"Your father."
Grace's words echoed inside my head.
I stared at her.
"But my father is dead."
Grace shook her head.
"Samuel is dead."
My heart stopped.
"The man you called your father is not."
I couldn't speak.
Malik moved closer to me.
"Grace, you shouldn't be here."
She looked at him.
"Neither should you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means he knows."
"Who?"
Grace looked at me.
"Your father."
A cold shiver ran through me.
"My father is alive?"
"Yes."
I stepped backward.
"How?"
Grace's eyes filled with sadness.
"Because the man who raised you was never your father. He was the man who helped Samuel disappear."
My mind struggled to understand.
"Why would he do that?"
"Because Samuel discovered the truth."
"What truth?"
"That you were his daughter."
I frowned.
"But he already knew I was his daughter."
"No."
Grace shook her head.
"He didn't."
The room became silent.
"What do you mean?"
"Samuel didn't know you existed until after you were born."
My heart tightened.
"My mother never told him?"
"She tried."
"What stopped her?"
"Your father's family."
I stared at her.
"My father's family?"
Grace nodded.
"They had power. Money. Connections. Your mother was terrified they would take you."
"So she married another man?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"To hide you."
My eyes filled with tears.
"She gave me another man's name to protect me."
"Yes."
I looked down at the birth certificate in my hand.
Everything I thought I knew about my childhood was collapsing.
"Then who is the man I called Dad?"
Grace looked away.
"His name is Richard."
The name hit me like a sudden blow.
Richard.
I remembered it.
Not clearly.
A man's voice.
A door slamming.
My mother crying.
"Richard, please. Leave my daughter alone."
I covered my mouth.
"I remember him."
Malik looked at me.
"What?"
"I remember his voice."
Grace nodded.
"He wanted control over your mother."
"And me?"
"He wanted you because you were Samuel's daughter."
"Why?"
"Because Samuel left something behind."
"What?"
Grace looked toward the box.
"Something that belongs to you."
I frowned.
"I don't understand."
"Samuel knew that one day someone would come looking for his daughter."
She reached into her coat and removed another envelope.
"This was meant for you."
I took it.
My hands were shaking.
"From Samuel?"
Grace nodded.
I opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Samuel was holding a baby.
Me.
I stared at the image.
My mother stood beside him, crying.
On the back, Samuel had written:
My daughter, if you ever see this, know that I never abandoned you. I was searching for you.
A sob escaped me.
"He knew."
"Yes."
"He knew about me."
"Yes."
"Then why didn't he come for me?"
Grace's eyes filled with tears.
"He tried."
"What happened?"
"Richard found him."
My breathing stopped.
"He killed Samuel."
Grace nodded.
"Not personally."
"Then who?"
"Daniel."
I closed my eyes.
Again.
Daniel.
The same name kept appearing in every piece of my past.
"But Daniel didn't know."
"No."
"He was manipulated."
"Yes."
"By Richard?"
"Yes."
I looked at Malik.
"Does Daniel know?"
"I don't think so," Grace said.
"Then he has spent all these years believing he killed my father."
"Yes."
I wiped my tears.
"What about Elena?"
Grace's expression hardened.
"Elena knew Richard was responsible."
"Then why did she help him?"
"She didn't."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"Elena tried to stop him."
"Then why did everyone say she betrayed my mother?"
"Because Richard made sure everyone believed it."
I felt dizzy.
"So Elena wasn't the villain?"
"No."
"Then who was?"
Grace looked at me.
"Richard."
I looked down at Samuel's photograph.
For the first time, I saw the face of the father I had never known.
And suddenly, I wanted answers more than I wanted anything else.
"Where is Richard?"
Grace didn't answer.
I looked up.
"Where is he?"
"He's been watching you."
My blood went cold.
"Since when?"
"Since you were a child."
I remembered the photographs.
Different ages.
Different places.
Someone had been following me.
It was him.
Richard.
My supposed father.
The man who had helped erase my real father's existence.
The man who had watched me grow up from the shadows.
I clenched my fists.
"Why is he looking for me now?"
"Because you found the birth certificate."
Malik's phone suddenly rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
"Who is it?"
He didn't answer.
I walked toward him.
"Malik."
He slowly showed me the screen.
There was a message.
SHE KNOWS TOO MUCH. BRING HER TO ME.
My stomach twisted.
A second message appeared.
OR I'LL COME FOR HER MYSELF.
Then—
A loud crash came from outside.
Grace immediately turned toward the window.
"They found us."
"Who?"
She looked at me.
"Richard."
Malik grabbed my hand.
"Move."
We ran toward the back door.
Behind us, the front door burst open.
Men rushed into the apartment.
I heard someone shout.
"Find the girl!"
My heart pounded.
We ran down the narrow staircase.
Then I heard a familiar voice behind us.
"Lina!"
I stopped.
Daniel.
He stood at the top of the stairs.
His eyes met mine.
"Go!"
"But—"
"Go!"
A man attacked him.
Daniel fought back.
I wanted to stay.
Malik pulled me away.
"Lina, we have to go!"
We ran.
But just before I reached the exit, I looked back.
Daniel was still fighting.
And standing behind him was a man I had never seen before.
An older man.
Calm.
Elegant.
Watching me.
Our eyes met.
He smiled.
Then he said the words that froze me where I stood.
"Hello, daughter."