“This file doesn’t contain Adrian’s secret.””
He looked at me.
“It contains mine.””
I didn’t know what scared me more.
The fact that Adrian had a hidden past.
Or the fact that my father had been hiding one too.
The officer standing in front of him looked uncomfortable.
“Colonel Reed, this is your final warning.””
My father didn’t move.
“You heard me.””
The officer glanced at the second man beside him.
They exchanged a silent conversation.
A conversation I wasn’t supposed to understand.
But I did.
Everyone in that chapel knew something.
Everyone except me.
I stepped forward.
“What secret?””
My father looked at me.
“Maya…”
“No.””
My voice shook.
“No more.””
The tears I had been holding all morning finally fell.
“I spent my entire life believing I knew you.””
My father’s expression softened.
“You do.””
“Do I?””
The question hurt both of us.
“You left for months and told me it was duty. You missed birthdays. You missed graduations. You missed moments I can never get back.””
My voice cracked.
“And I defended you.””
My father lowered his head.
“I know.””
“I told people my dad wasn’t choosing work over me.””
I looked at the uniform he wore.
“I told them you were protecting people.””
My eyes moved to the file.
“But who was protecting me from the truth?””
Nobody spoke.
Even the officers stayed silent.
Adrian watched me with a painful expression.
I hated that he looked hurt.
Because I was hurt too.
And I didn’t know if we were victims of the same secret or prisoners of it.
My father slowly removed his military cap.
It was a small gesture.
But I had never seen him do it in a moment like this.
He looked less like Colonel Marcus Reed.
And more like my father.
“Maya.””
His voice was quieter.
“There are things I should have told you years ago.””
“Then tell me now.””
He looked at the file.
“The operation seven years ago was not supposed to involve you.””
I froze.
“What do you mean?””
Adrian looked at my father.
“Colonel…”
My father raised a hand.
“No more hiding.””
He looked back at me.
“The reason Adrian was declared dead was because someone inside the operation betrayed us.””
The chapel went silent.
I swallowed.
“Someone inside?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
My father’s jaw tightened.
“We never proved it.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“But we knew someone was leaking information.””
My father looked at him.
“You were part of the problem.””
Daniel smiled coldly.
“And you were part of the cover-up.””
The words landed hard.
I looked between them.
“What cover-up?””
My father didn’t answer.
Daniel did.
“Your father wasn’t just protecting Adrian.””
He pointed at Marcus.
“He was protecting the reputation of the people who failed him.””
My father’s expression changed.
“That’s not true.””
“Isn’t it?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Maya, your father spent seven years making sure one thing disappeared.””
“What?””
“The fact that Adrian Cole was never supposed to die.””
I frowned.
“I don’t understand.””
Adrian finally spoke.
“Because I wasn’t the only person in danger.””
I looked at him.
“Who else?””
His eyes met mine.
And something inside me went cold.
“You.””
The word was barely audible.
I stared at him.
“Me?””
Adrian nodded.
“The night I disappeared, I discovered someone was using your father’s name to move information.””
I looked at my father.
“What information?””
Adrian hesitated.
“Information connected to the operation.””
“And how am I involved?””
My father answered.
“You were used as leverage.””
The chapel seemed to tilt.
“No.””
“Maya—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You’re telling me someone targeted me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Nobody answered immediately.
That was the answer.
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.””
I looked at Adrian.
“You knew.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
“And you still dated me.””
“Yes.””
“Knowing someone might come after me?””
“Yes.””
The pain in his face was unbearable.
But I needed the truth more than I needed comfort.
“Why?””
His voice cracked.
“Because I wanted to know if you were already in danger.””
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
“It means I watched from a distance before I approached you.””
My heart sank.
The sentence I had feared.
“You were watching me.””
“Yes.””
The chapel filled with whispers.
I looked at him.
“How long?””
“A few months.””
I closed my eyes.
Months.
A stranger had been watching me.
And then that stranger became my fiancé.
“You don’t understand what that feels like.””
“I do.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice became louder.
“You knew things about me before I knew things about you.””
Adrian nodded.
“I know.””
“You knew my father.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I was connected to this.””
“Yes.””
“And you let me fall in love with you.””
His eyes filled.
“I fell in love with you too.””
I looked away.
Because that was the one thing I believed.
And believing it hurt.
My father stepped forward.
“Maya, Adrian made mistakes.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Don’t defend me.””
My father ignored him.
“But his feelings for you were real.””
I looked at my father.
“Are you defending him now?””
“No.””
He looked at Adrian.
“I’m acknowledging the truth.””
That surprised me.
Because my father had spent years judging Adrian.
Now he was admitting something different.
“He made a mistake by keeping secrets.””
My father’s voice lowered.
“But he also saved your life.””
I froze.
“When?””
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
My father continued.
“The night before you met him.””
I turned toward Adrian.
“What happened?””
Adrian looked at the floor.
“Maya…”
“What happened?””
He took a breath.
“Someone followed you.””
The room became silent.
“What?””
“I saw them.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Then what did you do?””
“I made sure they left.””
“How?””
Adrian looked at my father.
Marcus answered.
“He stopped an attack before it happened.””
My eyes widened.
“An attack?””
My father nodded.
“Adrian contacted me after.””
I stared.
“So you two were working together?””
“Not exactly,” Adrian said.
My father looked at him.
“But we had the same goal.””
“Which was?””
“Keeping you alive.””
The words should have comforted me.
They didn’t.
Because they created another question.
“If you both cared about protecting me…”
I looked at the folder.
“Why keep lying?””
Nobody answered.
Finally, Adrian spoke.
“Because the truth could bring them back.””
“Who?””
His face turned serious.
“The people who wanted the file destroyed.””
The officers near the door shifted.
My father noticed.
His expression changed.
“What did you tell command?””
The officer looked at him.
“Nothing.””
My father narrowed his eyes.
“That’s not what I asked.””
A pause.
Then the officer looked away.
My father understood.
And suddenly the entire room changed.
My father grabbed my arm gently.
“Maya.””
“What?””
“You need to leave.””
“No.””
“Now.””
I pulled away.
“I’m tired of running from things I don’t understand.””
His face softened.
“I’m not asking you to run.””
“Then what?””
He looked at the chapel doors.
“I’m asking you to survive.””
Before I could respond, every phone in the room buzzed at the same time.
Guests.
Officers.
My mother.
Adrian.
Everyone.
A notification appeared.
My mother looked at her screen first.
Then she covered her mouth.
“What?””
I stepped toward her.
“What is it?””
She slowly handed me the phone.
I read the message.
My hands started shaking.
It was a photograph.
A photograph taken outside the chapel.
Of me.
Standing at the altar.
Taken only minutes ago.
Below it was one sentence.
*YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT BEFORE YOU KNEW THE TRUTH.*
I looked up.
Everyone was searching the room.
My father immediately reached for his weapon.
“Lock the doors.””
The officer looked confused.
“Colonel?””
My father stared at the message.
Then at the sealed file.
Then at me.
His voice dropped.
“They were never trying to find Adrian.””
A chill moved through me.
“Then what were they trying to find?””
My father looked at the folder.
May you like
And whispered:
“They were waiting for you to open it.””
