Chapter 9: The Woman at the Window
Darius spun around.
The woman was gone.
He rushed toward the windows.
“Who was that?””
Everyone turned.
Simone grabbed Nia.
Marcus moved toward the door.
Darius pressed both hands against the glass.
Outside, the mansion's manicured lawn stretched beneath the afternoon sun.
Empty.
No footsteps.
No car.
Nothing.
Darius turned.
“Lock the doors.””
Marcus immediately did.
The click of the lock sounded unnaturally loud.
Nia clung to Simone.
“Mommy?””
Simone held her tightly.
“It's okay.””
Darius looked at her.
“Don't tell her that.””
Simone stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because nothing about this is okay.””
He held up the photograph.
“This girl.””
Simone's eyes filled.
“I know.””
“You've seen her.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Simone's lips trembled.
“At the hospital.””
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
Darius stared.
“You saw Nia's twin three months ago?””
“I didn't know she was Nia's twin.””
“But you knew she looked exactly like her.””
Simone nodded.
“She was standing in a hallway.””
“With who?””
“The same woman from the photograph.””
Darius looked at the back.
“Who is she?””
Simone shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Marcus spoke quietly.
“I do.””
Darius turned.
Marcus stared at the photograph.
“That's Lorraine.””
Darius frowned.
“Who is Lorraine?””
“My mother.””
Silence.
Darius's face tightened.
“Our mother?””
Marcus nodded.
“The woman we were told died.””
Darius looked at Simone.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“You suspected your mother was alive?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“She isn't our mother.””
Darius looked at him.
“What?””
Marcus took a slow breath.
“I found the records.””
“What records?””
“The birth records.””
He reached into his jacket again.
Darius stared at the growing stack of documents.
“You've been carrying evidence this whole time?””
“I knew tonight would happen.””
“Why?””
“Because I received the same messages.””
Darius's eyes widened.
“You did?””
Marcus nodded.
“Three months ago.””
“What did they say?””
“That if I didn't help them bring you here, Nia would disappear.””
Simone gasped.
“You never told me that.””
“I couldn't.””
“You could have told me!””
“And risked them taking her?””
Darius stepped between them.
“Enough.””
Both went silent.
He looked at Marcus.
“So you helped arrange this celebration.””
“Yes.””
“You knew they were watching.””
“Yes.””
“And you brought everyone here.””
“I needed witnesses.””
“For what?””
Marcus looked at the second phone.
“For the truth.””
The phone vibrated.
A video appeared.
This time, it wasn't from the hospital.
It was from inside the mansion.
Darius stared at the thumbnail.
The dining room.
Their family.
The camera angle was from behind the flowers on the table.
Someone had been recording them all evening.
He pressed play.
The footage showed the exact moment Nia pointed at Simone.
Then the moment Darius took the second phone.
Then Marcus saying, *“The night of the accident.””*
Darius stopped the video.
“They've been watching us.””
Simone whispered, “I told you.””
“No.””
Darius shook his head.
“They've been controlling us.””
The second phone buzzed.
*NOT CONTROLLING. TESTING.*
Another message followed.
*NOW WE KNOW WHO REMEMBERS.*
Darius's blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then stabilized.
Nia looked frightened.
“Daddy?””
Darius immediately moved toward her.
“I'm here.””
The mansion doors suddenly opened.
Everyone turned.
No one stood there.
Marcus rushed forward and slammed them shut.
Then he stopped.
Something had been placed on the floor outside.
A small pink backpack.
Darius recognized it.
It belonged to Nia.
He looked at his daughter.
Her backpack was still beside her chair.
Two identical backpacks.
One inside.
One outside.
Darius slowly picked up the second one.
There was a name written across the front.
*MAYA.*
Simone covered her mouth.
Darius looked at her.
“You know that name.””
She nodded.
“That's what they called her.””
“Maya?””
“Yes.””
“Nia's twin.””
Simone began shaking.
Darius opened the backpack.
Inside was a child's hairbrush.
A coloring book.
A photograph.
And a folded note.
He opened it.
Five words were written in a child's handwriting:
*I REMEMBER DADDY'S VOICE.*
Darius's eyes filled with tears.
He looked at Nia.
She stared at the note.
Then quietly said,
“That isn't my handwriting.””
Darius froze.
“No one said it was.””
Nia looked toward the windows.
“She wrote that.””
“Who?””
Nia pointed outside.
“The girl who looks like me.””
Simone sank into a chair.
Darius stared at his daughter.
“How do you know?””
Nia's eyes widened.
“Because she talks to me.””
Marcus whispered, “No.””
Darius crouched.
“Where does she talk to you?””
Nia pointed at the ceiling.
“Every night.””
Darius slowly stood.
“What does she say?””
Nia looked directly at him.
“She says you promised to find her.””
Darius's face went pale.
“I never promised that.””
Nia shook her head.
“Not you.””
She pointed toward the second phone.
“Grandpa did.””
The phone lit up one final time.
A live video notification appeared.
*INCOMING VIDEO CALL: DAD*
Darius stared at the screen.
Marcus stopped breathing.
May you like
Simone whispered,
“He's calling from inside the house.””
