Chapter 5: The Woman Who Came Back
Marcus read the message again.
Then again.
The words refused to make sense.
Alana.
The woman everyone said was gone.
The woman whose name existed only in old memories.
Had sent him a message.
Recently.
Not years ago.
Recently.
Maya stood beside him, watching his face change.
“Daddy?””
Marcus quickly closed the screen.
Not because he wanted to hide from Maya.
Because he needed one moment to understand what was happening.
“Marcus: Go with Mrs. Carter for a minute.””
Maya frowned.
“Who?””
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
The housekeeper stood there, confused.
“Marcus: Please.””
Maya didn’t move.
“Is Mommy really alive?””
Marcus swallowed.
This time, he didn’t lie.
“I think she is.””
The little girl covered her mouth.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Then she ran.
Not away.
Toward him.
Marcus caught her and held her tightly.
For eight years, he had been afraid of losing her.
Now he realized someone had been keeping her from finding something she deserved.
The truth.
After Maya left with the housekeeper, Marcus closed the security room door.
Vanessa remained standing by the monitors.
“Marcus: You knew.””
Vanessa didn’t deny it.
“Yes.””
The answer was almost worse.
Marcus stared.
“You knew Alana was alive.””
“Yes.””
“And you let me believe she was dead.””
Vanessa looked down.
“I thought it was the only way.””
Marcus laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Marcus: You don’t get to decide what truths I can handle.””
Vanessa’s eyes filled slightly.
“Vanessa: You’re right.””
The admission surprised him.
She continued.
“But you also don’t know what happened.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Marcus: Then tell me.””
Vanessa looked toward the message.
“I can’t.””
His anger returned.
“Marcus: Why?””
“Because I promised.””
“To who?””
Vanessa stayed silent.
Marcus slammed his hand against the desk.
“Marcus: Everyone keeps saying they’re protecting someone. Nobody tells me who.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because if you know everything, you’ll go looking for answers.””
“Yes.””
“And if you go looking…”
She stopped.
Marcus noticed.
“If I go looking, what?””
Vanessa looked away.
“People get hurt.””
Marcus stared.
“Are you threatening me?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
Vanessa whispered:
“I’m warning you.””
The words made him colder than any threat could.
Marcus returned to the computer.
He opened the message again.
There was an attachment.
A video file.
Created yesterday.
He clicked play.
The screen went black.
Then a woman appeared.
Marcus stopped breathing.
Alana.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
She sat in a dim room, looking directly into the camera.
“Marcus.””
His hands shook.
Her voice was real.
“By the time you see this, I know Vanessa has already tried to explain.””
Marcus glanced at Vanessa.
She looked away.
Alana continued.
“I need you to understand something.””
She took a breath.
“Maya was never the reason I left.””
Marcus felt tears forming.
The video continued.
“She was the reason I stayed alive.””
A noise came from behind Alana.
She turned.
The recording froze for a moment.
Then continued.
“I don’t have much time.””
Marcus leaned closer.
“What happened?””
Alana looked directly into the camera.
“The night I disappeared…”
The screen flickered.
A warning appeared.
FILE CORRUPTED.
Marcus froze.
“No.””
He clicked the video.
Nothing.
The file had stopped.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“This is why I didn’t want you to see it.””
Marcus turned.
“Why?””
Vanessa answered quietly.
“Because the person who recorded that video wasn’t Alana.””
Marcus looked confused.
“What?””
Vanessa pointed at the screen.
“Look at the timestamp.””
Marcus checked.
His eyes widened.
The video had been created yesterday.
But the recording date inside the footage was eight years ago.
Someone had saved it.
Someone had hidden it.
Someone had waited.
Then the security system suddenly went dark.
Every monitor shut off.
The room fell silent.
Marcus reached for the controls.
“Vanessa?””
She didn’t answer.
Her face had gone pale.
A single monitor flickered back on.
The hallway camera appeared.
Maya was standing there.
But she wasn’t alone.
A man stood behind her.
Marcus didn’t recognize him.
But Vanessa did.
Her hand covered her mouth.
“Vanessa: No…”
Marcus looked at her.
“Who is that?””
May you like
Vanessa whispered:
“The person who made Alana disappear.””
