Chapter 4 - My Mother Was Waiting in Mexico, and Her First Sentence Changed Everything I Believed About My ChildhoodMy mother was alive.
I couldn't process it.
We flew to Mexico.
Noah came with me.
I didn't want him to.
He came anyway.
We found my mother at a small coastal house.
She opened the door.
For several seconds, we simply stared.
Then she said:
“Anna.”
I cried.
She held me.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I was supposed to be.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I pushed away.
“Everyone says that.”
She smiled sadly.
“I know.”
“Tell me the truth.”
She nodded.
We sat.
She told me about my father.
He wasn't just a financial clerk.
He was a specialist.
He kept secret accounts.
He discovered the Black Ledger.
He tried to expose it.
James betrayed him.
Preston's father was involved.
Noah's father was involved too.
But Noah didn't know.
“Why did you marry Noah?”
My mother smiled.
“I didn't.”
“What?”
“You chose him.”
“Did you know who he was?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you stop me?”
“Because he loved you.”
I stared.
She continued:
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of what would happen if I told you.”
“Why?”
“Because once you knew, you could never go back.”
I looked at Noah.
My mother turned.
“And he kept you safe.”
Noah said nothing.
My mother handed me a small box.
Inside was another ring.
My father's.
“Your father kept this.”
“Why?”
“Because it opens the second archive.”
I frowned.
“There are two?”
“Yes.”
“What is inside?”
“Proof that your father's disappearance wasn't ordered by the Black Ledger.”
“Who ordered it?”
“Your grandfather.”
I froze.
“My grandfather?”
He was alive.
Living in Switzerland.
He had been funding the network.
He wanted control.
My mother continued.
“Your father tried to destroy it.”
“My grandfather stopped him.”
“Then what?”
“Your father escaped.”
“James helped.”
“But someone betrayed them.”
“Who?”
She looked at Noah.
“His father.”
Noah's face changed.
“My father?”
“He believed the only way to survive was to control the ledger.”
“So he betrayed mine.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to my father?”
“He disappeared.”
She shook her head.
“We never found his body.”
I looked at her.
“So he might be alive.”
“Yes.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
She didn't know.
But the second archive might.
We returned to Chicago.
The archive opened.
Files.
Photographs.
Transactions.
Names.
Then one video.
My father.
Alive.
Recorded recently.
He looked older.
But alive.
“Anna.”
I cried.
“I know you're searching.”
“I need you to stop.”
“Why?”
“Because they will use you.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
“Even Noah?”
I froze.
My father's expression changed.
“I trusted his father.”
“I don't know whether I can trust him.”
The video ended.
Noah looked at me.
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“You could be involved.”
“I know.”
“And?”
“I will prove I'm not.”
I wanted to believe him.
But doubt had already entered.
Then my mother called.
She shouted:
“Anna, don't trust anyone!”
The line went dead.
I looked at Noah.
His phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?”
A voice.
“Bring the girl to the warehouse.”
Noah hung up.
May you like
He looked at me.
“They found us.”
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