THE WAREHOUSE REVELATION...
The warehouse was silent as Ceil turned the flash drive in his fingers.
Andrew had left minutes ago, but his presence still lingered like a shadow, heavy and suffocating.
Velena stood a few feet away, watching Ceil carefully. He hadn't spoken since taking the drive, his expression unreadable.
Lucian, leaning against the wall, broke the silence with a sharp exhale. "Are we really doing this?"
Ceil's fingers stilled, his grip tightening on the drive. He didn't answer. Instead, he turned and walked toward the car, slipping into the driver's seat with a quiet but firm, "Get in."
Velena hesitated for the first time. Something about Ceil felt different—darker, more distant. She glanced at Lucian, who gave her a shrug, masking his own unease. Despite her hesitation, Velena slid into the passenger seat. Lucian climbed into the back, and the car roared to life.
UNLOCKING THE DRIVE...
The ride back to Ceil's penthouse was suffocatingly silent.
Velena's mind raced. Whatever was on that drive—it was big. Bigger than any of them had realized. She stole a glance at Ceil. His jaw was clenched, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Even Lucian, usually the calm and collected one, seemed tense, his fingers tapping against his knee.
The moment they arrived, Ceil wasted no time. He strode to his desk, inserted the flash drive into his laptop, and leaned back in his chair.
Velena and Lucian hovered behind him as a single encrypted folder appeared on the screen.
"PROJECT REVENANT—FINAL PHASE," Velena read aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ceil clicked on the folder. A progress bar loaded, dragging seconds into eternity. Then, files flooded the screen—documents, schematics, images, and videos.
Velena's breath hitched.
Lucian muttered a curse. "What the hell…"
Ceil didn't react. He opened the first file.
A photograph appeared.
Velena felt the air leave her lungs.
It was her.
VELENA'S CONNECTION...
The image was grainy, old, taken in what looked like a dimly lit lab. Velena was just a child, standing next to a man.
Ceil's father.
Velena took a step back. "No. This… this can't be real."
Ceil's eyes flicked to her, cold and sharp. "You were part of it."
"No!" Velena shook her head. "I don't remember this. I—"
Lucian leaned forward, clicking on another file. A video began to play.
The screen flickered to life, showing the same lab. A small girl—Velena—sat in a chair, wires attached to her temples. A voice echoed from off-screen.
"She's the key."
The video cut abruptly.
Velena staggered, her legs threatening to give out. "This isn't possible. I don't remember any of this!"
Ceil's voice was calm, almost cruel. "That's the point. Someone made you forget."
PIECING THE PAST...
Lucian's gaze darkened. "But why? What were they trying to do?"
Ceil clicked on another file, revealing a list of names.
Ceil Enterprises – Special Project Roster," he read aloud.
Velena's name was near the top.
Next to it: EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECT.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She felt like she was falling, unable to catch her breath. "No… this has to be some kind of mistake."
Ceil turned to her, his expression unreadable. "It's not a mistake. You were part of Project Revenant."
Lucian swore under his breath. "Who the hell would do this to her?"
Ceil leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving Velena. "My father didn't erase your past." He paused, his voice hardening. "He used it."
THE FINAL FILE...
Velena clenched her fists, fighting back the tears threatening to fall. "Then who erased my memories?"
Ceil didn't answer immediately. He opened one final file.
A name appeared on the screen.
Velena's breath caught.
She recognized it. Not from memory, but from somewhere deeper—instinct, fear.
Lucian leaned closer, reading the name aloud. "They weren't just experimenting on you, Velena. They were creating something."
Velena's voice trembled. "What… what was I supposed to be?"
Ceil's gaze hardened. "You weren't just part of the project." He gestured to the screen.
"You were its purpose."
The room went silent, the weight of the revelation settling like a storm.
For the first time in years, Velena felt truly afraid. Because whoever was behind this—they weren't done with her yet.