The room was silent, filled with the scent of dust and forgotten memories. Faint light slipped through the broken windows, barely illuminating the scattered papers and abandoned furniture around. Standing in the middle of it all, Lila slowly opened the file in her hands. Her fingers were steady—but inside, something felt terribly wrong.
Page after page, she turned through the contents.
Photographs.
Fire.
Ruins.
Fragments of a past that refused to stay buried.
Then suddenly—her eyes stopped.
There, printed clearly like a final verdict, were three names.
Alexander Noir – Deceased
Elena Noir – Deceased
Adrian Noir – Missing
For a moment, Lila forgot how to breathe.
"…Adrian Noir…?"
The name echoed in her mind, over and over again, as if trying to force its way into her reality.
Her eyes slowly widened.
"No… that's not possible…"
A faint memory began to surface—something warm, something distant.
A voice.
"Lila… don't be afraid. I'm here."
A hand that used to hold hers tightly.
A presence that once felt safe.
Someone who always smiled.
Someone who always protected her.
"…Uncle…?"
The word slipped from her lips before she could stop it.
Her throat felt dry, her thoughts tangled in confusion.
"This… has to be wrong…"
Almost desperately, she turned the next page.
A photograph.
Old, slightly damaged—but still clear enough.
Four people stood side by side, smiling.
Alexander.
Elena.
Mrs. Carter.
And—
Adrian.
There was no hatred in their eyes. No darkness. Only trust. Only friendship.
Lila's grip on the file tightened.
"So everything… was connected…"
Her mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments.
"But… if he's listed as missing…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"…then where is he?"
Silence answered her.
But something inside her shifted.
Something darker.
"No… something's not right…"
A memory broke through.
A younger Lila, crying, her small hands trembling.
Adrian kneeling in front of her, pulling her into his arms.
"I'm here, Lila… nothing will happen to you."
His voice had been gentle. Reassuring.
Safe.
Lila's eyes snapped open.
Her breathing grew uneven.
"If you're still alive…"
She whispered slowly, her voice barely audible—
"…then where are you?"
Outside the room, hidden within the shadows, someone stood silently watching.
Unmoving.
Unseen.
A faint smile appeared in the darkness.
"So… you finally found it…"
The voice was low. Cold.
Almost amused.
"…Lila."