Chapter 2 - The Secret She Was Never Supposed to Learn
Khalida was discharged three days later.
She had strict instructions not to lift anything heavy, not to work, and not to remain alone.
She had one problem.
She had rent due.
The Copper Kettle had no paid leave.
Her savings were almost gone.
So when Sarah arrived with a suitcase, Khalida stared at her.
“I’m not moving in with you.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Sarah.”
“No.”
“I have a lease.”
“You can have a lease while living on my couch.”
Khalida sighed.
Her sister placed a hand on her shoulder.
“You nearly died.”
“I didn’t.”
“That is not a reason to repeat the experience.”
Khalida looked out the window.
The hospital was quiet.
But she had noticed something strange since waking.
A black SUV had been parked across the street every day.
Different driver.
Same vehicle.
She did not tell Sarah.
At six that evening, there was a knock.
Sarah opened the door.
A tall man stood outside.
He wore a dark suit and carried no umbrella despite the rain.
“Miss Khalida?”
She looked over.
“Yes?”
“My name is Hayes.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
“Mr. Deacon asked me to deliver something.”
He handed Khalida a folder.
Inside was a temporary bank card.
And a note.
Medical expenses are covered. Do not return the money.
Khalida immediately frowned.
“I’m not taking this.”
Hayes looked almost amused.
“He anticipated that.”
“Then why did he send it?”
“Because you need it.”
“I don’t accept money from strangers.”
Hayes leaned slightly closer.
“You need to decide whether Deacon is a stranger.”
Khalida looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
Hayes said nothing.
He simply left.
That night, Khalida could not sleep.
The card sat on the table.
She did not use it.
At 11:00, her phone buzzed.
A message.
How bad is the pain?
She stared.
It was Deacon.
Better.
Lie.
Khalida frowned.
You don't know me well enough to call me a liar.
I know you were discharged with instructions to rest, and I know you cleaned your apartment today.
Her eyes widened.
How do you know that?
Because I have cameras outside your building.
Khalida sat upright despite the pain.
That is terrifying.
I know.
Why are you watching me?
A long pause.
Because someone wants you dead.
She stared at the screen.
Then typed.
Who?
No answer.
A minute passed.
Another message came.
Get some sleep.
She almost laughed.
You don't get to tell me what to do.
Apparently I do.
She set the phone down.
Then picked it up again.
Thank you.
Three dots appeared.
Anytime.
Khalida stared at the word.
That should have scared her.
Instead, it made her chest feel unexpectedly warm.
Over the next two weeks, Deacon remained mostly invisible.
He did not visit.
He did not send extravagant gifts.
Instead, groceries appeared.
Her medical bills disappeared.
The apartment landlord suddenly offered her a month of free rent.
When Khalida asked Sarah how that happened, Sarah raised both hands.
“Do not look at me.”
Then, one rainy evening, Deacon appeared.
He stood outside her door.
Khalida opened it.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you?”
“I wanted to see if you're healing.”
She leaned against the doorframe.
“You could have asked by text.”
“I could.”
“But?”
“I wanted to know whether you would open the door.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because after what happened, you should be allowed to decide who enters your life.”
The answer surprised her.
“Come in.”
Deacon stepped inside.
His gaze moved around the modest apartment.
A secondhand sofa.
A tiny kitchen.
Photographs taped to the refrigerator.
He stopped at one.
A young woman.
Khalida.
Beside an older man.
Her father.
Deacon stared longer than necessary.
“Who is that?”
“My dad.”
“When was the photograph taken?”
“Eight years ago.”
“He looks healthy.”
“He was.”
“What happened?”
“He disappeared.”
Deacon slowly turned.
“When?”
“Eight years ago.”
He said nothing.
Khalida crossed her arms.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You've gone pale.”
“I don't go pale.”
“You just did.”
Deacon looked back at the photograph.
“What was his name?”
“Amir Rahman.”
The room seemed to shrink.
Deacon knew that name.
He had seen it in files.
A smuggler.
An accountant.
A man who had once worked for Victor Sloane.
A man believed dead.
Deacon’s face hardened.
“Khalida, I need to ask you something.”
She nodded.
“Did your father ever mention the Costa docks?”
She frowned.
“Once.”
“When?”
“The last week before he disappeared.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me if anyone came asking about an old ledger, I was to deny knowing anything.”
Deacon stared at her.
“What ledger?”
“I don't know.”
“Did he leave anything?”
Khalida thought.
“There was a wooden box.”
Deacon’s heartbeat changed.
“Where?”
“My mother had it.”
“Where is she?”
“She died when I was sixteen.”
The room went silent.
“Do you still have the box?”
Khalida shook her head.
“I thought it was empty.”
“Why?”
“Because when I opened it, there was nothing inside.”
Deacon looked at her.
“Was there ever a false bottom?”
She stared.
“No.”
“Are you certain?”
“I was a kid.”
Deacon stepped closer.
“Did your father ever tell you why he disappeared?”
Khalida’s eyes filled.
“He said he was trying to protect me.”
Deacon looked away.
He suddenly understood.
Someone had been hiding Khalida’s identity.
Perhaps for years.
His phone rang.
Hayes.
Deacon answered.
“What?”
“We found Sloane.”
Deacon’s face darkened.
“Where?”
“He’s back at the old docks.”
“Why?”
“We have another problem.”
“What?”
Hayes lowered his voice.
“The old ledger you were looking for? It may not belong to Sloane.”
Deacon looked at Khalida.
“Whose is it?”
“Your father’s.”
Khalida saw the change in his expression.
“What's wrong?”
Deacon ended the call.
“My father?”
She nodded.
“What's his name?”
“Elias.”
Deacon stopped.
He knew the name.
Elias Hale.
A man who had once ruled the city before Deacon did.
A man the world believed had died in prison.
But Deacon had spent years believing his father was dead.
Now, suddenly, he had to consider an impossible possibility.
Maybe he wasn't.
Maybe Elias had vanished for a reason.
Maybe Khalida's missing father knew why.
And maybe the woman Deacon had saved was connected to the one secret his entire family had buried.
He looked at her.
“I need to know everything.”
Khalida swallowed.
“So do I.”
Neither of them realized that someone across the street was watching their apartment.
A phone lifted.
A photograph was taken.
Then a message was sent.
Deacon found her.
May you like
Victor Sloane replied.
Then it's time to tell him what she really is.
