CHAPTER 7 — The Mother Who Became the Enemy
Emily couldn't stop thinking about the silver-haired woman.
"She's my daughter..."
The words echoed in her mind as she and Lily hid inside an abandoned ranger's cabin deep in the forest.
Outside, snow covered every footprint.
Inside, silence was broken only by the crackling fire.
Lily curled up beside Emily.
"Do you think Daddy is really gone?"
Emily swallowed the lump in her throat.
"I don't know."
It wasn't a lie anymore.
After everything she'd learned, she wasn't sure of anything.
Suddenly, she remembered the silver key Father Thomas had given her.
Number 17.
The safety deposit box.
The next morning, disguised in old clothes and sunglasses, Emily slipped into First National Bank while a retired neighbor watched Lily from the cabin.
Her heart pounded as she handed the key to the elderly bank manager.
His face changed instantly.
"So... you're finally here."
"You knew I was coming?"
"I've been waiting six years."
He disappeared into the vault and returned carrying a heavy steel box.
Inside wasn't gold.
It wasn't money.
It was a black leather journal.
A hard drive.
And one sealed envelope marked:
OPEN ONLY IF YOU DISCOVER THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR MOTHER.
Emily tore it open.
Inside was a photograph.
Her hands began shaking.
The silver-haired woman...
was standing beside her husband.
They weren't enemies.
They were smiling together.
On the back of the photo, her husband had written only seven words.
"Trust her before you trust anyone else."
Emily felt sick.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Had her mother been protecting them...
Or manipulating everyone from the beginning?
Just then, the bank manager locked the office door.
His voice became cold.
"I'm sorry, Emily."
She looked up.
Behind him...
five armed men quietly entered the bank.
One of them smiled.
"We've finally found the journal."
May you like
Emily realized too late.
The bank had been a trap.
