Chapter 5 - My Mother Was Alive, but She Told Me the Man I Trusted Most Had Been Watching My Family Since I Was a ChildMy mother waited beneath the old bell tower.
She looked older.
But alive.
I couldn't speak.
She cried.
“My baby.”
I ran to her.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I laughed through tears.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
She touched my face.
“I know.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had to.”
“From whom?”
“The Keeper.”
“Who is he?”
She hesitated.
“Your grandfather.”
I froze.
“My grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“My father's father?”
“Yes.”
He had created the network.
My father inherited it.
My mother tried to destroy it.
My father failed.
The Keeper wanted control.
I asked:
“Why did my father become involved?”
“He was born into it.”
“And Adrian?”
“He was born into his family's version of it.”
“Why did you trust them?”
“Because Adrian's father saved us.”
“From what?”
“The Keeper.”
I stared.
“Then why did Dad die?”
“Because he discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
My mother gave me a photograph.
It showed my father.
My grandfather.
And a young man.
Mark's father.
They were meeting.
My mother explained.
My father had discovered that The Keeper wanted to manipulate children with the memory trait.
He refused.
So The Keeper threatened me.
My father hid me.
My mother hid Emma years later.
But Mark had been used to monitor us.
I felt sick.
“Did Mark love me?”
My mother nodded.
“I believe he did.”
“Then why did he hurt me?”
“Because fear makes people weak.”
I looked away.
“What about Wayne?”
“He worked for The Keeper.”
“What?”
“He wasn't Mark's friend.”
“He was assigned.”
“To what?”
“To test Emma.”
I felt cold.
“How?”
“Stress.”
“Fear.”
“Trauma.”
“They wanted to know what she remembered.”
I almost collapsed.
“My daughter.”
My mother held me.
“She is safe.”
“Not enough.”
“I know.”
“Where is The Keeper?”
She looked toward the door.
“Behind you.”
I turned.
My grandfather stood there.
Older.
Elegant.
Calm.
He smiled.
“Hello, Jessica.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You're alive.”
“Very.”
“You've been watching my daughter.”
“She is remarkable.”
I stepped back.
“Stay away from her.”
“She belongs to the family.”
“No.”
“You carry the blood.”
“So does Emma.”
“Yes.”
“And that's why you want her.”
“She can remember what I cannot.”
“What?”
“The original ledger.”
My heart stopped.
“What ledger?”
“The ledger that can destroy the network.”
“You want Emma to remember it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To restore the empire.”
I laughed.
“Then you're insane.”
He smiled.
“Perhaps.”
Adrian entered.
My grandfather's expression changed.
“You.”
Adrian raised his gun.
“Leave her.”
My grandfather laughed.
“You're still protecting her.”
“Always.”
My grandfather looked at me.
“He loved you before you understood what love was.”
I ignored him.
“You hurt my family.”
“I gave your family purpose.”
“You murdered my father.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Your father was killed by someone else.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
I froze.
My mother stepped forward.
“He's lying.”
My grandfather smiled.
“Am I?”
I looked at my mother.
She was crying.
“What happened?”
“I shot your father.”
Silence.
My mother continued.
“It was an accident.”
“What?”
“Your father confronted him.”
“The gun went off.”
“My father?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Your father was trying to kill me.”
I couldn't breathe.
She had killed him in self-defense.
Then hidden the truth.
My grandfather used the secret.
He created the story.
Made everyone believe he was responsible.
My father became a martyr.
My mother became a fugitive.
And I became the child who didn't know.
Adrian lowered his weapon.
“This ends tonight.”
My grandfather smiled.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because your daughter is already remembering.”
I froze.
“What?”
A phone rang.
Adrian answered.
His face changed.
“Rosie?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“She woke up.”
“What did she say?”
“She gave a name.”
“Whose?”
He whispered:
“The Keeper.”
May you like
My grandfather smiled.
“She remembers.”
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