Dwayne barely slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, Jonathan Brown's smiling face appeared before him, followed by the words from the anonymous message.
She deserves the truth, Dwayne.
He sat alone in his study long after midnight, the lights switched off except for the desk lamp casting long shadows across the room.
His phone lay face down on the desk.
For the first time in ten years…
He was afraid to touch it.
The following morning, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the Davies estate.
Adeline hummed softly as she arranged fresh flowers in a crystal vase.
She looked happier than she had in days.
Her uncle's newspaper clipping had stirred old memories, but speaking about Jonathan had strangely brought her comfort.
"He would've loved this place," she murmured.
Dwayne looked up from his newspaper.
"What?"
"Uncle Jonathan."
She smiled fondly.
"He always dreamed of owning a home with a garden."
"He loved roses."
"I think that's why Rose was named after them."
Dwayne forced a smile.
"He sounds like he was a good man."
"He was."
Adeline's smile slowly faded.
"You know…"
"I still don't believe his death was just an accident."
The newspaper trembled slightly in Dwayne's hands.
"My father always accepted what the university told us."
"But something about it never felt right."
She looked out through the window.
"I've spent years telling myself to let it go."
She laughed quietly.
"I guess journalists aren't very good at letting things go."
Dwayne lowered his eyes.
"No…"
"They're not."
Later that afternoon…
Rose arrived carrying a box of old family photographs.
"I found these while cleaning the attic."
Adeline's face lit up.
"You actually brought them?"
"I thought you'd like them."
The sisters settled on the living-room rug, laughing as they sorted through faded photographs.
"There you are!" Rose pointed.
"Wearing that awful school uniform."
"It wasn't awful."
"It absolutely was."
Adeline laughed.
"You looked worse."
"I always looked fabulous."
The room filled with easy laughter.
Until Rose picked up another photograph.
Her smile softened.
It showed Jonathan Brown standing beside the River Thames, one arm around a teenage Adeline.
"You cried the whole journey home after he left for university," Rose said.
Adeline smiled through misty eyes.
"I remember."
"He promised he'd be back before my graduation."
"He never got the chance."
Silence settled over the room.
Across the hallway, Dwayne stood hidden from view.
He couldn't bring himself to step inside.
Listening to Adeline talk about Jonathan felt like listening to someone describe a life he had helped steal.
His chest tightened.
He quietly walked away before anyone noticed him.
That evening…
Jarvis found Dwayne standing alone on the balcony overlooking the estate gardens.
"You've been avoiding everyone."
"I'm just tired."
"You've been saying that all week."
Dwayne didn't answer.
Jarvis leaned against the railing.
"I know something's wrong."
Silence.
"I don't know what happened at Blackthorn."
Dwayne slowly turned.
"And I know you asked me never to ask."
"I've kept that promise."
"For ten years."
His voice softened.
"But you're my brother."
"I can see you're drowning."
"And I don't know how to help."
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Finally, Dwayne managed a faint smile.
"You already help."
"By staying out of it."
Jarvis frowned.
"I don't think I can much longer."
Dwayne's expression darkened.
"Some secrets don't protect the people keeping them."
"They protect the people who don't know them."
Jarvis looked at him carefully.
"And if the secret comes back?"
Dwayne stared into the darkening sky.
"It already has."
Close to midnight…
Dwayne's phone vibrated.
Once.
Unknown Number.
His stomach twisted.
He opened the message.
It contained only a single photograph.
A grave.
Fresh flowers rested against the headstone.
The name had been scratched away.
Beneath the image was one sentence.
The second one is already dead.
Dwayne's blood ran cold.
His hands trembled as he looked toward the bedroom where Adeline slept peacefully, unaware that the past had begun claiming victims again.
For the first time in ten years…
Dwayne realized this wasn't revenge.
it was a countdown