The city sleeps when I leave the house.
The streets are dark, the air cold, and my heart beats so loudly it feels like the night can hear it.
I don't tell anyone where I'm going. Not Adrian. Not Clara. No one.
If the message is a trap, at least the danger is mine alone.
The car's headlights cut through the fog as I drive toward the old chapel.
Every turn feels like a memory waiting to wake up.
By the time I reach the hill, my hands are shaking.
The chapel looks worse than before, with broken windows, burnt walls, and vines curling over the ruins.
The moonlight paints everything silver.
For a moment, I just stand there, staring at the place where my old life ended.
"Meet me tomorrow. Midnight. The old chapel."
I swallow hard and push the door open. It creaks like an old ghost sighing.
Inside, the air smells of ashes and old smoke. My footsteps echo on the cracked floor.
The altar is gone, but I can still see where it used to stand, the place where I said my vows before the world burned.
"Hello?" I call out. My voice sounds small in the emptiness.
"Is anyone here?"
No answer.
Then I hear a faint sound behind me.
Footsteps.
I spin around.
A shadow moves between the broken pillars.
"Who's there?"
A man steps out of the darkness.
Tall. Broad shoulders. A face half hidden by the dim light.
But when he speaks, my blood runs cold.
"Don't be afraid, Emma."
That voice.
I know that voice.
"Daniel?" I whisper.
He nods slightly. "You shouldn't have come alone."
"I had to," I say, taking a step closer. "You sent the message?"
"Yes." He looks around carefully, as if afraid of being followed. "There isn't much time."
"Then tell me," I say. "Who killed Emma Blackwood?"
He hesitates, eyes dark and full of something heavy.
"You won't like the answer."
"I don't care," I whisper. "I've lived in the dark long enough."
He exhales shakily. "The fire wasn't an accident. It was planned."
My heart twists. "By who?"
He hesitates. "Your husband from your past life, the man you trusted. He made a deal that night. You found out. And before you could expose him…" He trails off, his eyes filled with regret.
"He killed me," I finish softly.
Daniel nods.
The world seems to tilt. For a moment, I can't breathe.
I clutch the old pew beside me, the wood rough under my hand.
"Why?" I whisper. "What deal?"
He looks down. "It wasn't just about money. It was about power. He wanted the Blackwood inheritance, your company shares, your father's estate, everything. You were the only one standing in his way."
Tears sting my eyes. "So he burned me alive to get it."
"Yes," Daniel says quietly. "But he wasn't alone."
I lift my head. "What do you mean?"
He looks at me for a long moment before saying, "Someone helped him. Someone who hated you more than he did."
My voice shakes. "Who?"
Daniel steps closer. "You already met her."
The room feels colder.
"Clara," I whisper.
He nods slowly. "They were working together. She was the one who lured you back into the chapel that night. She made sure you didn't escape."
My hands tremble. "Why would she—"
"Because she loved him," Daniel says quietly. "And he chose you."
My heart aches so hard it's hard to stand.
The man I loved killed me.
And the woman I trusted helped him.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because you deserve the truth," Daniel says. "And because he's close to you again."
I frown. "What are you talking about? He's dead. My husband died that nig, ht too."
Daniel looks at me sadly. "No, Emma. He didn't."
My chest tightens. "What do you mean?"
He takes a step closer, lowering his voice. "He's alive. He changed everything, his name, his life. You've seen him."
My heart pounds so hard I can barely hear my own voice. "Who is he, Daniel?"
He opens his mouth to answer, but before he can speak, the sound of glass shattering fills the air.
We both turn toward the noise.
Someone's here.
A figure steps out from the shadows, slow and steady. The moonlight hits his face, and I freeze.
Adrian.
His eyes are cold. His expression was unreadable.
"Emma," he says softly. "You shouldn't have come here."
Daniel moves protectively in front of me. "She has a right to know."
Adrian's gaze flicks to him, calm but dangerous. "You should've stayed dead, Daniel."
Before I can react, a loud crack echoes like thunder.
Daniel collapses to the floor, blood spreading across his shirt.
I scream.
"Daniel!" I drop beside him, shaking, my hands covered in red.
He grabs my wrist weakly. "He… he's the one…" he whispers. "Adrian… is the man who killed you."
His hand falls limp.
I look up, tears blurring my vision.
Adrian stands there, his gun still smoking, his face cold and emotionless.
"Emma," he says quietly, "come home."